Stuart Laughton

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Stuart John Laughton (born August 19, 1951, St. Catharines, Ontario) is a Canadian musician, record company owner and new music advocate.

In his youth, Laughton studied trumpet with Joseph Umbrico in Toronto and became one of the original members of the Canadian Brass in 1970 at the age of 19. Laughton left the group to continue his studies with Gilbert Johnson at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. In 1973, while still a student at Curtis, Laughton was appointed principal trumpet of La Scala Opera, by Claudio Abbado.

Returning to Canada, Laughton established a reputation as a trumpet concerto soloist (with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Winnipeg Symphony, Les Violons du Roy, Esprit Orchestra) and chamber musician (Laughton & O'Meara, True North Brass). He founded Opening Day Recordings in 1993 as a means of promoting Canadian music and musicians. Six of the twenty-five discs he released were nominated for Canadian Juno Awards.

After a 32-year absence, Laughton rejoined the Canadian Brass in 2003, performing with the ensemble over a 2 1/2 year period. He recorded three CDs with the Brass and, during this time, also released a solo recording entitled "Remembrance" on the Marquis Classics label.

R. Murray Schafer dedicated his composition The Falcon's Trumpet (Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra) to Laughton and in 2007 Laughton became president of Schafer's Patria Music/Theatre Projects.

Laughton is also a member of Toronto roots, country, folk, R&B band Porkbelly Futures, in which he plays guitar, harmonica, mandolin and pedal steel guitar.

Laughton currently lives in Burlington, Ontario and, along with his other pursuits, performs with the Canadian Brass as part of the Brass' "Trumpet Dream Team," a rotation of players which also includes Ronald Romm, Ryan Anthony, Jeroen Berwaerts, Manon Lafrance and Brandon Ridenour.