In 1962, Tripp enrolled at the Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music to study percussion. His private teacher at the conservatory, Ed Weubold, was a percussionist with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO). Tripp became a regular member of the CSO, performing with artists such as Igor Stravinsky, Isaac Stern, Leonard Rose, Jose Iturbi, Loren Hollender and Arthur Fiedler.
In 1962, Tripp began his musical journey at the Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music, specializing in percussion. His private teacher, Ed Weubold, was a percussionist with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO), which became Tripp's professional platform for performing alongside prominent musicians like Igor Stravinsky, Isaac Stern, Leonard Rose, Jose Iturbi, Loren Hollender, and Arthur Fiedler.