Trombone/Euphonium Opportunities at the University of Maryland

 

 

Dear prospective trombone/euphonium student,                                                                  

 

Thank you for your inquiry about the educational opportunities at the University of Maryland.  Below is an overview of private instruction, the performing ensembles on campus, and lots more.

 

The University of Maryland at College Park is located about 15 miles Northeast of Washington D.C.  Easily accessible by public transportation, many students regularly venture into Washington D.C.  A favorite stop is the Foggy Bottom metro stop, which will get you to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, home of the National Symphony Orchestra.  Although a bit further away, students do travel to Baltimore in order to hear the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra perform at Meyerhoff Hall.  The Washington based U. S. Military Bands are located around the Washington DC/Annapolis area.  There is no better way to hear great band concert repertoire and jazzÑall for free.  Additionally, some of our students try out for these groups, pass the rigorous audition, and are now earning a living as professionals. 

 

A large number of National Symphony musicians teach as Adjunct Professors in the music program at College Park.  The only entire National Symphony section that teaches here is the trombone section.  There are four NSO trombone members.  Let me introduce them:

 

Dr. Milton Stevens, Principal Trombone, since 1978

Dr. James Kraft, Second Trombone, since 1976

Professor John Huling, Assistant Principal Trombone, since 1986

Professor Matthew Guilford, Bass Trombonist, since 1990

 

Each trombone faculty member brings to the music program at UMD unique skills and experiences. Though trombone students attending UMD are assigned one instructor, the four of us work together in many ways to assure that the students are being exposed to as many musical experiences as possible. For example:

 

Each week Professor Guilford holds Performance/Studio Class. This is an opportunity for all the students, not just those of Professor Guilford, to participate in a forum, which can range from master class, to mock auditions, to discussion of any music related subject.

 

On Wednesday evenings, Dr. Stevens conducts what has become one of the UniversityÕs premier ensembles, the UMD Brass Ensemble. Comprised of undergraduate and graduate students, this ensemble brings together the finest brass and percussion players at the university to rehearse and perform the challenging brass repertoire of today.  Additionally, time is spent preparing and rehearsing orchestral brass parts from the standard symphonic repertoire.  These are the real parts, not just excerpts from a book. 

On Fridays, Professor Huling leads the UMD Trombone Ensemble.  All the trombone students in the School of Music get together to read and rehearse ensemble music and generally have fun being trombone players.  In addition to reading quartets, quintets, sextets, octets and many transcriptions, the Trombone Ensemble also rehearses and discusses the trombone parts of many major orchestral works.

 

It should be noted that Dr. Kraft is the Euphonium instructor at the U of MD.  He plays the Euphonium or Bass Trumpet in most of the works performed by the NSO that require these instruments.  In fact, euphonium was Jim KraftÕs first instrument, even before the trombone.

 

Every Tuesday between 12:30 p.m. and two oÕclock, the Wind & Percussion department schedules student recitals.  Five to ten students of all levels perform one short work for the entire departmental student body and faculty.  This helps refine the special skill of recital preparation and gives the students a number of opportunities over their college careers to feel the excitement of solo performance.  Also, be sure to take advantage of the annual Tuba/Euphonium Workshop and the Eastern Trombone Workshop, both held at Ft. Myer, home of the U. S. Army Band.

 

Other performing ensembles on campus (admittance by Òseating auditionsÓ in the fall) include the Symphony Orchestra, Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Brass Ensemble, Concert Band, Jazz Band(s), and Brass Chamber Music quintets coached by the faculty.  Additionally, there is a student-run chamber orchestra, a full scale Marching Band, and various pep bands.

 

The University of Maryland brass department is truly flush with exception musical faculty. Trumpet faculty members are Chris Gekker, formerly of the American Brass Quintet, and Steve Hendrickson, Principal Trumpet of the National Symphony Orchestra.  Greg Miller, who also performs with the famous Empire Brass, is the full time teacher of Horn, and Marty Hackleman, the Principal Horn of the National Symphony Orchestra, is adjunct horn teacher at the U of MD.  Toby Hanks, formerly the Tuba Player of the New York Brass quintet, travels to the College Park campus one day a week to instruct all of the tuba majors. 

 

If you have any remaining questions or concerns about attending the University of Maryland at College park, I encourage you to call me or write to me by email anytime, but a necessary step is to contact the Admissions Office at the School of Music: music-admissions@umail.umd.edu

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

Dr. Milton Stevens

703-256-6683   Email: miltstevens@cox.net  Visit my website: www.miltstevens.com

I also conduct the fully professional Washington Symphonic Brass: www.wsbrass.com

 

Here are contact email addresses for the other trombone/euphonium teachers. 

Matt Guilford                         lochops@aol.com

John Huling                 thehulings@hotmail.com

James Kraft                 jdkraft@hotmail.com