2009

Graham Gibson won Third Prize ($1,500) in the 2009 Zellmer Minnesota Orchestra Trombone Competition. The final round was held at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis, Minnesota on May 9th, 2009. UT alum, Brian Hecht (BM, 2007) tied for first place with Chris Davis (New World Symphony) and each received $3,750 in prize money. Alex Glen (UT sophomore performance major) was selected as a semi-finalist in the competition.

Two UT students were selected as finalists in ETW National Solo Competitions -- Javier Stuppard (23 -29 age category) and Alex Glen (18 – 22 age category). The final rounds was held at Bucker Hall, Fort Myer, VA, March 19-20.

Andres Lopera, grad student (MM) in trombone performance, was selected as trombone soloist for a performance of Darius Milhaud’s Concertino d’Hiver with the Music for Peace Festival Orchestra, May 2009, Chicago Cultural Center.

Six UT students were cited in 2009 International Trombone Association competitions: Andrew Binkard named 1st Alternate in the Frank Smith Competition for trombonists age 25 and under. Ben Balleza listed as Honorable Mention. Matt Carr named Honorable Mention in the Gagliardi Competiton for trombonists age 18 and under. Alex Glen named Honorable Mention in the Van Haney Tenor Trombone Orchestral Excerpt Competition. Nomadic 4 (Ben Balleza, David Gonzales, Alex Glen, and Brad Hartley) listed as Honorable Mention in the Trombone Quartet Competition.

Alex Glen, Ben Balleza, and UT alum Brian Hecht were selected as finalists in the 2009 Big 12 Solo Competition.

2008

Rai Morales, a DMA student in trombone performance, was second- prize winner in the 2008 Big 12 Trombone Solo Competition. Other finalists were from Rice University, Indiana University, and Oklahoma State.

Graham Gibson (sophomore trombone performance major) was selected as a finalist in the 2008 International Trombone Association Orchestral Excerpt Competition. Graham was also a finalist for the San Antonio Symphony and Louisiana Philharmonic bass trombone positions.

Javier Stuppard, a DMA student in trombone performance, won 2nd place in the ETW National Classical Trombone Solo Competition in Washington DC in March.

Robert Hoveland (MM performance major) was listed as honorable mention in the International Trombone Association Wiehe Solo Competition.

Alex Glen (freshman performance major) was listed as Honorable Mention in the International Trombone Association Gagliardi Solo Competition (trombonists age 18 and under).

Darren Workman (MM performance major) was listed as Honorable Mention in the International Trombone Association Smith Solo Competition (trombonists age 25 and under).

The Nomadic 4 (Alex Glen, Ben Balleza, David Gonzales, and Brad Hartley) was listed as 2nd Alternate in the ITA Trombone Quartet Competition. The quartet was coached by Charles Villarrubia.

2007

Rai Morales, a DMA student in trombone performance, was named winner of the 2007 ETW National Classical Trombone Solo Competition in Washington DC in March. The field of competition included 72 trombonists. Adjudicators included Jorgen van Rijen (Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra) and Blair Bollinger (Philadelphia Orchestra).

Two UT trombonists were cited in the International Trombone Association Solo Competitions -- Graham Gibson, a freshmen performance major, was named a finalist in the International Trombone Association Gagliardi Tenor Trombone Solo Competition and competed in final-round competition at the International Trombone Festival in Las Vegas. Graham Gibson was also a semi-finalist in the Zellmer Minnesota Orchestra Mock Orchestral Excerpt Competition. Brian Hecht, a senior performance major, was named 2nd alternate in the ITA Yaxley Bass Trombone Solo Competition. Brian has accepted a scholarship to attend Northwestern University to begin study for the MM degree. All competitions (blind, unedited, recorded materials) were adjudicated by a distinguished international panel of judges.