We have great pleasure in announcing winners for these awards for 2025.
The International Trombone Association has several awards it bestows each year. The individual awards are the ITA Award, presented every year to an individual who has greatly influenced the field of trombone, the Neill Humfeld Award, which recognizes outstanding trombone teaching in our profession while honoring the teaching excellence of the late Neill Humfeld, the Legacy Circle Award, for unparalleled accomplishments in the trombone community, the Lifetime Achievement Award, for contributions to the trombone profession over a long career.
The neill humfeld award
JoDee Davis
JoDee Davis is professor of trombone at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory. She performs regularly as an extra with the Kansas City Symphony and is a member of the Trilogy Brass Trio and Crossroads Trombone Quartet. Davis has served on the faculties of Kent State University and Eastern Washington University. Formerly principal trombone of the Spokane Symphony and second trombone of the Santa Fe Opera, she has performed with a number of other orchestras including the Akron, Canton, and Youngstown Symphony Orchestras in Ohio, and the Spoleto Festival Orchestra in Charleston, SC, and Spoleto, Italy.
She has presented solo recitals and master classes throughout the United States and has performed and given clinics at the International Trombone Festival, the American Trombone Workshop; the Midwest Clinic; and the Ohio, Texas, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa and Illinois Music Educators Conferences. She was a member of the highly acclaimed trombone quartet PRISMA, which performed at the first International Women’s Brass Conference in St. Louis, the Arizona Low Brass Symposium, and International Trombone Festivals in Cleveland, Minneapolis, Las Vegas and Feldkirch, Germany. In 2011, Davis was an adjudicator in the prestigious Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. In November 2013, she presented a recital and master classes at the Musik Staatliche Hochschule für Musik Trossingen. Davis was invited to conduct the International Women’s Trombone Choir at the 2024 International Trombone Festival at Texas Christian University.
Davis’s students hold university positions throughout the United States and in public and private schools throughout the country. The UMKC Trombone Ensemble, under Davis’s direction, has won Honorable Mention in the International Trombone Association’s Emory Remington Trombone Choir Competition and made its second appearance at the Missouri Music Educators Association Conference in January 2024. The ensemble has toured in the St. Louis area and performed on a program of the St. Louis Low Brass Collective.
Davis received the UMKC Conservatory’s Muriel McBrien Kauffman Excellence in Teaching Award in 2015 and the Kauffman Excellence in Service Award in 2021. She was awarded a 2017 University of Missouri Research Board grant to commission and record new music for trombone and piano. She has two solo recordings on the Albany Records label: In the Moment (2001) and The Voices of Air (2020).
Davis holds the Doctor of Music in brass literature and performance from Indiana University, and the Master of Music in trombone performance and the Bachelor of Music in music education from the University of Northern Iowa. She gratefully acknowledges her major teachers: Jon Hansen, Dee Stewart, and Jan Kagarice.
ITA Award
Don Lucas
Mr. Don Lucas has performed regularly by audition with The St. Paul Chamber Orchestra (MN), The Empire Brass Quintet, Santa Fe Pro Musica Chamber Orchestra, and as the founder of the American Classic Trombone Quartet. He has also performed with orchestras in San Antonio and Lubbock (TX), Providence (RI), Raleigh (NC), Portland (ME), Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Roswell (NM).
Mr. Lucas has given recitals and taught masterclasses worldwide. His engagements in the United Kingdom included performances at Wigmore Hall (London), The British Trombone Society Festival, The Repton Brass Festival, The Royal Northern College of Music and Chetham’s School of Music (Manchester), The Royal Academy of Music (London), The Guildhall School of Music (London), The Royal College of Music, and The Royal Scottish Academy of Music (Glasgow).
His engagements in Russia included performances and masterclasses at The Tchaikovsky Conservatory (Moscow), The Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory (St. Petersburg), and The Fine Arts Institute (Vladivostok). In South Korea, he performed at the Korean Trombone Festival, JeJu Festival, Seoul Trombone Ensemble, Wool Trombone Ensemble, and in a joint recital with Minhwan Lee at Seoul National University. In China, he worked with institutions such as the Central Conservatory (Beijing), Xinghai Conservatory (Guangzhou), Shenyang Conservatory, Shenzhen University, the Hong Kong Academy of the Arts, and Macao’s “Bandfair!” festival.
Other notable engagements include performances at the Brazilian Trombone Association National Festivals (Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia), the International Trombone Festival, UNIRIO (Rio de Janeiro), the Conservatoire Supérieur (Paris, France), the Melos Brass Festival (Corfu, Greece), Franz Liszt Academy of Music (Budapest, Hungary), Trombones de Costa Rica International Brass Festival (San José), and the International Trombone Symposium (Melbourne, Australia). He has also performed at the International Trombone Festivals in the United States and Feldkirch (Austria) as well as conservatories in Copenhagen and Aarhus (Denmark). In the U.S., he founded the Big 12 Trombone Conference at Texas Tech University.
Mr. Lucas has performed as a soloist, recitalist, and clinician at prestigious venues such as Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Terrace Theatre at the Kennedy Center, The Juilliard School, and The Eastman School of Music. He has performed with the U.S. Army Orchestra & Band “Pershing’s Own,” The U.S. Naval Academy Band, and The West Point U.S. Military Academy Band. Additional performances include appearances at the Midwest Band & Orchestra Clinic, the New York Conference for Brass Scholarships, the Masterworks Festival, the Eastern Trombone Workshop (Washington, D.C.), the Harmony Ridge Brass Festival (VT), the 76 Trombones and 4 Trombone Festival (Las Vegas), the College Band Directors National Association Convention, The Texas Music Educators Association Convention, the Texas Bandmasters Association Convention, the Christian Artists Music Festival (CO), Boston University’s Tanglewood Institute, and the Las Vegas Music Festival, as well as numerous universities, festivals, schools, and camps.
Mr. Lucas’ honors include being the only trombonist in history to receive the Premier Prix Diploma from the Guildhall School of Music (London). He was a Bronze Medalist and finalist in the Toulon International Solo Competition, First Prize Winner of the ITA Frank Smith International Trombone Solo Competition, and First Place “Fellow” at the Harmony Ridge Brass Festival. He also won First Place in the Solo and Group Competitions at the National Christian Artists Seminar, and his ensemble, The American Classic Trombone Quartet, earned First Prize at the Summit Brass International Brass Chamber Group Competition.
His recording credits include performances with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and the American Wind Symphony. He has recorded solo and brass chamber music selections on two CDs for North South Recordings and Warwick Music Publishers (UK). His solo albums include Hymns for Trombone and Cantabile. He is currently collaborating with pianist Haram Kim on a double CD featuring French music, titled A French Toast.
Mr. Lucas has premiered and commissioned numerous works for trombone by composers such as Fisher Tull, Jacques Casterède, Derek Bourgeois, Adam Gorb, David Maslanka, Franz Cibulka, Eddie Bass, Alun Hoddinott, Gary Belshaw, Daniel Schnyder, and Daniela Candillari (upcoming premiere).
His students have achieved prestigious positions in orchestras, service bands, touring shows, and the music industry. They have won numerous competition prizes, including First Place in the Emory Remington ITA International Trombone Choir Competition (twice), First Place in the U.S. National Tenor Trombone and Bass Trombone Solo Competitions (ATW), First Prize in the ITA Alberto Gagliardi International Solo Competition, First Prize in the SliderAsia International Bass Trombone Competition, and First Place in the National Jazz Trombone Band Competition (ATW). Additionally, his students have been finalists in the ITA International Trombone Quartet Competition (twice), the ITA Frank Smith Award, and semi-finalists for the Tilden Prize (New York City).
Mr. Lucas currently serves as Associate Professor of Trombone and Chair of the Woodwinds, Brass, and Percussion Department at Boston University. Previously, he taught at Texas Tech University, Eastern New Mexico University, and Sam Houston State University.
He was President of the International Trombone Association 2008-2011 and is an Artist/Clinician for S.E. Shires Co. (Holliston, MA, USA).
legacy circle award
John Marcellus
John “Doc” Marcellus was a man of extraordinary talent, boundless humor, and a deep love for the arts and community. His legacy resonates far: from the international music world, where his accomplishments as a performer and mentor earned him enduring respect and admiration, to the halls of the Eastman School of Music, where he made an indelible contribution to the school and inspired generations of students, he made a lasting contribution to the music community.
He was a man of immense talent and determination. Whether he was pursuing a project, lending a hand to someone in need or simply enjoying a quiet moment of reflection, John approached life with passion and intention.
As a trombonist, John achieved global acclaim performing with some of the most prestigious ensembles and earning recognition as one of the finest brass musicians of his generation. John was internationally known for his performances and recordings as Principal Trombone of the National Symphony Orchestra (John F. Kennedy Center, Washington, DC) and was a soloist with the United States Navy Band from 1960 to 1964. He also served as Principal Trombone in the Chautauqua Symphony for over 45 years, Associate Principal Trombonist with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and was the Principal Tuba with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra at the young age of 16.
His tenure at the Eastman School of Music, where he served as Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Trombone and Chair of the Woodwinds, Brass and Percussion Department, solidified his place as a luminary in the field of music education.
Over many decades John mentored countless students from around the world, many of whom went on to become performers and educators perpetuating his influence in the art of music. Many of John’s former students can be found playing in the major symphonies across the globe, in military bands, professional big bands, recording studios, and making differences in the music community.
Marcellus was the conductor of the Eastman Trombone Choir, Eastman Bionic Bones (jazz trombone ensemble) and the trombonist with the Eastman Brass. While at the Eastman School of Music, John was named the Kilbourn Professor for 1982 to 1983. He succeeded the trombonist teacher, Emory Remington, who served as Professor of Trombone at Eastman close to 50 years. John retired in 2014 after 36 years at the Eastman School of Music.
John’s contributions to the community extended far beyond the stage. He was a passionate leader in the arts community, serving as President of the AFM local 141 in Jamestown, NY, conducting and leading the Bemus Bay Pops, the Brighton Symphony, and the Port Richy Symphony. He was a founding member of the Eastern Trombone Conference, started in 1973, which is now hosted as the American Trombone Conference by the US Army Band. His work in the community reflected John’s passion for making music accessible, meaningful and enjoyable for all. John’s life was truly a symphony of dedication, talent, service and love. A masterpiece composed over decades!
John was a man of integrity, kindness and quiet strength, born with a heart as vast as the sky and a soul that seemed to know no limits. He touched the lives of so many in ways both profound and personal, and his friendship was a source of unwavering inspiration. He gave generously of his time, wisdom, and energy to ensure others felt supported and uplifted. John was given an extraordinary gift for music and a commitment to excellence that he passed on as a legacy.
John Marcellus was much more than a musician; he was a vibrant personality who brought joy and laughter to all who knew him. His sharp wit and lighthearted spirit made him not only a beloved teacher but also a cherished member of the world-renowned Chautauqua Institution community. Whether sharing a humorous anecdote during a rehearsal, steering his boat across Chautauqua Lake, or engaging with friends and neighbors, his zest for life was infectious.
John received several notable awards and honors including: the International Trombone Association’s highest award for Pedagogue Performance and Literature in 1999, the Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Trombone Association, of which he was president and founding member, the Neil Humfield Teaching Award in 2011 and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Eastern Trombone Workshop in 2011. He was honored for his outstanding career as a musician and educator in April 1997 by the New York Brass for Scholarships at their Silver Jubilee Brass Conference in New York City. In 1997 John was given the Mu Phi Epsilon Musician of the Year Award.
As we honor John Marcellus we celebrate a man who was not only a master musician, but also a dedicated educator, a cherished community member and a joyful soul. Through his teachings, performances and outreach, John Marcellus left a worldwide legacy, influencing many lives and enriching the global music community.
His life reminds us of the power of music to connect and uplift, the importance of humor in our daily lives and the enduring impact one person can have on the world.
His legacy will continue to resonate through the notes of his students and the laughter of his friends. John’s life was a testament of passion, perseverance and service. He taught us true greatness is not measured by accolades or in the milestones achieved, but by the lives we touch and the legacy we leave behind. He taught us the importance of kindness, resilience and the courage to follow our dreams. John was a maestro, not only of music, but of life. His legacy will resonate in our hearts forever and has enriched the world in ways words can scarcely capture.
legacy circle award
Ernest N. Glover
Born in Perth, Australia into a Salvation Army family which moved to the Caribbean and then England just before World War I, he went to live in Canada with aunts where his skill on trombone advanced. He became trombone soloist of the Imperial Concert Band of Toronto where he came to the attention of Herbert Clarke who was then conductor of the Anglo-Canadian Band in Toronto. After being soloist with that band, he moved to Flint, Michigan for a time and then onto Cincinnati where he was assistant conductor, manager, and trombone soloist with the famous Armco Band of Middletown, Ohio led by Frank Simon. They broadcast over WLW radio to a national audience on the NBC network. This band worked extensively until about 1940 by which time Ernie had begun teaching at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. In 1942 he joined the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. He was a founding member of the American Bandmasters Association in 1930, and worked as an officer of that organization.
Though he had a lengthy and very accomplished playing career, his teaching career was perhaps more memorable. In the early 1940’s, Betty Semple came to him to study. Though they later had an unsuccessful marriage, they maintained deep respect for one another and worked together until 1968. In the Cincinnati Symphony, Ernie was surrounded by his two most beloved students Tony Chipurn and Betty Glover. They both continued teaching at the conservatory after Ernie left. Both had lengthy outstanding careers with countless successful students.
Just after WWII Ernie began the school Brass Choir. This group was the epitome of excellence at the Conservatory. It performed around the USA and became renowned. Ernie was a respected and in demand leader with this ensemble. Though he also conducted the band and wind ensemble, it was the brass choir which brought fame to the school. He wrote many articles for American and Canadian publications about the Brass Choir as an ensemble and inspired other schools of music to include a brass choir in their training. He worked closely with Robert King to get works published and promoted. As part of this, with the assistance of then conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony, he established the Thor Johnson competition for compositions for brass choir. Many well-known and often performed works came out of this competition. One of the first winners was a conservatory student, Verne Reynolds, who went on to become the principal horn of the Rochester Philharmonic and horn teacher at the Eastman School of Music. Countless accomplished brass students got their training in this ensemble. I consider it, along with the brass orchestral repertoire class taught by Betty Glover, to have been the most important part of my education, which prepared me for a career in a symphony orchestra. The ensemble continues today, conducted by Tim Northcutt, tuba teacher at the conservatory. During my time at the school, the Cincinnati Symphony trumpet section were graduates of this ensemble, Eugene Blee, Marie Speziale, Mike Denison, among others. I do not have anything approaching a complete list of all who continued on to successful careers after their time in Ernest Glover’s Brass Choir at the Cincinnati Conservatory. His reach was very wide. In 1959, he was named “Mr. Brass Ensemble” by the National Association of College Wind and Percussion Instructors.
Though not considered a composer, he did write a piece for Betty titled “Pan’s Revels” which has been recorded by the current trombone teacher at the conservatory, Tim Anderson. He also composed a march “Golden Ideals” which he conducted with a band of 400 at the second convention of the American Bandmasters in Boston in 1931.
When he retired, Ernie told me he looked forward to traveling the country to visit his successful students. He said he thought that number was second only to Emory Remmington. I have no way of knowing how true that would be but also have no reason to doubt it. His studio walls were covered with photographs from students documenting their accomplishments.
legacy circle award
Enrique Crespo
Enrique Crespo (1941–2020) was a distinguished Uruguayan trombonist, composer, and arranger who made major contributions to brass music.
Born in Montevideo, he studied both music and architecture in Montevideo and Buenos Aires. In 1967, he earned a scholarship to study at the Hochschule für Musik in Berlin, where he focused on trombone and composition. He completed his degree in 1969.
Crespo then became principal trombonist with the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra (1969–1980) and later held the same role with the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra. During this time, he also built a private recording and film studio, where he produced numerous albums, films, and television projects.
In 1974, he founded the German Brass Quintet, which later evolved into the renowned ensemble German Brass in 1985. The group gained fame for its innovative performances and genre-blending arrangements, mixing classical, jazz, and folk styles.
As a composer, Crespo fused diverse musical traditions in his works. Some of his most well-known pieces include Suite Americana No. 1, Bruckner Etüde für das tiefe Blech, and Improvisation No. 1 for Trombone, now a staple of the solo trombone repertoire.
Crespo left a powerful legacy through both his performances and compositions, inspiring generations of brass musicians and expanding the scope of ensemble repertoire.
Lifetime achievement award
Rebecca Cherian
Rebecca Cherian was awarded the position of Co-Principal Trombone of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra by Lorin Maazel in 1989. After 33 years in that position she retired in 2022. She continues to teach at Carnegie Mellon University. Cherian was a founding member of the International Women’s Brass Conference and served as the IWBC Newsletter Editor for five years.
Cherian began her professional career at the age of 16 as trombonist with the San Jose Symphony, replacing her teacher, Robert Szabo. At the age of 17 she appeared as a soloist with the San Francisco Symphony as a result of winning First Prize in their Young Musicians’ Awards. She holds degrees from The California Institute of the Arts and The Yale School of Music where she studied with John Swallow. She received the Atwater Kent Brass Award while at UCLA and Outstanding Chamber Musician at Yale.
Cherian performed with The Colorado Music Festival, The Music Academy of the West, The Norfolk Chamber Music Summer Program and New Hampshire Music Festival. She held the positions of Principal Trombone with the Springfield Symphony, Massachusetts, Rhode Island Philharmonic and Second Trombone with the Vermont Symphony. She taught at Hartt School of Music, University of Connecticut at Storrs and Wesleyan University. She performed under the baton of Leonard Bernstein with the Israel Philharmonic on their Tour of Mexico and the US.
Cherian enjoyed the honor of performing at the White House in Washington, D.C. for the opening reception for Hillary Clinton’s Annual International Women’s Forum. The IWBC ensemble performed Joan Tower’s “Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman” with Tower conducting.
Cherian recorded two solo CDs, “Water Awakening” and “L’Invitation au Voyage”. She can also be heard on “From the Back Row”, a CD featuring the low brass of the Pittsburgh Symphony and multiple recordings with the Grammy Award-winning Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Her TEDxCMU, “Sexism in the Symphony: The Uphill Battle for Female Trombonists” can be seen online.
In addition to teaching at Carnegie Mellon University Cherian now paints and has just finished her Memoir which she hopes to publish soon. She enjoys tennis and cooking. She lives with her husband, 2 cats and dog and visits with her son and daughter as much as they will tolerate.
Lifetime achievement award
Rubén Carughi
Rubén Carughi served for over 30 years as Principal Trombone with both the Entre Ríos and Santa Fe Symphony Orchestras. During that time, he also taught trombone, euphonium, and tuba at Music School No. 9901 (Santa Fe Children’s and Youth Orchestra) and the Higher Institute of Music at the National University of the Litoral.
Since 1986, he has been a member of the Santa Fe Jazz Ensemble (Big Band). He studied in Argentina with Jorge Chiappero Favre, Wilfredo Cardoso, Gaspar Licciardone, and Víctor Hugo Gervini, and in Germany with Christhard Gössling (Berlin Philharmonic).
He received scholarships from the National Endowment for the Arts (1988) and the Santa Fe Province’s Undersecretariat of Culture (1991). He performed as Principal Trombone with the Municipal Band “Ciudad de Santa Fe” for eight years and played Rimsky-Korsakov’s Concerto for Trombone and Band with them in 1995.
Carughi founded numerous popular music groups including Ritmo Internacional, Zandunga, Onda Latina, Santa Fe Latin Jazz, Sonora D’irse Salsa Band, and Picante Latin Jazz. In 2000, he founded and continues to organize TROMBONANZA, one of the most recognized trombone festivals worldwide.
He has appeared as a soloist with various orchestras and toured Argentina in 2004 with “Trombones en Gira,” offering free concerts. He’s also played and recorded extensively in Santa Fe’s cumbia scene.
Internationally, he has taught in Peru, Vietnam, Cuba, Brazil, Panama, Colombia, and Chile. He was a guest at the University of Oklahoma and taught advanced brass courses throughout Argentina. He has participated in major festivals such as UNIRIO Trombone Festival (Rio), Tourbon Trombone Festival (Chile), and Arequipa Brass Week (Peru).
His many honors include recognition from the International Trombone Association (2011), the City of Santa Fe’s Mask Award, the First National Award for Excellence (2012), the Escenario de Oro Award (2014), and a Carlos Gardel Award (2018) for his role as musical director in Los Palmeras y la Filarmónica Santa Fe y Coro.
As of December 2024, he is officially retired, allowing more time to perform with his salsa group “Changuitos,” direct the Santa Fe Jazz Ensemble, organize TROMBONANZA, and enjoy swimming and water polo.
Lifetime achievement award
Eugene Watts
Eugene Watts is a founding member of the internationally acclaimed Canadian Brass. As the ensemble’s trombonist for over four decades, he played a key role in shaping its signature blend of virtuosity, humor, and accessibility, helping to bring brass chamber music to global prominence.
Originally from the United States, Watts earned degrees from the University of Missouri and the New England Conservatory. He began his professional career as principal trombone with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra before co-founding Canadian Brass in 1970.
With Canadian Brass, he recorded over 60 albums, toured extensively across five continents, and appeared on major television programs and concert stages worldwide. Watts is known for his warm tone, stylistic versatility, and charismatic stage presence. His work helped redefine the role of the trombone in chamber and popular classical music.
Now retired from touring, Watts continues to influence the brass world through mentoring and his enduring legacy with Canadian Brass.