Trumpet player Bruce Daugherty has been a core member of the Millar Brass Ensemble since 1991 and is recorded on their last nine compact disc releases. The group received national recognition for their contribution to the successful cross-over recording "Heigh Ho Mozart!" (Delos) and is considered to be one of the best brass ensembles in the United States. Daugherty maintains a busy freelance schedule throughout Chicago and the Midwest. Originally from Seattle, he received his Master of Music degree from Northwestern University (Evanston, Illinois).

Daugherty is Assistant Band Director and private trumpet instructor at New Trier High School in Winnetka, IL. He maintains an active trumpet studio and is the Chamber Brass Coach at Midwest Young Artists, a youth music conservatory in northern Illinois. Quintets he has coached have been selected to participate in the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. He is also co-director of MYA's Big Bands. He founded Brassmeisters, a popular summer program for young brass players, at Elgin Community College.

He earned his Master of Music degree at Northwestern University with Vincent Cichowicz. Daugherty has performed with many area orchestras, including the Illinois Chamber Symphony, Illinois Philharmonic, South Bend Symphony, and Lake Forest Symphony.

Daugherty has studied with Arnold Jacobs, Barbara Butler and Vincent Cichowicz.