Don Rayment has been bass trombonist of the Mississauga Philharmonic Orchestra since 1994. In the past has performed with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestre Symphonique de Quebec, the Windsor Symphony, the Thunder Bay Symphony, the Niagara Symphony and Orchestra London. Currently, he maintains a busy freelance schedule in and around the Greater Toronto Area and has performed with many local ensembles including the Toronto Wind Orchestra, the Jazz Mechanics Big Band, BrassRoots, the trombone ensemble Slide Rule and Intrada Brass as well as touring shows including Carmen and Video Games Live.
Don first began playing the trombone in the Salvation Army where he played in bands, participated in camps and in 1984 performed engagements and toured with the Canadian Staff Band. Beginning his formal studies in music at Toronto’s Humber College, he continued studies at the University of Toronto with Frank Harmantas, the Royal Conservatory of Music with Murray Crewe and the Domain Forget International Music Academy in Quebec where he studied with members of the Orchestre Symphonique de Quebec as well as the first of many lessons with the legendary trombonist and teacher Frank Crisafulli. During this time he also traveled for private studies with other prominent trombonists from the Chicago, Pittsburgh and Montreal Symphonies.
A large part of Don’s schedule is spent working with young trombone and brass students. Over the past 20 years, he has been a faculty member at numerous camps, is very active giving workshops, master-classes, clinics, teaching private lessons and has adjudicated at Musicfest. He is very active in the Greater Toronto Area working with schools and music teachers to promote brass playing and encourage participation in music and band classes and 2007 he started a 5-day summer trombone camp which has since grown into the Peel Brass Summer Music Academy.
Don continues to perform and teach in the Toronto area and is busy performing workshops, giving private lessons, preparing for summer camps and will be touring and performing in August 2010.
“For most of my professional career, I have performed on an Edwards bass trombone and have always appreciated how it has felt like a natural extension of my playing. The ability to create a trombone that fits you physically as well as musically is such an important factor in being comfortable in any ensemble or musical style. From the very first note, I was impressed with how it played with such ease and openness yet still maintaining great accuracy and control giving me a rich sound that I had never attained from any other instrument. With an Edwards trombone, there are no limitations and you have the confidence that whatever the musical situation, you will have an instrument that will exceed all of your expectations.”