Fulfilling the vision of a youth orchestra for Montana

Yaphet Jones retired from the United States Marine Corps in May of 2011 after 22 years of active service, attaining the highest enlisted rank of Master Gunnery Sergeant. During high school, Mr. Jones was an alternate member of the McDonald’s All-American High School Band, attended the Interlochen Center for the Arts National Music Camp, and participated in the MERIT music program in Chicago. Prior to enlisting in the Marine Corps, he was a music performance major at Southern Illinois University and served as the Principal Trumpet of the Chicago Symphonic Wind Ensemble. His final assignment in the Marine Corps was as the Bandmaster of the Third Marine Aircraft Wing Band in San Diego, CA. He also served three tours in combat with the 1st Marine Division Band in Camp Pendleton, CA and served as a Black Belt Marine Corps Martial Arts Instructor.

Yaphet performed in various ensembles and as a featured soloist during his career as a Marine musician, and in 2001, he was named the Marine Corps Staff Non-Commissioned Officer Marine Musician of the Year. Yaphet has additionally had the honor of performing with the Pacific Symphony, Vancouver Symphony, San Diego Symphony, San Diego Chamber Brass, the Westwind Brass, the Big Horn Brass, La Jolla Symphony, Portland Columbia Symphony, the National Orchestra of Honduras, and the Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic. In 2008, he joined the Brass of the Potomac with members of The Presidents Own and other premier military bands to record the CD American Rhapsody. Mr. Jones has studied privately with current and former members of the Boston Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, National Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, Pacific Symphony, San Diego Symphony, and the Dallas Symphony.

Jones has been mentoring and teaching musicians of all ages for over 30 years. He taught trumpet at Poway High School in San Diego, CA and is a member of the International Trumpet Guild. He is the Principal Trumpet of the Glacier Symphony Orchestra and a founding member of the Stillwater Brass. Yaphet serves on the Board of Directors of the Flathead Marines and lives in Kalispell, MT with his wife Donivee and their two children Jaeden (14) and Lillian (11). Jaeden and Lilly keep their parents plenty busy with traveling, as Jaeden is an All-Star baseball player and Lillian is a competitive gymnast, and the current and two-time Montana state champion.

When not on the concert stage or traveling with their kids for their respective sports, Yaphet can be found in the mountains: skiing in the winter or mountain biking the rest of the year.