Tom Tolen/ news@WHMI.com

A group of Brighton High School students who excel at the trumpet were the only high school group in the entire nation invited to perform at the International Trumpet Guild conference in Minneapolis, MN.

The Brighton Trumpet Quintet, as it is called, is composed of Eliza Grimes, Nick Hardy, Jack Milton, Luke Newcomb, and Jason Robinson. Their music coach and coordinator is Sharon Long, who has been working with the students since they were in middle school.

The students were required to pass an audition to even be considered for the event, which draws elite college, professional and military trumpeters from around the world. They passed the audition with flying colors.

Brighton contingent performed several pieces throughout the conference- all were well received.

According to parent booster Nathan Robinson, the members conducted can and bottle drives to fund their trip.

“They did really well,” according to Long. “It’s a special moment to see a kid and a light goes on in their head and you see them getting empowered” by the musical skill level they’ve achieved.


Long also coaches a group of French horn players who will be going to Montreal at the end of July to play in the 55th annual International Horn Society meeting. The Brighton group, which also passed an auditioning process to be invited, will be playing post-secondary and college-level numbers at the conference. Long was previously a music teacher at Maltby, Scranton, and Brighton High School, but was forced to resign due to health reasons and now teaches privately, using a large room in her basement.