Chosen through an adjudicated application process, ensembles performing at the ITF represent outstanding universities, high schools, and community-based organizations from across the United States and Mexico.
Student and Community Ensembles
2024 Selection Committee:
Dr. Dave Begnoche, Texas Christian University
Dr. Karen Marston, Mount San Antonio College
Dr. Justin Cook, University of Central Arkansas
Dr. Christopher Van Hof, Ball State University
Dr Dunwoody Mirvil, Stetson University
2024 Student and Community Ensembles
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Dallas Asian Winds
The Dallas Asian Winds is a distinguished wind ensemble rooted in the DFW metroplex and was founded by the conductor, Jung-Moo Lee, and a group of passionate musicians in 2018. The ensemble’s primary mission is to celebrate and promote the beauty of Asian culture through their captivating caoncerts ranging from their Lunar New Year extravaganzas to their movie-themed concerts. All while receiving garnered acclaim for the quality performances of classical pieces, innovative compositions, and famous Asian folk songs.
The Dallas Asian Winds is comprised of exceptional musicians that come from all walks of life and are passionate about sharing their backgrounds and talents with the youth of the metroplex. Beyond the stage, the Dallas Asian Winds actively engages with the North Texas community by providing opportunities for aspiring artists through their Young Artist Concerto Competition and annual chamber recitals.
The Dallas Asian Winds has performed at the 2019 K Pop Together Festival, was invited to the 2020 Sungnam International Wind Festival (South Korea), and, most recently, was invited to perform at the 2023 International Hanyang University Alumni Night in Tyler, Texas, but has many more concerts and special appearances to come!
The Dallas Asian Winds is comprised of exceptional musicians that come from all walks of life and are passionate about sharing their backgrounds and talents with the youth of the metroplex. Beyond the stage, the Dallas Asian Winds actively engages with the North Texas community by providing opportunities for aspiring artists through their Young Artist Concerto Competition and annual chamber recitals.
The Dallas Asian Winds has performed at the 2019 K Pop Together Festival, was invited to the 2020 Sungnam International Wind Festival (South Korea), and, most recently, was invited to perform at the 2023 International Hanyang University Alumni Night in Tyler, Texas, but has many more concerts and special appearances to come!s here
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University of Missouri Trombone Ensemble
The University of Missouri Trombone Ensemble, directed by Dr. Timothy Howe, has been a tradition at MU since 1992. The group plays a wide array of original and transcribed works for trombone ensemble from a wide range of periods and styles. In the past, the University of Missouri Trombone Ensemble has performed at the International Trombone Festival, the Music Educators National Conference, and the Missouri Music Educators Association Convention and more recently for the St Louis Low Brass Collective, the Midwest Trombone and Euphonium Workshop, and the Big Twelve Trombone Conference in 2022.
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Glissando - Trombone Ensemble
The program "Beyond Frontiers: Contemporary Mexican Music for Trombone" will consist of five works by mexican contemporary composers, four of which were specially dedicated for this ensemble and its members.
The first piece, "Una Teoría de la Luz" by Arturo Martinez Zanabria, explore the mysterious electric phenomenon you may find during an evening hike in the Mexican Mountains.
"Cuenco de Larvas" by Odín Zamorano, reflects upon ancient ideograms, the philosophical meaning of the number “3”, and its importance for the success on the path of self-discovery.
"Fanfarria Latinoamericana" by Uriel Imriffnol, is a piece inspired on diverse latin rhythms, like Samba, Songo, and Rumba. It explores a new perspective on the tradition, with many challenging moments for each performer.
"No Hay Dos Olas Iguales en el Mar" by Andrea Chamizo, presents a deeper exploration of trombone’s texture and timbre.
Finally, "Sones Jarochos" by Jesus E. Mendeza Gonzales, is a more traditional approach to Mexican music, presenting a medley with some of the most well-known Veracruz’s songs.
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University of Mississippi Trombone Ensemble
The University of Mississippi Trombone Ensemble was reestablished in 2012 by current UM low brass professor, Micah Everett, after a hiatus of nearly twenty years. The ensemble serves as a vital extension of studio lessons and an enjoyable performance outlet for students, including twice-yearly concerts on campus and regular invitations to perform the national anthem at Ole Miss athletic events. Most of the ensemble’s members are undergraduate music education students, with occasional graduate students and non-majors joining in, as well. A few are even tuba and euphonium players practicing their doubling skills. While the group's repertoire consists largely of standard compositions and arrangements for trombone ensemble, new arrangements by Dr. Everett and by current and former students are often performed, as well. This is the ensemble’s second appearance at the ITF, having previously performed at the 2019 event at Ball State University.
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Tyler Junior College Trombone Choir
Tyler Junior College (TJC) is one of the largest community colleges in Texas with nearly 13,000 students enrolled each semester. The music program is comprised of 90 music majors and the 200-member band program has been entertaining audiences since 1947. The TJC Wind Ensemble was most recently honored as the first Junior College to ever be selected as a collegiate invited ensemble at the Texas Music Educators Association Clinic and Convention and the Midwest Clinic International Band & Orchestra Convention. The TJC Trombone Choir is a non-credited chamber ensemble that meets once a week and is comprised of both music and non-music majors.
The TJC Trombone Choir has been in existence since 2010 and was created originally to enhance music major’s technical proficiency, reinforce private lesson concepts, and allow non-music majors additional performance opportunities. They perform on various campus concerts, as well as a wide variety of community outreach events and recruitment concerts at local middle and high schools. Recently the TJC Trombone Choir was honored to perform as an Invited Music Showcase at the Texas Music Educators Association Convention and this past January performed a joint feature concert at the Big 12 Trombone Conference.
The group is directed by TJC Music Department Chair and Trombone Professor, Heather Mensch.
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Texas A&M University Trombone Choir
The TAMU Trombone choir was founded in 2004 by Dr. David Wilborn. The ensemble serves the interest of the music community at Texas A&M by welcoming all student musicians who play trombone. Over the course of 20 years, the ensemble has seen its membership grow from 5 members to its current 25 members. Students bring a wealth of performing experience including those from all-state/region honor bands and performance experience from top Texas band programs and fine music programs beyond the state borders.
Currently, Texas A&M University in College Station does not offer a music degree, therefore, the choir membership is comprised of non-music majors. Furthermore, no student is taking private lessons. Students in the ensemble are majoring in various fields of engineering, urban design, mathematics, computer science, communications, physics, biology, Spanish and nursing. The ensemble is a registered student organization at Texas A&M. We have student officers who play key roles in the ensemble’s leadership and recruitment of new members.
The trombone choir has a long history of premiering new works written by students and faculty members from Texas A&M. Today’s program will feature new commissioned works followed by a selection written by renowned trombone artist and teacher, Irvin Wagner.
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University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Trombone Choir
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Trombone Choir is grateful for performance opportunities at the local, state, national, and international levels, and is proud to represent south Texas at the International Trombone Festival.
The Trombone Choir actively commissions new works. Two years ago at 2022 ITF, the UTRGV Trombone Choir premiered a work entitled Lost Utterances by Dr. Justin Writer. At the 2024 ITF, the UTRGV Trombone Choir would love to have the opportunity to present a world premiere of another commissioned, composed by Seth Giles, entitled Triumph of the Valley. Other works to be included in the UTRGV Trombone Choir ITF program are Prelude, Op. 34, No. 19 (No. 14), Dmitri Shostakovich, San Gabriel, David Wilborn, and Seven Trombones of the Apocalypse, Santiago Miguel Alarcon.
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Texas A&M University-Commerce Trombone Choir
The TAMUC Trombone Choir is committed to programing music that highlights both traditional repertoire and new works by composers of diverse backgrounds and voices. Traditional selections allow students the opportunity to learn about and share through performance the rich history of the trombone choir as an ensemble, and provides listeners the chance to enjoy standards of our repertoire. Offering audiences a wide variety of perspective in musical voices is central to the TAMUC Trombone Choir’s programming, in particular through the selection of new works, and also compositions written specifically for the group. Recent programming includes “Vigilante” by Key Poulan (TAMUC graduate and alumni of the studio under Mr. Neill Humfeld), “La Cathedral” by Madeline Lee, “Unfading Light” written for the TAMUC Trombone Choir, by Christian Guillen (TAMUC graduate, alumni of the trombone studio under Mr. Jimmy Clark, and arranger for Marching 365), and “Elysian Fields” by David Wilborn. Under the direction of Dr. Megan Boutin, additional an upcoming programming for the TAMUC Trombone Choir includes works by Daniela Candillari, Nathan Tanouye, Elizabeth Raum, Anthony Barfield, and Kevin Day.
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Keller Central and Keller High School Combined Trombone Choir
The recital presented by the Keller Central and Keller High School Combined Trombone Choir will showcase the next generation of trombonists from Keller, Texas - a suburb of Fort Worth. Their program will feature standard pieces from the trombone choir repertoire in addition to some of the students' favorite pieces.
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The UNT U-Tubes
To celebrate the centennial year of the legendary trombonist and composer JJ Johnson, the UNT U-Tubes have put together a program that highlights his important contributions as a composer, arranger, and improvisor. The Jay and Kai trombone octet laid the ground work for jazz trombone ensembles in the mid 20th century, and facilitated so many jazz trombone groups across the globe, including Slide Hampton’s famous “World of Trombones.” This program was first premiered at UNT’s Jazz Trombone Day 2024 with special guest artist Steve Turre and celebrates JJ’s essential contributions to the jazz trombone lineage.
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Gaither High School Trombone Ensemble
The Gaither High School Trombone Ensemble is from Tampa, Fl. This group includes students from various grade levels. They are lead by Luis Alvarez, the Director of Bands at Gaither High School. Luis Alvarez received a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education and a Masters of Music in Trombone Performance at the University of South Florida under Tom Brantley.
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Lamar University Trombone Quartet
The LU Trombone Quartet is a group of senior music students from Lamar University in Beaumont Texas. The ensemble includes Austin Munoz, Hunter Wood, Micah Elms, and Kevin Espinoza. The Ensemble was formed and 2023 and performs regularly at school concerts and festivals. The group also participates in a chamber music outreach program at Lamar. The outreach program allows the students to perform at local grade schools and promote chamber music. All four members perform in various other ensembles such as the LU Trombone Octet, Lamar Cardinal Jazz Orchestra, and the Lamar Wind Ensemble. The director, Timothy Dueppen, is the associate professor of trombone at Lamar University. He also directs other chamber ensembles such as the LU Trombone Choir and the LU Brass Choir. Dr. Dueppen is also an active performer performing with The Symphony of Southeast Texas, The LU Faculty Brass Quintet, and The Alias Brass Quintet.
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Texas A&M University-Kingsville Trombone Choir
The 52-member (TAMUK) Texas A&M University-Kingsville Trombone Full Choir is dedicated to perform diverse new works and arrangements ranging from band/orchestra/choir transcriptions to standards in the trombone choir idiom. Every concert depending on time, highlights the students in various sized ensembles from our full choir to separate choirs then into different octets. We are devoted to enhance the musicianship as well as push the abilities of each student by focusing on the technic and range of the trombone.
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Tarleton State University Trombone Choir
Dr. William Ford is Head of Jazz Studies and Assistant Professor of Trombone/Euphonium at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas. Dr. Ford has previously taught at Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, Louisiana and maintained a private studio in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. His students have been accepted into undergraduate and graduate music programs, as well as winning middle and high school band director positions. He currently directs the Tarleton Jazz I and teaches a full studio of major and non-major trombone and euphonium players at Tarleton State.
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The University of Texas at Tyler Trombone Ensemble
The UT Tyler Trombone Studio was established in Fall 2022 with the hire of Dr. Austin Seybert as the Assistant Professor of Trombone and Director of Bands. After 18 months of recruiting and starting with 1 trombone major in 2022, the studio has grown to 14 majors and 2 minors who are looking to establish a studio culture of artistry and collaboration. We are excited to make our ITF debut as a studio ensemble here at the 2024 ITF.
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UCA Natural Slides Trombone Ensemble
The Natural Slides Trombone Ensemble is a select group of students from the studio made up of the top six tenors and top two basses who meet separately from the trombone choir. Rehearsals are held once weekly and repertoire is similar to the trombone choir. The Natural Slides Octet is considered the premier ensemble of the University of Central Arkansas trombone studio, under the direction of Dr. Justin Cook.
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University of South Alabama Trombone Choir
The USA Trombone Choir is an active performing ensemble in the Mobile and greater Gulf Coast region. The ensemble is under the direction of Dr. Arie VandeWaa, Assistant Professor of Trombone at the University of South Alabama.
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West Texas A&M University Trombone Choir
Under the direction of Dr. John Shanks, the WTAMU Trombone Choir has recently performed at the American Trombone Workshop, the Texas Music Educators Association Conference, and the Big XII Trombone Conference.
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West Virginia University Trombone Ensemble
Under the direction of Professor Hakeem Bilal, the Trombone Ensemble performs regularly on campus and has recently been featured at Cleveland State University, Penn State University, and The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. The group can be heard live on Apple Music and YouTube, with an active and expanding online presence across multiple platforms.