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Bio

Stuart was born into a large, happy family. His father, a high school band teacher, would bring instruments home for repair, and Stuart would open all the cases and struggle to make sounds. He bonded with the trumpet, but the seeds had been planted for a multi-instrument career.

By age 19, and already principal trumpet of the Hamilton Philharmonic, Stuart was asked to join a new group, Canadian Brass. He performed and recorded with them before leaving to attend the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. With the Curtis Orchestra he worked with conductors Eugene Ormandy, Zubin Mehta, Pierre Boulez, Riccardo Muti, Carlo Maria Giulini, Daniel Barenboim, and Claudio Abbado.

Stuart graduated from Curtis at age 22, having already been appointed principal trumpet of Milan’s La Scala Opera by Music Director Abbado. In Italy he found life thrilling and challenging in ways he could not have anticipated.

Back in Canada, Stuart married Wendy Reiser, who for 7 years had been a solo dancer with Canada’s National Ballet. Stuart was a stay-at-home dad to three children as they arrived and while Wendy attended university and began her medical practice. All this time, Stuart was thinking of what else he might do in music.  This was to include:

  • Founding Opening Day Recordings and releasing 18 discs of Canadian music and musicians. These were heard coast-to-coast on CBC Radio. Four Opening Day discs were JUNO-nominated, plus one JUNO win.
  • Forming Laughton & O’Meara, a trumpet and organ duo (which toured primarily in the USA over a 12-year period), and Laughton & Humphreys, a trumpet and soprano duo. The music of both was primarily Canadian.
  • Performing as concerto soloist with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Quebec’s Les Violons du Roy, Manitoba Chamber Orchestra, Esprit Orchestra (including concertos written for him) and Winnipeg Symphony.
  • Becoming long-time concertmaster of the Hannaford Street Silver Band.
  • Co-founding True North Brass, which brought a distinctive Canadian resonance to the brass quintet repertoire.
  • Joining Toronto’s Esprit Orchestra, Canada’s leader in new orchestral music.
  • Joining the board of composer R. Murray Schafer’s Patria Music/Theatre and serving two terms as president over a ten-year period.
  • Recording (with pianist Peter Tiefenbach) ‘Remembrance’ for Marquis Classics, of music by Canadian, British, American and French composers.
  • Re-joining Canadian Brass (after a 35-year absence) and touring the world for 2 1/2 years.
  • Doing multiple performances of a work dedicated to him, THE FALCON’S TRUMPET; Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra by R. Murray Schafer (commissioned by the Esprit Orchestra).
  • Founding Porkbelly Futures, a roots/rock band featuring Paul Quarrington that released 3 CD’s of original material and toured Canada coast to coast.
  • Founding The Forest Festival in Ontario’s Haliburton Forest and Wildlife Reserve and acting as its Artistic Director for 13 years.
  • Deciding in 2010 to begin RADIO DIAL as singer/front man. The group began as a trio with Burke Carroll and Steve Lucas, expanded to include Rebecca Campbell and Martin Worthy (colleagues from Porkbelly Futures), and, in 2017, Jeff McLeod. In 2022, Radio Dial celebrated its 100th performance.
  • Performing (until Covid) 130 one-man shows in retirement homes and long-term care facilities.