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Dr. Elisabeth Shafer has joined the University of Akron School of Music faculty as the Visiting Assistant Professor of Trombone.

Hailed by the Boston Musical Intelligencer as “outstanding” and “fearless,” Shafer is a dedicated orchestral, chamber, and solo musician, performing in numerous East Coast orchestras and festivals. She is a founding member of the Boston Trombone Project, a Boston-based trombone chamber ensemble. An avid early music and sackbut player, she has collaborated in numerous ensembles, including historical performance recitals at Boston University, the Yale Schola Cantorum Orchestra, Yale Collegium Players, and Temple University Mozart Players.

A native of State College, Pennsylvania, Shafer earned her Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Boston University. She received a Master of Music from Yale School of Music, and a Bachelor of Music from Temple University. Her primary teachers include Toby Oft, Scott Hartman, and Matthew Vaughn. She was a Teaching Artist in the Music in Schools Initiative in New Haven, CT, and has taught aural skills classes for undergraduates and graduate students at Boston University and Yale University.

Legendary jazz trombonist Bill Watrous passed away last night at the age of 79. He was arguably one of the most influential trombonists of our era who blossomed in the 1960s in both New York and Los Angeles, then worldwide. He played and recorded with many jazz luminaries, including Maynard Ferguson, Woody Herman, Quincy Jones, Johnny Richards, and Kai Winding. He also played in the house band on the Merv Griffin Show from 1965–1968.

Everyone who knew Bill had tons of stories about him, as he was a inherently silly person and strove to make every rehearsal fun. He will be greatly missed.

The School of Music at The University of Akron invites applications for a one-year, non-tenure-track Visiting Assistant Professor of Trombone for the 2018-2019 academic year.

Responsibilities:
Duties will include, but are not limited to, teaching and recruiting undergraduate and graduate trombone students, weekly trombone studio classes, coaching chamber ensembles, and performing with the faculty brass quintet.  Other duties may be assigned commensurate with the candidate’s strength and background and according to School of Music needs. Serving on graduate MM committees, participation in faculty meetings, committees and other service appropriate to a full-time faculty member is expected. Candidate will be expected to maintain an active and visible performance and outreach schedule.

Date of Appointment:
A 9-month salary will be offered beginning fall semester, August 2018.

Required Qualifications:
Master of Music.  Candidates will provide evidence of successful college teaching and recruitment.
The successful candidate will demonstrate significant artistic achievement and experience as a soloist and chamber musician.

Preferred Qualifications:
Creative/scholarly accomplishments could include regional, national and/or international performances, recordings, master classes, presentations at music educator forums, publications, and leadership in professional music organizations. DMA degree or significant professional experience in lieu of the degree.

Application Procedures:
Interested candidates should apply online at http://www.uakron.edu/hr/jobs.dot and upload the following materials in PDF format:  cover letter, curriculum vitae, 1-2 page statement of teaching philosophy, list of five references; and 2 recent recorded examples which demonstrate the candidate’s skill as a solo performer as well as 2 recent recorded examples which demonstrate the candidate’s skill as a chamber performer. Include a PDF of links to streaming recordings – Unlisted YouTube, password protected Vimeo (list password on PDF) or SoundCloud, etc.

Evaluation of applicants will begin two weeks after this posting and continue until the position is filled. For questions, contact Dr. Ann Usher, Interim Director of the School of Music & Fine Arts Associate Dean, Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences.  Contact information for technical support is available on the application website.

School of Music
The UA School of Music is part of the Fine Arts Division of Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences and has a long history of excellence in performance and teaching. The School offers a comprehensive music program to approximately 250 majors at the bachelors and masters level and is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music. More information can be found at www.uakron.edu/music.

Dr. Jeremy Marks has accepted the position as Assistant Professor of Trombone at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte starting in the fall of 2018.

He previously held positions at the University of Louisiana at Monroe, Blinn College, and Southeastern Oklahoma State University. He holds degrees from The University of Texas at Austin (DMA), Western Michigan University (MM), and Bowling Green State University (BM). Jeremy is an S.E. Shires Trombone Artist.

The Carolinas’ Trombone Choir, under the direction of William Harris, performed a recital as part of the ITA’s Trombone Week  only a little later, on April 22.  The concert was held in the Basicilla of Belmont Abbey in Charlotte, NC.

There were several duets, quartets, and six pieces for trombone choir.  The biggest piece was Samuel Barber’s “Adagio for Strings,” followed by “When the Saints Meet Lassus Trombone,” and “76 Trombones.”  The trombone section from the Lake Norman Big Band, Ken Davis, Jr. conductor, performed two pieces, including a wonderful rendition to “Spain,” by Chick Corea.  The rehearsal and the performance were on the same day, with around 50 audience members in attendance.

The Trombones at Trinity performed a Trombone Week recital at Trinity Lutheran Church, in the Klein area of Houston, Texas on Sunday, April 8, 2018.

The Trombones@Trinity331

Brian Diehl performed the United States Premiere of Takashi Yoshimatsu’s “Orion Machine” Concerto for Trombone and Orchestra on March 24 with the Springfield Symphony, under Kevin Rhodes’ direction.  The performance received rave reviews from the enthusiastic audience, noting the Cadenza in particular.

“Shaped by Diehl’s wit and fantasy, full of sounds molded by an array of straight mutes, bucket mutes, plunger mutes, and enhanced by his reflective pas de deux with a derby mute mounted on a nearby microphone stand, the cadenza proved by turns remarkable, inscrutable, and humorous. Diehl produced actual chord progressions from the trombone, traded wahs with his section-mates, riffed on the Kodaly theme from Close Encounters, and eventually emerged into the finale, a galaxy of orchestral color – a harmonic starscape of stacked thirds.” (as noted by Clifton Noble Jr. in the Springfield Republican)

 

The Eastern Illinois University Department of Music invites applications for the position of Instructor of Applied Trombone (full-time) to begin in August 2018.  The department expects to conduct a tenure-track search in this area during the next academic year.  Duties include teaching applied trombone and recruiting students for an established, comprehensive undergraduate and graduate music program.  The ability to teach and perform classical trombone required, additional abilities in jazz performance preferred.  Based upon the needs of the department and special skills and interests of the candidate, the successful candidate will likely teach in an additional area which could include music theory, music history, or general education courses.

Salary range per year:  $38,700-$42,300

Qualifications: Candidates are expected to have a Master’s Degree in Music, Doctorate in Music preferred.  Must be an accomplished teacher and musician. Collegiate teaching experience with demonstrable success working with undergraduate and graduate students preferred. An engaging teaching manner and outstanding interpersonal skills for recruitment and collaboration are essential. Demonstrated commitment to diversity and experience with promoting inclusive excellence is required.

Start Date: August 16, 2018

Application deadline: Until filled.  Review of applications will begin immediately.  For full consideration, complete application by March 30, 2018.   Applicants should submit a letter of application, curriculum vitae, contact information for five professional references, and undergraduate and graduate transcripts (unofficial copies are acceptable initially). In addition, submit a document with web/media links to selected, recent, and representative performances. Applications and any questions regarding the search may be submitted via email to Dr. Andrew Cheetham.

Abbie Conant, professor of trombone at the University of Music Trossingen in Germany, presented a masterclass for the students of Christian Dickinson at Indiana University of Pennsylvania on February 24, 2018 followed by a public performance of Aletheia later that evening.

Spectrum Brass is thrilled to announce the 7th-Annual Spectrum Brass Seminar, from June 16 – August 13, at the Bay View Music Festival.

Session 1: June 16 – July 16
Session 2: July 16 – August 13″

Applications are now being accepted for the full 8-week festival, or for one of the two 4-week sessions. Scholarships are available!

Application: http://www.bayviewassociation.org/instrumental_application
Bay View Music Festival: http://www.bayviewassociation.org/music-festival
Spectrum Brass Seminar Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpectrumSeminar/ 

Bay View is located in northern Michigan, on the shores of Little Traverse Bay—one of the nation’s most beautiful summer destinations! As members of Spectrum Brass, we are extremely honored to be a part of the Bay View Music Festival, the longest continuously operating chamber music festival in the United States. Since 2012, we have worked with over 100 students from 50 of the finest music schools throughout the United States and abroad. We are currently accepting applications for undergraduate and graduate-level students who are interested in exploring the world of brass chamber music. Each student will receive weekly private lessons and quintet coachings, attend entrepreneurial workshops, collaborate with Spectrum Brass in a large brass ensemble, and have numerous other performance opportunities.

SBS 2018 Faculty:
Scott Thornburg – trumpet
Brian Buerkle – trumpet
Aaron Brant – horn
Andrew Mitchell – trombone
Matthew Lyon – tuba

Please don’t hesitate to contact Andy Mitchell with any questions.