Trombonist Gunnery Sergeant Russell Sharp of Mustang, Okla., joined “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band in January 2017.

Gunnery Sgt. Sharp began his musical instruction on trombone at age 11 and graduated in 2001 from Mustang High School. He earned a bachelor’s degree in trombone performance from the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond in 2006 where he studied with Dr. Kent Kidwell, retired principal trombone with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic. In 2007, he earned a master’s degree in trombone performance from Oklahoma City University’s Wanda L. Bass School of Music. He has also studied with Lee Rogers, principal trombone with the Washington National Opera in Washington, D.C.

Prior to joining the band, he was the principal trombone with the U.S. Naval Academy Band in Annapolis, Md., from 2007-16. He has also substituted with the National Symphony Orchestra and Kennedy Center Opera Orchestra in Washington, D.C.; the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra in Pennsylvania; the Oklahoma City Philharmonic; and the Annapolis Symphony in Maryland.

Gunnery Sgt. Sharp performs with the Marine Band and Marine Chamber Orchestra at the White House, in the Washington, D.C., area, and across the country during the band’s annual concert tour.