Skip Wagner grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and received his musical education from San Jose City College and Hayward State University. His teachers include Phil Shoptaugh, Marvin Nelson, Tony Caviglia and Laurie McGaw.

Early in his career Mr. Wagner played the San Francisco show circuit in productions of The Wiz, Kismet, The Sound of Music, Jesus Christ Superstar and Fiddler on the Roof, to name a few. As a freelancer he has performed extensively throughout the Bay Area and can be heard on many movie and television sound tracks.

Mr. Wagner has served as principal trumpet of the Midsummer Mozart Festival, Cabrillo Music Festival and Western Opera. He has performed with the San Francisco Symphony, San Francisco Contemporary Music Players and regularly with the San Francisco Opera. Mr. Wagner has been a member of the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra since 1979 and is a founding member of the Bay Brass.

In his free time, Skip enjoys long walks, biking, shooting hoops, playing piano, community volunteering and spending time with his friends and family. Skip is now retired and considers having been a member of the Bay Brass one of his proudest professional achievements.