The Best Schools for Orchestral Trombonists

ttf_anonymous · Post by **ttf_anonymous** » Wed Apr 28, 2010 9:44 pm

Robert Soto
Bass Trombone
Orange County Symphony Orchestra, orange County Wind Symphony

recieved his bachelor's from UTEP and master's from Yale. Studied with Scott Hartman, Steve Norrell, Joseph Alessi, John Lofton, Dr. Steve Wilson, Dr. Mark Williams, Dr. Allan Kaplan, Mr. Robert Melendez, and conducting with Maestro Toshiyuki Shimada and Dr. Ron Hufstader

ttf_anonymous · Post by **ttf_anonymous** » Sat May 22, 2010 6:24 pm

I didn't see Abbie Conant on the list. She played with Munich Philharmonic for a long time.

Studied at:

Temple University (BM)
Juilliard (MM)

Teachers were Dee Stewart, Branimir Slokar, and Per Brevig.

ttf_anonymous · Post by **ttf_anonymous** » Fri Jun 11, 2010 1:29 pm

Kirk Ferguson went to Julliard. Richard Lopez went to University of Northern Colorado. Rob Tapper went to Eastman.

ttf_Torobone · Post by **ttf_Torobone** » Fri Jun 11, 2010 2:50 pm

Quote from: vegasbound on Nov 28, 2009, 02:15AMAre people from the colinies allowed to win jobs?? How many apply?

A player from the colonies won the 2nd chair at Vienna!!

Stanley Clark is a Canadian playing in the Bern SO.

ttf_anonymous · Post by **ttf_anonymous** » Wed Oct 06, 2010 7:46 pm

Scott Anderson

Teaches at University of Nebraska-Lincoln (Huskers)

Has performed nationally and internationally as Principal and Second Trombone with the Minnesota Orchestra, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Omaha Symphony and the Des Moines Symphony and as second trombone in the Kansas City Symphony, Kansas City Ballet and Opera Omaha

Degrees from: University of Minnesota (DMA 1995), Northwestern University (MM 1987) and Iowa State University (BM 1985)

Studied with: Thomas Ashworth, the late Frank Crisafulli and Dr. David Stuart

ttf_anonymous · Post by **ttf_anonymous** » Tue Mar 22, 2011 7:11 pm

Stephen Lange, new BSO 2nd trombone went to Indiana University for undergrad.
Doug Yeo also went to Indiana University for his freshman year, if you want to count that.

ttf_anonymous · Post by **ttf_anonymous** » Wed Aug 17, 2011 1:19 pm

For Marshall University, you have Marshall University listed. That's a funny name, but I'm guessing it's masculine?

You're missing Peter Sullivan, principal of the Pittsburgh Symphony. His bio says that he studied at Ottawa and McGill Universities and the Aspen School of Music, along with being a finalist in the 1990 Munich International Competition. Teachers cited were Theodora Griffith, Per Brevig, and Christian Lindberg.

ttf_Matt K · Post by **ttf_Matt K** » Wed Aug 17, 2011 4:19 pm

Conrad Herwig also attended Interlochen in '74 I believe. My bunk bed was right below his signature on the wall.

ttf_TheFreak90 · Post by **ttf_TheFreak90** » Thu Aug 18, 2011 9:34 am

Chris Oliver(second trombonist, Dallas Symphony) studied with John Kitzman at SMU and Steve Witser at the Cleveland Institute of Music.
Michael Priddy (bass trombone, San Diego Symphony) attended the Cleveland Institute of Music but I can't confirm who he studied with.

ttf_Gabe Langfur · Post by **ttf_Gabe Langfur** » Thu Aug 18, 2011 10:05 am

To sum up, all kinds of players went to all kinds of schools. Some schools are certainly represented more than others in the top orchestras, but those schools also graduated a lot of people who make their livings in other ways.

School is what you make of it. Any school.

ttf_GetzenBassPlayer · Thu Aug 18, 2011 11:24 am

Quote from: Gabe Langfur on Aug 18, 2011, 10:05AMTo sum up, all kinds of players went to all kinds of schools. Some schools are certainly represented more than others in the top orchestras, but those schools also graduated a lot of people who make their livings in other ways.

School is what you make of it. Any school.

Yes.

ttf_anonymous · Post by **ttf_anonymous** » Thu Aug 25, 2011 10:00 pm

Kirk Ferguson, the newly appointed second chair in the Milwaukee Symphony, went to Julliard.

ttf_anonymous · Post by **ttf_anonymous** » Mon Oct 31, 2011 2:41 pm

Evan Conroy, new bass trombonist with the Louisiana Philharmonic, went to Western Michigan for his undergrad and won the job while doing his masters at Juilliard.

ttf_anonymous · Post by **ttf_anonymous** » Fri Jan 20, 2012 3:29 pm

Chris Wolf, new principal of phoenix went to University of Maryland and Juilliard

ttf_anonymous · Post by **ttf_anonymous** » Thu Feb 02, 2012 10:45 pm

Great thread, great spreadsheet.

I think Spokane's pretty busy. If you count them, Richard Strauch went to Wheaton (studied with Audrey Morrison, I believe) and Yale.

Cheers,
Joe Schoonmaker
Wheaton '98
Trombone, US Navy

ttf_anonymous · Post by **ttf_anonymous** » Fri Feb 03, 2012 5:09 am

Joseph Rodriguez

Opernhaus Zurich

UT Arlington/Juilliard/Alessi Seminar

ttf_djdekok · Post by **ttf_djdekok** » Fri Feb 03, 2012 10:41 am

Quote from: connman93 on Oct 31, 2011, 02:41PMEvan Conroy, new bass trombonist with the Louisiana Philharmonic, went to Western Michigan for his undergrad and won the job while doing his masters at Juilliard.
Go Broncos!!!

ttf_anonymous · Post by **ttf_anonymous** » Thu Nov 08, 2012 9:19 am

The 2nd/associate principal trombone of Colorado Symphpony Orchestra Paul Naslund did both his Bachelor and Master's degree from University of Michgan. You can add him to this site. https://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=p_b-ZtcpsnGpQQRqwRxwtDg&gid=0
By the way, this is a great site!

ttf_Torobone · Post by **ttf_Torobone** » Tue Nov 13, 2012 11:54 am

Add:
Richard Raum

Eastman (classmate of Ralph Sauer)

Regina Symphony Orchestra and trombone instructor at U of Regina

ttf_anonymous · Post by **ttf_anonymous** » Tue Nov 27, 2012 4:31 pm

It's time for me to start looking for schools as well. I see that Juliard pops up constantly. How about a CCM or West Virginia? I heard WV had a boss trombone studio.

NBee

ttf_anonymous · Post by **ttf_anonymous** » Tue Jun 11, 2013 4:02 am

I believe that the significance of the school itself is over-rated -- not just for music education, but in all disciplines. The engine is the student; his (her) desire, innate aptitude, willingness to work. Names like Julliard and Eastman look impressive on resumes and may help a new artist find work through the alumni network, but a lackadaisical student at a household-name music school will finish far behind a dedicated student at a liberal arts university.

ttf_Matt K · Post by **ttf_Matt K** » Tue Jun 11, 2013 6:37 am

Quote from: NBee on Nov 27, 2012, 04:31PMIt's time for me to start looking for schools as well. I see that Juliard pops up constantly. How about a CCM or West Virginia? I heard WV had a boss trombone studio.

NBee

WVU is not comparable to Juliard. Feel free to PM me if you want information about WVU, I just graduated last year.

ttf_bassboneman · Post by **ttf_bassboneman** » Tue Jun 11, 2013 9:23 am

Quote from: elofton on Jun 11, 2013, 04:02AMI believe that the significance of the school itself is over-rated -- not just for music education, but in all disciplines. The engine is the student; his (her) desire, innate aptitude, willingness to work. Names like Julliard and Eastman look impressive on resumes and may help a new artist find work through the alumni network, but a lackadaisical student at a household-name music school will finish far behind a dedicated student at a liberal arts university.
Pick a school with a dedicated and talented trombone studio! Find someone you can work well with - you do the practice - the prof leads the way!

ttf_anonymous · Post by **ttf_anonymous** » Wed Jun 12, 2013 12:25 am

Personally, I think you should go wherever you will get the most opportunities. A place that you can be sucessful. There are a lot of public and private universities where you can be sucessful.

ttf_NBee · Post by **ttf_NBee** » Sun Oct 27, 2013 5:22 pm

Now how are you defining success? Job or what you learn? My understanding is that the name on the degree will carry just as much weight as the professor's ability to teach.

ttf_anonymous · Post by **ttf_anonymous** » Sun Oct 27, 2013 10:05 pm

Quote from: NBee on Oct 27, 2013, 05:22PMNow how are you defining success? Job or what you learn? My understanding is that the name on the degree will carry just as much weight as the professor's ability to teach.
If you play good, you play good

ttf_anonymous · Post by **ttf_anonymous** » Sat Aug 09, 2014 5:07 am

I agree wholeheartedly with Thomas Matta in that the Public schools are way understated. They will allow experimentation with respect ro what branch of playing you really enjoy without bankrupting you. My suggestions: University of North Texas ( perhaps the best overall public based on BOTH a superb jazz and classical reputation), Indiana and Michigan.

ttf_anonymous · Post by **ttf_anonymous** » Wed Nov 26, 2014 4:27 am

Please consider The University of Maryland School of Music. The trombone faculty consists of National Symphony Orchestra trombonists Craig Mulcahy, Barry Hearn and me.

http://www.music.umd.edu/prospective_students/

ttf_ThunderChops · Post by **ttf_ThunderChops** » Wed Jul 08, 2015 8:48 am

Arizona State University. IMO, two really strong professors (Doug Yeo and Ryan Haines) who both have a ton of real world experience (seems that would seem to me to be important).

I think a bigger factor should be the other members of the studio.

I would think that working in a studio where the members work together to teach and support each other would be much preferable to a studio where there's a lot of overt (or worse covert) competition between members.

ttf_anonymous · Post by **ttf_anonymous** » Tue Aug 18, 2015 7:17 pm

Since you seem to have missed the Kansas City Symphony (NOT the Philharmonic since 1982):

Roger Oyster - University of Michigan (studied with Abe Torchinsky), also some grad study with Milt Stevens at University of Maryland (but I don't think he finished a degree). Also studied with Brian Bowman in high school.

Wyatt Henderson - B.M. University of North Texas (Leon Brown and Vern Kagarice, also with John Kitzman); M.M. Northwestern University(Frank Crisafulli, also with Arnold Jacobs and Ed Kleinhammer. Also did Tanglewood and Aspen (Per Brevig)

Adam Rainey - B.M. and M.M. New England Conservatory (Doug Yeo and James Markey). Also has done Tanglewood.

ttf_GeeSamYouWell · Post by **ttf_GeeSamYouWell** » Thu Feb 02, 2017 1:16 pm

Jeff Reynolds went to Cal State Long Beach. Terry Cravens did his undergrad at Louisville.

ttf_blast · Post by **ttf_blast** » Thu Feb 02, 2017 2:14 pm

Love the list..... so you can only study and get jobs in the US ? I teach in a place that is rated no 6 in the world... but doesn't seem to exist.
Never mind.

ttf_blast · Post by **ttf_blast** » Thu Feb 02, 2017 2:14 pm

Love the list..... so you can only study and get jobs in the US ? I teach in a place that is rated no 6 in the world... but doesn't seem to exist.
Never mind.