Tag

trombone

In Trombone Corner

Third Coast Trombone Retreat Podcast Interview – Trombone Corner #27

Third Coast Trombone Retreat Podcast Interview

Welcome to the show notes for Episode #27 of the Trombone Corner podcast. This episode features trombonists John Sebastian Vera and Nick Schwartz from the Third Coast Trombone Retreat Podcast. This is a special 2-part episode, so head on over to the Third Coast Trombone Retreat Podcast feed to catch the 2nd half of the interview

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Continue Reading
In Trombone Corner

Dr. Brett Baker Trombone Interview – Trombone Corner #24

Dr. Brett Baker Trombone Interview

Welcome to the show notes for Episode #24 of the Trombone Corner podcast. This episode features trombonist, Dr. Brett Baker. Listen to or download the episode below:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

About Brett Baker

Brett Baker is viewed internationally as a leading brass performer and educator. He is passionate about encouraging composers to write pioneering new repertoire, having commissioned over 100 trombone solos and is one of the most recorded brass soloists. Brett was Programme Leader for Musical Arts (previously band musicianship) at the University of Salford for seven years. He continues to be an Artist for Michael Rath Brass Instruments and is long serving Principal Trombone of the Black Dyke Band. Recently he became Marketing Lead & Global Artist Liaison for Denis Wick Products and Vice Chair of the Association of Brass Band Adjudicators.

As well as a performance schedule of 40 concerts a year, Brett enjoys presenting workshops, specialising in solo performance and band training. Brett has performed on over 30 solo albums, 8 under his own label of White River Evocations, which produces and distributes CDs. He has performed as guest soloist on a further 40 CDs. He regularly tours in the USA, Europe, Australia and New Zealand as a soloist, teacher, conductor and adjudicator. As a consultant, Brett, has worked with Michael Rath Musical Instruments for over 18 years on instrument design and has assisted in production of a signature mouthpiece. He was taught by Robert Morgan, Lyndon Baglin, Steve Walkley, Christopher Houlding, Kevin Price and Denis Wick.

As a conductor, Brett has many associations with bands in the North of England, and has achieved contest successes with Northop, Ratby and Longridge bands. He has been guest conductor of the University of Salford Brass Band, the brass band at the Royal Northern College of Music, thew National Youth band of Scotland, the European Youth Brass Band, Thoresby Colliery, Carlton Main Frickley Colliery and the Leyland Band.

In 2014 Brett conducted Tongwynlais Temperance at the National Finals of Great Britain in the Royal Albert Hall, London. Brett was conductor of the University of Salford Symphonic Wind Band from 2014-2019. He is currently Musical Director and tutor of both the Yorkshire Youth Brass Band and the North-East Midlands Youth Brass Band and has conducted the massed ensemble at Trombonanza in Argentina. For over 20 years, Brett Baker has been keen to promote new music for the trombone, commissioning over one hundred works from composers and arrangers. 

As an adjudicator, Brett, has judged regularly, the International Trombone Association in the USA, the National Solo Championships in Switzerland, many Association contests, the Scottish Open, Butlins Mineworkers Festival, the National Finals in the Netherlands, Lithuania, New Zealand and Australia. He has judged all the regional area qualifiers for the National Championships of Great Britain and many solo contests worldwide.

He has been trombone tutor of the National Youth Brass Band of Scotland, the National Youth Band of Wales, National Youth and Children’s Brass Band of Great Britain, the European Youth Brass Band, the International Brass Band Summer School in Swansea as well as low brass tutor of the International Summer School in Dartington, Devon.

In 2020 Brett won the ITA Presidents Award for Solo Performance and services to the International Trombone Association where he has been featured regularly as a soloist including in Salt Lake City, Utah in 2023.

Brett Baker Links

Podcast Credits

In Trombone Corner

Stephen Shires Trombone Interview – Trombone Corner #12

Stephen Shires – Trombone Interview

Welcome to the show notes for Episode #12 of the Trombone Corner podcast. This episode features trombonist and craftsman Stephen Shires.

Listen to or download the episode below:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

About Stephen Shires

Steve Shires is best known in the brass world as the founder of the S. E. Shires Company, crafter of custom trombones and trumpets.  His passion for designing and building brass instruments grew from his love of playing the trombone.  Steve received his undergraduate degree in trombone performance from the University of Iowa, where he studied with John Hill and George Krem.  A true trombonist, he skipped theory class to apprentice as a brass repair technician at West Music Company in Iowa City and was soon developing his craft by converting old small bore tenor trombones into  alto trombones. While continuing his trombone studies in Chicago with legendary Chicago symphony brass section members Arnold Jacobs, Edward Kleinhammer, Frank Crisafulli, and Jay Friedman, he worked for the Schilke Music Company, learning the art of spinning brass instrument bells, as he absorbed the high standards of quality that Schilke represents.  In 1986, Steve and his wife Cathy relocated to Boston.  It was there that he gained much of his knowledge of the Horn, working for Osmun Brass Instruments, the nationally respected shop for horn repairs and restorations. It was here that Steve gained the invaluable experience of rebuilding valves, cutting bells, and restoring Geyer, Kruspe, Conn, and Paxman horns.

 Steve founded the S. E. Shires Company in 1995, and was president of the company for nearly 20 years, until its recent purchase by the Eastman Music Company.  In addition to running day to day operations, Steve was the primary bell spinner.  During Steve’s tenure, The S.E. Shires company was one of the few instrument makers that  spun its own bells, made its own valves, drew its own tubing, and used computer controlled lathes to machine all of its parts.

In 2015 Steve and his wife moved to their new home in Vermont, where Steve combined his vast  experience designing and building world-class trombones and trumpets with his years as a horn technician to create the ultimate horn. He crafted his first Geyer model horn in 2017 and has been improving on the designs since then. The Series II Stephens horn, featuring a unique custom wrap that marries the best qualities of the Geyer and Schmidt models was introduced in 2019.

Stephen Shires Links

Podcast Credits

In Trombone Corner

Timothy Higgins Trombone Interview – Trombone Corner #11

Timothy Higgins – Trombone Interview

Welcome to the show notes for Episode #11 of the Trombone Corner podcast. This episode features principal trombone of the San Francisco Symphony, Timothy Higgins.

Listen to or download the episode below:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

About Timothy Higgins

Timothy Higgins was appointed to the position of Principal Trombone of the San Francisco Symphony by Michael Tilson Thomas in 2008. He was previously the acting Second Trombonist with the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, DC.  Mr. Higgins, a Houston native, has a Bachelor’s degree in Music Performance from Northwestern University and has performed with the Chicago Symphony, New York Philharmonic, Milwaukee Symphony, Virginia Symphony, Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Music of the Baroque, Aspen Music Festival, Grand Teton Music Festival, Sun Valley Summer Symphony, Washington National Opera, and Baltimore Symphony.  His principal teachers have been Michael Mulcahy (Chicago Symphony), Michael Warny (Houston Grand Opera), and Royce Landon (Des Moines, Iowa).  He has participated in music festivals with the Roundtop Music Festival, the National Repertory Orchestra, and the Tanglewood Music Center.

Along with a busy orchestra career, Timothy Higgins is a sought after arranger of music.  He was the sole arranger of the National Brass Ensemble’s Gabrieli recording. Additionally, he has arranged music for CT3 Trombone Quartet, National Brass Quintet, Bay Brass, and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music Brass Ensemble.  Timothy Higgins has also composed works for brass instruments in solo and chamber settings. His arrangements and compositions have been performed by the Washington Symphonic Brass, the Bay Brass, the San Francisco Symphony brass section, the Chicago Symphony brass section, the Los Angeles Philharmonic brass section, and numerous university brass ensembles. His arrangements and original compositions are available through his publishing company, 415Music.

As a teacher, Timothy been a faculty member of the Pokorny Seminar since 2012, and is currently on faculty at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and Northwestern University. He has also led masterclasses in Japan, China, Canada and the United States, including classes at the Royal Conservatory in Toronto, the New World Symphony, Vanderbilt University, the Manhattan School of Music, and the Juilliard School of Music.

In 2005, Timothy won the Robert Marsteller Solo trombone competition, as well as the ITA Trombone Quartet competition with CT3.  While attending the Tanglewood Music Center, Mr. Higgins was awarded the Grace B. Upton Award for Outstanding Fellow. In 2013, Timothy released his solo CD, Stage Left.

Timothy Higgins Links

Podcast Credits

In Trombone Corner

Christian Lindberg Trombone Interview – Trombone Corner #10

Christian Lindberg – Trombone Interview

Welcome to the show notes for Episode #10 of the Trombone Corner podcast. This episode features trombonist, conductor, and composer, Christian Lindberg.

Listen to or download the episode below:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

About Christian Lindberg

In September 2015 Christian Lindberg was voted “THE GREATEST BRASS PLAYER IN HISTORY, by the worlds biggest classical radio station CLASSICFM, and on the 1st of April Christian Lindberg was given  “International Classical Music Award 2016” at the Gala Ceremony in in San Sebastian, Spain. Previous winners were Esa-Pekka Salonen (2011), Krzysztof Penerecki (2012). Charles Dutoit (2013), Aldo Ciccolini (2014) and Dmitri Kitajenko (2015).On top of this Christian has just signed a 5 year Music Director contract with Israel Netanya Kibbutz Orchestra, rated by Israeli Council of Art and Culture, side by side with Israel Philharmonic as the best orchestra in the country. Christian Lindberg’s achievements for the trombone can only be compared with those of Paganini for the violin or Liszt for the piano.

Having premiered over 300 works for the trombone (over 90 major concertos) recorded over 70 solo CDs, having an international solo competition created in his name, been voted brass player of the 20th century side by side with Miles Davis and Louis Armstrong, Christian Lindberg is today nothing less than a living legend.

On top of his unrivaled career as a trombonist Lindberg has now also embarked on a highly successful conducting career, and the near future includes major conducting engagements in Musikverein, Suntory Hall, at Beethovenfest, in Salzburg Festspielhaus, Tonhalle Düsseldorf, Meistersingerhalle, Nürnberg and National Centre for the Performing Arts (The Giant Egg) in Beijing with orchestras such as Nippon Yomiuri Symphony Orchestra, Beijing Symphony Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Royal Flemish Philharmonic, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, New Zealand Symphony, Düsseldorfer Symphoniker, Irish National Philharmonic and Ulster Orchestra to name a few.

In 2009 Lindberg signed contract as principal conductor with his third orchestra, The Norwegian Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra (the two previous ones being Nordic Chamber Orchestra 2004-2011 and Swedish Wind Ensemble 2005-2012). Since then he has prolonged his contract twice and their collaboration runs for the moment up to 2017 including major recording projects on BIS (Tchaikovsky Symphonies no 4-6 among other things), a major tour throughout Japan and performances at Beethovenfest, Musikverein and Salzburg Festspielhaus.

Alongside his activities as principal conductor Lindberg has major conducting collaborations with Norrköping Symphony Orchestra (performing and recording all the symphonies by Allan Pettersson), Royal Flemish Philharmonic(a major project performing and recording music by Stenhammar), The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic (a second major conducting residency in 2016), Nürnberger Symphoniker (various projects including music by Lindberg himself, Allan Pettersson, Grieg, Högberg, Tchaikovsky and Beethoven), The Swedish Chamber Orchestra (music by Lindberg, Schubert, Ginastera, Bizet and Andrea Tarrodi), Ulster Orchestra (music by Lindberg, Dvorak, Nielsen, Grieg and Sibelius), RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland (music by Tchaikovsky, Lindberg, Sibelius, and Sandström) and Taipei Symphony Orchestra (Bernstein, Lindberg, Tchaikovsky and Pettersson.

Lindberg also conducts orchestras such as the Nippon Yomiuri Symphony Orchestra, Beijing Symphony Orchestra, ,Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Verdi Orchestra Milano, Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Gürzenich-Orchester Köln, Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Malmö Symphony Orchestra, Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie, Extremadura Orchestra, Umeå Symphony Orchestra, Tiroler Symphonieorchester, Het Noord Nederland Orkest, Het Gelders Orkest, Stuttgart Radio Orchestra, Poznan Symphony Orchestra, Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Jenaer Philharmonie, Jyväskyllä Symphony Orchestra, Oulu Symphony Orchestra, Euscadi Orchestra, Maggio Fiorentino, Haydn Orchestra Bolzano, Northern Sinfonia, Helsinki Philharmonics, Lahti Symphony Orchestra, Cape Philharmonic, Aarhus Symphony Orchestra, Shanghai Opera Orchestra,  Iceland Symphony Orchestra, National Orchestra of Brazil, Württembergische Philharmonie, and Tenerife Symphony Orchestra  to name a few. 

As a composer Lindberg has been constantly busy with commissions since he wrote his first composition Arabenne for Trombone and Strings in 1997-98 as a pure experiment. Orchestras around the world have been queuing up, and he has composed over 50 works on commission from, among others, The Chicago Symphony Orchestra, The Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Hessische Rundfunk, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Swedish Chamber Orchestra, Verdi Orchestra Milano, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Trondheim Soloists, Sion Musik Festival, Nordland Musikfestuke, Vertavo Quartet, Vib’bone Duo, Sergio Carolino and the Wild Gang, Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra, Norrköping Symphony Orchestra, Bones Apart, Anders Wall Foundation, Hardanger International Music Festival and Share Music Sweden. Future commissions include a trombone concerto for the Taipei Symphony Orchestra, a 30 minute long orchestral piece commissioned by Düsseldorfer Symphoniker,  a trumpet concerto commissioned by the Swedish Chamber Orchestra and Västerås Sinfonietta and a concerto for Evelyn Glennie, Christian Lindberg and orchestra commissioned by the Cheltenham Festival.

Christian Lindberg’s own philosophy regarding his work as a composer is simple: “I do not write in any style whatsoever! I just listen to what my brain and my soul tell me, and what I hear I simply put down on paper. To say anything more about my work would be pretentious nonsense.”

Christian Lindberg Links

Podcast Credits

In Trombone Corner

Jack Schatz Trombone Interview – Trombone Corner #09

Jack Schatz – Trombone Interview

Welcome to the show notes for Episode #9 of the Trombone Corner podcast. This episode features New York-based trombonist and tubist, Jack Schatz.

Listen to or download the episode below:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

About Jack Schatz

Ted Nash Big Band Recording Session “Chakra”: Jack Schatz, Alan Ferber, Mark Patterson, Charley Gordon.

Jack Schatz is an in-demand New York City–based trombonist and tubist. Jack has played in numerous Broadway shows, including The Phantom of the Opera, My Favorite Year, Damn Yankees, Hello Dolly!, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Side Show, Little Me, Flower Drum Song, Wonderful Town, A Chorus Line, Billy Elliott: The Musical, Hugh Jackman, Back on Broadway, and Nice Work If You Can Get It.

He can also be heard on recordings ranging from Barbara Cook’s All I Ask of You (DRG, 1999) and Jazz Takes on Joni Mitchell (Arkadia Jazz, 1999) to Chakra (Plastic Sax, 2013) and Noah (Nonesuch, 2014).

Jack Schatz Links

Podcast Credits

In Trombone Corner

Leonhard Paul Trombone Interview – Trombone Corner #8

Leonhard Paul – Trombone Interview

Welcome to the show notes for Episode #8 of the Trombone Corner podcast. This episode features trombonist and bass trumpeter of Mnozil Brass, Leonhard Paul.

Listen to or download the episode below:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

About Leonhard Paul

Leonhard Paul is the trombonist and bass trumpeter in the world-famous Mnozil Brass and the Wieder-Gansch-Paul Trio. Originally from Vienna, Austria, Leonhard received diplomas in pedagogy studies and trombone studies from the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. He went on to receive a degree in jazz trombone from the Conservatory of Music Vienna where he studied under Erich Kleinschuster.

Since 2005, Leonhard has been a professor at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna-MDW where he teaches chamber music, period music (sackbut), and popular music.

Besides his busy schedule with the Mnozil Brass, Leonhard has also performed on sackbut with the Wiener Akademie, Concentus Musicus Wien, and Tonus and on trombone with Salonorchester Alhambra and Die Eiserne Zeit among others.

Wieder-Gansch-Paul Trio

Coincidence writes the beautiful stories. Albert Wieder, Thomas Gansch and Leonhard Paul started at some point, Playing an encore at the end of each Mnozil Brass Show. On every tour a new one.

Into the blue, very spontaneous, not rehearsed, standing on stage and doing, what music is about – communicating. That’s how, during the last years, a whole concert program developed.

With songs from all corners of their three universes. George Michael, Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, Chuck Mangione, Johann Strauß, Toots Thielemans, Franz Schubert, Thomas Gansch, and so on.

Bass, melody and harmony.
You could say “Earth, Wind and Fire” – but that is already taken.
So let’s call it  “Wieder, Gansch & Paul“

Thomas Gansch – Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Vocals
Leonhard Paul – Trombone, Bass-Trumpet, Vocals
Albert Wieder – Tuba

Leonhard Paul Links

Podcast Credits

In Trombone Corner

Alan Kaplan Trombone Interview – Trombone Corner #7

Alan Kaplan – Trombone Interview

Welcome to the show notes for Episode #7 of the Trombone Corner podcast. This episode features trombonist Alan Kaplan.

Listen to or download the episode below:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

About Alan Kaplan

Alan Kaplan has long been one of the busiest studio and freelance trombonists around. Growing up in Los Angeles he began playing at the age of eight. He tried to prepare for a “real” job, majoring in engineering at LA Valley College, but by the age of nineteen he was on the road with Buddy Rich. He was the youngest trombonist ever to play lead with that band. The next few years found him playing with big band legends such as Harry James, Louis Bellson, Don Ellis, and Lionel Hampton.In the ensuing years, Kaplan’s studio career took off. His recording credits vary vastly from Marvin Gaye to Johnny Mathis to Madonna to Placido Domingo to Sarah Vaughan to Oingo Boingo to Whitney Houston to the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, Phil Collins, Pharell Williams, Celine Dion, Josh Groban, Michael Buble, Paul McCartney, Harry Styles, Bob Dylan, Bryan Adams, Nirvana, Neil Young, Harry Connick, Lady Gaga, and countless more.

Kaplan’s TV credits include such shows as Hawaii 5-0, Dynasty, Voyager, Star Trek, Home Front, Mash, Dallas, Simpsons, Fantasy Island and hundreds of others. He has been the featured trombone soloist on more than 1000 cartoons such as Tiny Toons, Animaniacs, Tazmania, Pinky and the Brain, 101 Dalmations, Timon and Pumbaa and many others. He is currently working on Family Guy, American Dad, Orville, Mickey Mouse Shorts,  Agents of Shield, Star Trek, Once Upon a Time, Pennyworth, Blood and Treasure, Stargirl, Picard, Crisis on Infinite Earths, Animaniacs reboot, and Looney Toons.

He was a regular member of the staff bands on the Merv Griffin, Joan Rivers, and Star Search Shows. Several times in the last few years, Alan has been in the orchestra on the Academy Awards. He also was in the band for the Jerry Lewis Telethon for over thirty years.

Throughout his career, Alan has performed and recorded with Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Harry Connick, Boz Scaggs, Cheap Trick, Tony Bennett, Tower of Power, Josh Groban, Michael Jackson, Celine Dionne, Madonna, The Who, Elton John, Spinal Tap, and many, many more.

His movie credits are perhaps most impressive of all, a list of some 1100 plus films including “Animal House”, “Airplane”, “Dances with Wolves”, “Out of Africa”, “Sleepless in Seattle”, “Beauty and the Beast”, “Hercules”, “Apollo 13”, “The Lion King”, “Con-Air”, “Batman and Robin”, “Silverado”, “Godzilla”, “Zorro”, “Planet of the Apes”, “Spiderman 1,2, and 3”, and “Men in Black 2”, “Pirates of the Carribean 1,2, and 3″,”Star Trek XI”,”The Incredibles 1 & 2″,”Up”, “Transformers 1&2″ ,”Mission Impossible 4″,” Star Trek”,” Rise of the Planet of the Apes”, “Inside Out”, “Tomorrowland”, and ” Ted”, “Ted 2”,  “Star Wars Rogue One”, “Spiderman 4”, “The Dark Tower”, “Jurassic World”, “Spiderman Homecoming”, “War for the Planet of the Apes”, “Coco”, “Ready Player One”, “The Greatest Showman”, “Lego Movie 2″, ” Ralph Destroys the Internet”, “Alita; Battle Angel”, “Frozen 2”, “Men in Black: International”,  “Spiderman: Far From Home”, “Soul”, “Onward”, “Bad Boys For Life”, “An American Pickle”, and “Scoob!” to name just a few.

Alan has been featured in articles in many publications including The Brass Herald, Windplayer Magazine, Downbeat, ITA Journal, and International Musician.

In January of 2002 Alan released his first solo album. It is a beautiful collection of standard ballads arranged for a thirty piece orchestra called Lonely Town. In August of 2012 He released a new CD called “Secrets of Hoyt’s Garage”. In 2017 Alan released three play-along albums for Music Minus One. “Ballads for Trombone with Orchestra”, “Standards for Trombone”, and “Mostly Mozart Arias”.

Alan Kaplan Links

Podcast Credits

In Trombone Corner

Aubrey Logan Trombone Interview – Trombone Corner #6

Aubrey Logan – Trombone Interview

Welcome to the show notes for Episode #6 of the Trombone Corner podcast. This episode features trombonist, singer & songwriter, Aubrey Logan.

Listen to or download the episode below:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

About Aubrey Logan

She’s a singer. She’s a trombone player. She’s a songwriter. She’s a performer.

It would have been a lot easier if Aubrey Logan would have just picked one. But she’s never been one to be pigeon-holed. She lives her life outside the box and that makes her difficult to define. And that’s OK with her because she purposely defies definition.

Her Top 5 debut album in 2017 helped establish her as one of the premier young singer-instrumentalists in the country. Her participation in Dave Koz’ #1 album, Summer Horns in 2018 helped cement her position. But it was her own #1 album in 2019 that really helped Aubrey Logan become a household name with music aficionados around the world. Because it was that album, Where the Sunshine is Expensive, that showed the depth of songwriting that she’s capable of.

In between her recording commitments, Logan finds time to share the stage with Alabama Shakes and Meghan Trainor and Pharrell Williams and Josh Groban and Dave Koz and The Commodores and Boston Pops at venues as diverse as Ronnie Scott’s famous jazz club in London to the expansive Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. She’s appeared on Jimmy Kimmel and the Grammys’ Award Show and ABC’s The Goldbergs. She’s recorded a duet with her childhood hero, Gloria Estefan. She’s won multiple awards at the Montreux Jazz Festival. She’s beloved by not just the dedicated fans of Postmodern Jukebox, but she considers the creator, Scott Bradlee, and her colleagues within the collective her true friends. And she loves performing. But it’s in her writing that we find out who Aubrey Logan really is.

Her title track, LA revealed to the world just how difficult it is to be an artist living in the biggest entertainment town on the planet. She opened up her soul in the song, Understand. She gave us songs that told us how much travel takes its toll and songs that tell us what’s truly important in a world that glorifies superficiality. She even takes us back a few decades with some retro songs that ask us to remember what it was that first captured our imagination on the radio.

But mostly, Ms. Logan has finally given us a glimpse into the complexity of the mind of the artist. She’s still known as a world-class singer-instrumentalist. But she’s revealed that there’s so much more. Aubrey continues to headline sold-out shows and festivals. She continues to wow the crowds at symphony dates all over the world and she touches us in those rare intimate club shows. And with her latest album, we now discover that “The Queen of Sass” has depths to which we would never have imagined.

Aubrey Logan Links

Podcast Credits