Blakely S. Carroll was born on 1980 July 8 in Fairfax, Virginia. Her parents are Robert and Carol Carroll. She attended Wolftrap Elementary School, Kilmer Middle School, and James Madison High School, all in Vienna, Virginia. Blakely started playing the viola in grade 4, and switched to the trumpet in grade 5. She developed her trumpet abilities rapidly. She won the Director’s Award in both elementary band and middle school band, and the Sousa Award in high school band. Blakely was Principal Trumpeter with the Metropolitan Wind Symphony under the direction of George Etheridge, Principal Trumpeter with the Mount Vernon Youth Orchestra, and Assistant Principal trumpeter with the Northern Virginia Youth Symphony conducted by Luis Haaza. She regularly played with the Vienna Community Band, the Alexandria Citizens Band and its swing band, and the Concordia German Band, all under the direction of John J. Pickeral, Jr. Blakely also played in the Brass of Peace brass ensemble, conducted by Dr. Sylvia Alimena, hornist of the National Symphony Orchestra. Blakely has played in the Kennedy Center in Washinton (in Terrace Theater, the Eisenhower Theater, the Millenium Stage, and in the Concert Hall under the baton of Maestro Leonard Slatkin). In twelth grade, Blakely auditioned for and won the first chair in the all-state orchestra in the State of Virginia. In Spring, 1997, Blakely toured with the Northern Virginia Youth Symphony in Russia.

During her high school years, Blakely was a student of David Detwiler, lead trumpeter of the Army Blues Jazz Band (and soloist with the National Symphony Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic), and Adel Sanchez, Assistant Principal trumpeter of the National Symphony Orchestra. She has also taken lessons with David Flowers of the National Symphony Orchestra and Charles Schluter, principal trumpeter with the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Alfter graduating high school, Blakely was a student at Florida State University, majoring in music performance and music education, where she has a full scholarship. She attended the Boston University Tanglewood Institute for three summers, studying with the Atlantic Brass Quintet. In 1999, she was awarded the most outstanding trumpeter award in the ABQ seminar at Tanglewood, and the brass quintet which she played in there received the best quintet award. In the summer of 1996 she enjoyed playing in a performance of Mahler’s Fifth Symphony at the Sewanee Summer Music Festival in Sewanee, Tennessee.

At the National Trumpet Competition on 2000 March 18--19 at George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, Blakely was selected in a group of five finalists of the College Division in the competition.

Today, Blakely is a graduate student at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, where she studies trumpet and plays in the Eastman Wind Ensemble. In February Blakely and the Eastman Wind Ensemble played a concert in Carnegie Hall in New York City. Their opening performance was played without conductor in tribute to the late conductor of the Ensemble, Frederick Fennell.  

Blakely as a little girl at Grandpa Dick’s house.  Grandma Bev gave Blakely a turkey to play with.	Blakely dressed for Halloween, with sister Cayley.
Blakely’s Grandad Robert	Another picture of Blakey as a girl.
Blakely’s cat Bealtainne	Blakely taking a shower. Oooh, does Blakely hate this picture!
Family: Grandpa Robert, sisters Cayley and Meyra, and mom.	Blakely with high school band director Tim Franklin  of James Madison High School in Vienna, Virginia.  This picture was taken at the band’s graduation party.
Blakely and third cousin, once removed, Jim Chesnutt. Jim studied acting at Yale University, and claims the musical talent comes from the Chesnutts.	Blakely at her high school graduation.
Blakely showing how to pick her nose at Wu’s Garden restaurant.	Blakely on concert tour in Russia, with the Northern Virginia Youth Symphony.
Grandpa Robert, Cayley, and Meyra.	Cute baby Blakely! Blakely learned to talk fluently  in only two weeks after she could speak her name.
Blakely home from Florida State, eating.	Blakely riding a sleeper car on Russian train while on concert tour.
Blakely with Grandpa Robert	The "Kousevitsky Quintet" at Tanglewood, Summer 1999.
Blakely’s First Thankgiving dinner in her apartment near Florida State University. She cooked it by herself in 1999 (with many telephone calls to her parents in Virginia). Can you identify Blakely’s menu?
Blakely’s graduation at Florida State University.	The Eastman Wind Ensemble at Central Park in New York.
Blakely at Central Park with (from left) sister Meyra, friend Shannon, and mother Carol.	The Eastman Wind Ensemble. Do you see Blakely?

Blakely’s Dad playing the Baritone Saxophone in his quartet.

Download Blakely’s National Trumpet Competition (2000 March 19) finalist performance. Download MP3 file in 3 parts.
MP3 file part 1 (1.4 MB)
MP3 file part 2 (4 MB)
MP3 file part 3 (3.6 MB)