Bert Truax was Second Trumpet of the Dallas Symphony from 1976-2000. He began playing the trumpet at the age of seven, and when was 10, studied under the tutelage of Joseph Alessi, Sr. He later studied with James Stamp, Tom Stevens, and Bill Adam. At the Curtis Institute of Music, he studied with Gilbert Johnson and Frank Kaderabek.  In 1986 he was invited by audition to play Second Trumpet with the Philadelphia Orchestra for the first half of their 1986-87 season.

A published composer, Truax's works are recorded on Crystal Records. His three movement Fantasy for Trumpet and Orchestra was commissioned by the Dallas Symphony for then-Principal Trumet David Bilger.  Bilger has also performed the third movement with the Philadelphia Orchestra.  Joseph Alessi premiered a commission from the International Trombone Association in 2000.  Other commissions have included works for the trumpet section of the West Point Band.

Since 2000, Bert has expanded his private lesson studio, and was appointed as adjunct instructor of trumpet  at Texas A&M Commerce. He has performed with the Fort Worth Symphony, Lewisville Symphony, East Texas Symphony and the Memphis Symphony. He is currently Principal Trumpet of the Richardson Symphony, and a frequent soloist with them. He has also soloed with the Texas Chamber Orchestra, the Richardson Community Band and the Troy State Wind Ensembles. As a clinician, Bert was featured at the 2003 ITG Conference in Fort Worth Texas. In April of 2005, Bert was a guest soloist and clinician at the University of Central Florida, where he performed his own Trumpet Concerto for the first time (the Concerto was premiered by David Bilger and the Dallas Symphony in 1995). In October of 2006 was a clinician at the Rocky Mountain Trumpet Fest in Denver. He has also released an interactive DVD called Bert’s Basic Brass.  Bert stared a summer trumpet camp two years ago, which has featured some of top trumpeters in the country, including Phil Smith, Jon Lewis, Chase Sanborn, and Marvin Stamm. This Summer’s camp features Los Angeles Philharmonic trumpeter Chris Still.
 
 On the recording front, he has appeared on numerous projects, including a CD with John Holt called "Facets", and also on his own new CD, "Listen with Your Heart". Bert has always been an active composer, and has premiered five new compositions since 2003, including "Grace", "In His Light", "Hymn to Gil" (for his teacher Gil Johnson), "Praise the Lord" and "Listen with Your Heart". “Hymn to Gil” was premiered at the 2004 ITG Conference in Denver.