Manny Laureano is the Principal Trumpet of the Minnesota Orchestra, as well as the Co-Artistic Director of the Minnesota Youth Symphonies. Laureano began his musical studies in the New York City public school system and received his Bachelor of Music Degree from the Juilliard School in 1977. He was appointed Principal Trumpet of the Seattle Symphony, where he performed various solo works, including the rarely-played concerto by Michael Haydn. He held this post he held for four years before serving in his current position as principal trumpet with the Minnesota Orchestra. He has appeared numerous times with the Minnesota Orchestra as soloist playing concertos by Haydn, Hummel, Arutunian, and Tomasi. He also performed the American premiere of the concerto by Viennese composer Friedrich Wildgans along with Leonard Slatkin conducting in Minneapolis in 1983. He has performed as soloist with a variety of ensembles throughout the United States including the Des Moines Symphony Orchestra, the South Dakota Symphony, and the Chamber Orchestra of the Springs in Colorado.
As a conductor, he has worked with a variety of ensembles, ranging from having been Music Director of the Calhoun-Isles Community Band in Minneapolis, Music Director of the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, to several appearances in Young People's Concerts with the Minnesota Orchestra. He has been in demand as a clinician for young orchestras throughout the state of Minnesota. In 2002, Manny and his wife Claudette were invited to guest-conduct the National Suzuki Youth Orchestra Festival Orchestra and were invited to serve again in 2004. Manny has served as Co-Artistic Director of the Minnesota Youth Symphonies (MYS) since 1988. He is the conductor of the MYS Symphony Orchestra, and is the brass and woodwind coach for the MYS Repertory Orchestra, conducted by Co-Artistic Director Claudette Laureano. Laureano served as Assistant Conductor of the Minnesota Orchestra during the 2005-06 season and served as conductor of the 2008-2009 Minnesota All-State orchestra. In recent years he has appeared regularly as guest conductor at Indiana University, as well as the Eastern Music Festival, St. Olaf College, and Bethel University.