Recent Trombone Student Success
2008
- Congratulations to freshman trombone performance major Hana Beloglavec for being selected as one of the winners in the
prestigious Yamaha Young Performing Artists Competition. She will now receive an all-expense paid trip in June to compete
against the other seven winners for a grand prize worth $5,000 (added 4/23/08). - High school senior Zach Land has been accepted into the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and awarded a scholarship to attend.
- High school junior bass trombonist Matt Evans has been selected for the prestigious summer program at Tanglewood in Massachusetts.
- Master's student Chris Green has received a full tuition scholarship to study under Jeannie Little at Louisiana State University as he works toward his doctorate.
- Junior bass trombone major Evan Conroy has been selected the bass trombonist to attend the renowned International Festival Institute at Round Top, one of the elite summer program for aspiring professional musicians. He has also been selected as the alternate at the Chautauqua Institute.
- Congratulations to junior bass trombone performance major Evan Conroy for winning the Division II level of the Eastern Trombone Workshop's National Trombone Solo Competition, a competition held in Washington DC and sponsored by the US Army Band. What an honor!
- Congratulations to freshman trombone performance major Eric Bowman. Eric has been named one of three finalists in the International Trombone Association's Gilberto Gagliardi Solo Competition. Eric will compete against two other finalists at the 2008 International Trombone Festival in Salt lake City, Utah in late May.
- Congratulations to junior bass trombone performance major Evan Conroy for being named one of three finalists in the International Trombone Association's Donald Yaxley Bass Trombone Solo Competition. Evan will compete against two other finalists at the 2008 International Trombone Festival in Salt Lake City, Utah in late May. Evan has also been named winner of the School of Music's concerto competition, sponsored by the University Symphony Orchestra. He will perform his winning selection, the Thom Ritter George Concerto for Bass Trombone, on the April 13 USO concert.
- Congratulations to freshman trombone performance major Hana Beloglavec for being chosen as an honorable mention selection in the International Trombone Association's Larry Wiehe Solo Competition (to age 23).
2007
- Brandon Drew was one of two collegiate instrumentalists recognized as the outstanding soloists at the 2007 Detroit International Jazz Festival in August. As a result Brandon won a cash prize for his success. The Festival's other outstanding soloist was WMU trumpeter Terrence Massey. Both performed as members of the WMU Jazz Octet.
- Congratulations to incoming freshman Hana Beloglavec for winning 1st place in the International Trombone Association's prestigious Gilberto Gagliardi Solo Competition for students 18 and under. The competition was held at the International Trombone Festival on June 1, 2007 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
- 2006 trombone graduate Shawn Bell has been chosen for the Betty Carter Jazz Ahead Workshop, held at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC.
- Adam Houk has accepted a scholarship to join Mark Fisher's trombone studio at DePaul University in Chicago where he will begin work on his master's degree in trombone performance.
- Andy Mitchell has accepted the trombone assistantship at Florida State University where he will begin work on his master's degree in trombone performance.
- Congratulations to bass trombonist Evan Conroy and tenor trombonist Hana Beloglavec for finishing in 2nd place in their respective divisions at the National Trombone Solo Competition, held at the Eastern Trombone Workshop in Washington, DC on March 22-23, 2007. Evan and Hana gave terrific performances of their solos in tough competition during the semifinal and final rounds. The event is sponsored by the US Army Band.
- Hana Beloglavec has been named a finalist for the second year in a row in the International Trombone Association's Gilberto Gagliardi Solo Competition. Hana has also been named a semifinalist in the National Trombone Solo Competition, sponsored by the US Army Band in Washington, DC. She will compete against four other semifinalists in competition at the Eastern Trombone Workshop in late March. She is also been named the winner of the Grand Rapids Symphonic Band's Youth Soloist Competition (Updated March 1).
- Bass trombone performance major Evan Conroy has been named a semifinalist in the National Trombone Solo Competition, sponsored by the US Army Band in Washington, DC. He will compete against four other semifinalists at the Eastern Trombone Workshop in late March (Posted Feb. 19).
- Ruth Lindgren has been named as the 1st Alternate in the International Trombone Association's Larry Wiehe/King Trombone Solo Competition.. (Posted Feb. 19).
2006
- Congratulations to high school senior Hana Beloglavec, winner of the Kalamazoo Junior Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition. She will be the featured soloist with the orchestra on their February 18, 2007 concert. Hana will be a freshman trombone performance major at WMU in the fall.
- Senior Chris Van Hof has accepted the trombone assistantship to attend the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, where he will be pursuing a master's degree in trombone performance.
- Senior Ruth Lindgren has been awarded either a trombone assistantship or a large scholarship to several major music schools. However she has decided to remain in Kalamazoo after accepting an assistantship at WMU. She will be pursuing her master's degree in trombone performance over the next two years.
- Senior trombone performance major Andy Mitchell has been chosen as an alternate for the renowned National Orchestral Institute for the second year in a row. He was also chosen as a semi-finalist for the 2006 National Solo Competition, sponsored by the US Army Band and the Eastern Trombone Workshop.
- Senior jazz performance major Shawn Bell was chosen as a 2nd Alternate in the International Trombone Association's ITA/Rath Jazz Trombone Competition.
- High school junior Hana Beloglavec (student of Dr. Wolfinbarger) was selected as one of three finalists in the International Trombone Association's Gilberto Gagliardi Trombone Competition. She will now compete for the award at the 2006 International Trombone Festival this July in Birmingham, England. Hana was also selected as the winner of the Kalamazoo Concert Band's 2006 Youth Soloist Auditions, winning the $1,000 first prize.award. She will perform her winning selection on the April 8 Kalamazoo Concert Band concert.
2005
- Sophomore performance major Brandon Drew was selected as one of three finalists in the International Trombone Association's Larry Wiehe Trombone Competition. The finals were held at the 2005 International Trombone Festival, held in New Orleans, Louisiana.
- Freshman performance major Meghan McClish was chosen as a finialist in the Music Club of Detroit's 2005 Bohemian's Solo Competition.
- Graduate student performance major Mike Haisten was chosen as a semi-finalist in the 2005 National Solo Competition, sponsored by the US Army Band and the Eastern Trombone Workshop.
- Congratulations to the WMU Trombone Choir, winner of the 2005 Downbeat Award in the Chamber Music division.
Congratulations to all students who have competed in various competitions over the past few years. A list of their recent achievements is available by clicking here.
This page will be updated with additional student news in the near future.
Contact Information:
Steve Wolfinbarger
School of Music
Western Michigan University
1903 W. Michigan Avenue
Kalamazoo, MI 49008-5434
Send e-mail to Steve Wolfinbarger
269 387-4699
Last Revised: April 11, 2008