Music Conservatory of Illinois

Gregorios Papaefthymiou

Trumpet and Piano Faculty

Gregorios Papaefthymiou is a classically trained Chicagoland trumpet player and a founding member of the Braeburn Brass Quintet. He graduated from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor with a Bachelor’s Degree in Trumpet Performance. During his time as an undergraduate, he had the pleasure of performing as Principal Trumpet in the University Symphony Band, the University Philharmonic Orchestra, the Michigan Pops Orchestra, and was a substitute in the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra. He also received a fellowship from the Aspen Music Festival to attend the American Brass Quintet Seminar. Greg is currently the principal trumpet of the Lakeview Community Orchestra, the trumpet teacher at the Music Conservatory of Illinois, and a freelancer in Chicago. He strives to teach at the collegiate level and spread music to anyone willing to study it. In his free time, Greg enjoys playing video games with friends, listening to music of all genres, and trying out local restaurants and coffee shops.

Kurt Cox

Saxophone Faculty

Saxophonist Kurt Cox is “a unique young artist that comes to the musical world with a unique and clear vision,” (Nadége Foofat, conductor).

His solo performance credits include the Evermay Concert series in Washington D.C., the Shenandoah Conservatory Concerto Competition as orchestral soloist, as well as appearances with the Loudoun Symphony Orchestra, and the Northwestern University Symphony and Conservatory Orchestras as a guest artist.

As a chamber musician Cox has spent the last six years spreading music to his community through commissions, premiers, and numerous music festivals. Cox is the current baritone saxophonist in the Masso quartet, the previous baritone chair in NUNC5! and served as the soprano saxophonist for the Meraki422 quartet. Through these ensembles he was placed in the 2022 NASA quartet competition and continuously works with emerging composers on commissioning and premiering works for the saxophone quartet medium.

A Lynchburg, Virginia native musician whose stylistic range includes jazz, symphony orchestra, traditional wind band, chamber music, and contemporary music. Kurt recently graduated from Northwestern University with his Master of Music under the direction of Taimur Sullivan and completed undergraduate studies at Shenandoah Conservatory under the direction of Dr. Timothy Roberts.

Cox aspires to continue pursuing further education, share his knowledge with the community and students around him, as well as continue to perform as a soloist and chamber musician.