South Carolina School of the Arts
Trumpet Studio
Meet the Brass Faculty
Chris Imhoff
Trumpet
Chris Imhoff is the trumpet professor at the South Carolina School of the Arts at Anderson University. In addition to teaching trumpet and working with various chamber ensembles, Chris teaches Music Theory and Aural Skills. He was the recipient of the 2020-2021 Anderson University Teaching Excellence Award, for Part-Time Faculty.
Before settling in Greenville, Chris spent 5 years traveling across North America with touring productions of The Wizard of Oz, A Chorus Line, Shrek, the Musical, and Catch Me If You Can.
He has performed with the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, Charleston (SC) Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, Cincinnati Baroque Orchestra, Greenville (SC) Symphony Orchestra, Asheville Symphony Orchestra, Richmond (IN) Symphony, South Carolina Philharmonic, Spartanburg Philharmonic, Hendersonville Symphony, and Brevard Philharmonic.
Chris performs for musicals and other productions at Flat Rock Playhouse, the state theatre of North Carolina. He regularly performs with a several groups in the Greenville, SC and Western North Carolina areas, including Steel Toe Stiletto, The Greenville Jazz Collective.
Chris is a Powell Trumpets Performing Artist. He holds a Bachelors degree in Trumpet Performance from Ohio University and a Masters degree in Trumpet Performance from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music. His primary teachers include John Rommel, John Schlabach, and Wesley Woolard. Chris received additional instruction from Bill Adam, Larry Black, Vince DiMartino, and Tony Plog.
Betsy Myers
French Horn
Elizabeth (Betsy) Myers is a band director at Gettys Middle School in Pickens County School District. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of South Carolina with her Bachelor of Music in Music Education as well as a Performance Certificate in french horn. Upon graduating, she received the Vandoren Award for most outstanding graduating music education major.
Following graduation, she became the Band Director for Belton and Honea Path Middle Schools, where she taught for five years. She also recently completed her Master's of Instrumental Conducting degree from the American Band College of Sam Houston State University.
In addition to her love of teaching, Ms. Myers is an avid performer and member of several regional orchestras and chamber ensembles.
Blake Lawson
Trombone
Blake Lawson enjoys a life of active freelancing throughout the Southeast, where he currently holds positions as the Principal Trombone with the Aiken Symphony Orchestra.
Comfortable with all genres of music, Mr. Lawson performs regularly with jazz ensembles and wedding bands. He has also performed as a substitute with the SC Philharmonic and the Asheville, Augusta, Beaufort, Brevard, Charleston, Greenville, and Long Bay Symphony Orchestras.
Mr. Lawson completed his Bachelors degree in Trombone Performance from the University of South Carolina and his MM in Trombone Performance from the University of Georgia.
Mr. Lawson currently teaches applied trombone lessons and directs the Trombone Ensemble at Anderson University. He also serves on the faculty at Limestone University and Newberry College as the Adjunct Professor of Low Brass.
Michael Taylor
Tuba/Euphonium
Michael Taylor serves on the faculty of Anderson University where he teaches tuba, euphonium, and brass methods. Mr. Taylor also serves in the same capacity at Lenoir-Rhyne University and North Greenville University. Past teaching appointments include Furman University, Brevard College, Presbyterian Association of Music and Musicians, and the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities.
Mr. Taylor has served as principal tuba with the Hendersonville Symphony Orchestra since 2002. In addition to his duties with the HSO, he has performed with several symphony orchestras throughout North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky. Mr. Taylor has also performed and toured with Mr. Jack Daniel’s Original Silver Cornet Band, the Harvey Phillips Tuba Company, and the Tuba Santas while maintaining an active schedule as a performer and clinician in the southeastern United States. He also hosts and conducts the annual Tuba Christmas held in Hickory, NC.
Mr. Taylor received his Bachelor of Music degree from Western Carolina University and his Master of Music in Performance degree from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University-Bloomington where he was awarded the William Bell Memorial Scholarship for Tuba. His principal instructors are Dr. Harvey Phillips, Dan Perantoni, Dr. Ken Kroesche, and D. Wynn Justice.
Michael Taylor currently resides in Morganton, NC with his wife, Kimberly and their daughter, Savannah Lee.
