Meet the Staff

Mr. Retzlaff is the Director of Bands at the Central Academy of Technology and Arts where he teaches all Symphonic Band courses as well as the Jazz Band, Chamber Music.  Previously, he was the Director of Bands at Monroe Middle School. His bands have received “Superior” ratings at the SCDBA MPA Festivals. He has received several awards and recognition during his nine year teaching career such as quarter finalist for the Grammy Award for Music Educators, the 2012 North Carolina American School Band Director Association's “Encore” Award for young teachers and was selected as the 2013-2014 Monroe Middle School “Teacher of the Year" finishing in the top ten in Union County.  

    In addition to his public school teaching responsibilities, he is Adjunct Faculty at Wingate University leading the Trumpet studio and teaching a senior level Trumpet Literature and Brass Pedagogy class. At Wingate, he has been a guest lecturer at the Canadian Brass Symposium on "Warming Up Effectively on Trumpet."

    His musical training started in Delaware at the age of 9 with his middle school band director Jason Rogers and continued while attending the Peabody Conservatory of Music of the Johns Hopkins University earning both a Bachelor of Music (Trumpet Performance) and Bachelor of Music Education. After graduating Peabody, Craig attended the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music at the California State University, Long Beach, earning a Master of Music degree (Trumpet Performance) and serving as the trumpet teaching assistant and the brass chamber music graduate assistant.

    His primary trumpet instructors include Robert Frear (Former Principal Trumpet, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra), Wayne Cameron (Peabody Institute), Gene Young (Former Trumpet Professor, Oberlin College) and Charles Schlueter (Former Principal Trumpet, Boston Symphony Orchestra). Additional studies include Chris Gekker (Trumpet Professor, University of Maryland, Former member of the American Brass Quintet), Andrew Balio (Principal Trumpet, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra), Jonas Haltia (Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra), and Steve Hendrickson (Principal Trumpet, National Symphony Orchestra). 

    He has also performed in master classes and chamber music coachings given by Susan Slaughter (Former Principal Trumpet, St. Louis Symphony Orcehstra), Charles Schlueter, Anthony Plog (Famed International Trumpet Soloist and Composer), John Rojack (American Brass Quintet), Toby Hanks (Former member, New York Brass Quintet), Peter Landgren (Baltimore Symphony Orchestra), James Olin (Baltimore Symphony Orchestra) and Graham Ashton (International Trumpet Soloist and member of the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble).

    As a performer, Mr. Retzlaff is currently the Principal Trumpet of the Union Symphony Orchestra, a founding member of the Stained Brass and an active freelancer in the greater Charlotte area. He has been a featured soloist on the Haydn and Hummel Trumpet Concerti with the Union Symphony Orchestra. 

    He has also been the Guest Principal Trumpet for the Symphony Orchestra of Augusta and has performed professionally with the California Philharmonic Orchestra, the West Los Angeles Symphony Orchestra, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s “Soulful Symphony”, the Salisbury Symphony Orchestra, and the Delaware Choral Society Orchestra. 

    He has also performed at numerous venues throughout the east coast including Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center in New York, Heinz Hall in Pittsburgh, Royce Hall and Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center in Los Angeles.  When not doing something music related, Craig enjoys spending time with his wife Erica, daughter Hayliana, Pets (Rocky and Bella, family and friends.

    For further information about Mr. Retzlaff's performing career as a professional trumpeter, please click here.