The UA Trombone Studio has big plans for the upcoming year, from performing on campus to competing for the first time at a national level.
You may have seen this talented group around campus before. They have played the national anthem at a home event for every sport, excluding football, each year.
The UA Trombone Studio gives its students opportunities to apply their skills through three different ensembles. The Trombone Choir is the largest, made up of 30 people. The Quartet is smaller and requires an audition to join and the Crimson Slides is a jazz ensemble that is also an extension of the UA Jazz Program and includes five trombones and a rhythm section.
Jonathan Whitaker, assistant professor of trombone, took over as head of the Trombone Studio four years ago, following Dan Drill, who lead the program for 41 years and still participates by playing in the Trombone Choir.
Whitaker has revitalized the program in the past few years, helping to make it grow substantially. He said this fall they will have the largest group in the time he has been at the University.
The Trombone Studio gets the opportunity to hear from multiple guest performers and conductors each year. Whitaker said the guests always take the time to work with the students.
“It’s good to expose all the students to the best of the best in our business,” he said.
This week, the Trombone Studio will host two guest performances from Josh Bynum, assistant professor of trombone at the University of Georgia, and Chris Branagan, conductor of the Washington Trombone Ensemble, who will be the guest conductor at the Trombone Choir concert Thursday, Oct. 25.
The group is open to all students and is made up of music majors, Million Dollar Band members, and a few students who just want to continue playing after high school.
This year will mark the first time the ensembles will compete on a national level, though the group boasts many talented individual members. John Shanks, a doctoral student, won the Division Three Solo competition at the 2011 Eastern Trombone Workshop in Washington, D.C. He said even though other groups may be larger, the talent level in this group will improve their chances as first-time competitors.
“I think we can be as competitive as anybody out there,” Shanks said.
He also credits Whitaker for preparing them to compete at this level.
“He has brought a lot of new energy to the studio, and I think it’s starting to show on the national level,” Shanks said.
Sophomore Ben Carrasquillo, Division One Solo winner at the 2011 ETW, said he is especially excited about the Trombone Octet.
“The Octet is very strong this year, and I expect us to do very well when we compete,” Carrasquillo said.
He also commends Whitaker for his high hopes in first-time competition this year.
“Dr. Whitaker holds us to a very high standard and because of that, I feel like we have a good chance going against some of the best choirs in the country that are music major exclusive,” Carrasquillo said.
Along with competing, the trombone ensembles plan to put on several concerts for campus this year and even hope to get involved in the community by doing things such as playing Christmas carols at the University Mall.
For more information about upcoming events and guests for the Trombone Studio, visit www.rollslide.com or find The University of Alabama Trombone Studio on Facebook.
