What age did you start playing music?
11! I started trombone in my middle school band. I actually wanted to play percussion, then tuba, but I was absent the day we picked instruments. Funny how fate works like that.
When did you know that you wanted to pursue music professionally?
I knew I wanted to pursue music not long after starting. Everything just clicked for me in a way nothing had before, and band rehearsals were the highlight of my day. I then learned how wonderful and expansive orchestra music was at the Brevard Summer Music Festival in high school, and my course was set.
What advice would you give to young musicians who are starting the audition process?
Listen, listen, LISTEN! Listen to professionals, your colleagues, your mentors, and most importantly, YOURSELF. We all walk around with little audio recorders, so there is no excuse to not record yourself and see how it compares to what you aspire for. Also understand that building a house doesn’t happen overnight, and greatness is attained by chipping away at that marble a little bit every day. The best we can do is a little better than yesterday, and if you approach every day with this mindset, you’ll be completely transformed over months, years, and decades.
What concert are you most looking forward to this season and why?
The concert I’m looking forward to most has already happened! Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6 is one of my favorite pieces of all time, and the climax of the first movement is perhaps the most epic moment for bass trombone and tuba ever written. Still, we have excellent things to come; Mendelssohn was an unexpected champion of the bass trombone, and he wrote a spectacular part for us in his fifth symphony, which we’re performed on November 9 and 10. Other highlights for my unique chair are the following week’s Bartók Concerto for Orchestra and Beethoven’s Fifth, then Brahms’s Second (train chord at the end!) and The Nutcracker (SEVERAL bass trombone solos, who knew!!) in December. Next year we have Mahler 3, Shostakovich 9, selections from Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet, Carmina Burana, and a few works by John Williams, all of which will have a great showing from myself and my fantastic colleagues in the brass family.
What do you love about the bass trombone in general and your instrument in particular?
Bass trombone is a very flexible instrument. I spend most of my time supporting other members of the orchestra, be it in hushed chorales or boisterous brass tuttis (or counting rests!). I support the clear, projecting trumpets and trombones while giving clarity and center of pitch to the deep, resonant basses and tuba. Bass trombone and tuba is a particularly special relationship. A wise friend of mine compared it to fried chicken: the tuba is the juicy white meat, and the bass trombone is the crispy, seasoned skin. Together, they lead the orchestra to thrilling climaxes, both jubilant and devastating. Our tubist, Dave, is an excellent and reliable partner in this tasty pairing, and I can’t overstate how much I have enjoyed my first season with the TSO so far.
What do you love about Tucson?
The natural beauty here is unparalleled! I’m from Louisiana and got my education in the Midwest, so I’m still in awe of the mountains, especially at sunset. My partner and I have been to Mt. Lemmon several times since moving out, and we’re always discovering new places to explore. It’s like being on a different planet from when we met in Chicago. The food here is also excellent, and I dare say it rivals my home state. The quality and variety is astounding, but I’m still holding out for some authentic Cajun food (and I clearly failed at not sounding food-obsessed in this interview, blame the southerner in me). In any case, I’m excited to see what more Tucson has for us, within and beyond its fabulous orchestra.
