---

 

Brass at USM

Instruction is available on all brass instruments including trumpet, horn, trombone, euphonium, and tuba.  Applied brass instruction is provided by a staff of world-class performer/educators who take great pride in developing their students to reach their potential. USM brass students frequently remark about the great interest that their applied teachers take in them both in and out of the studio.

All of the brass professors at the University of Southern Maine are active performers on their instruments and regularly perform as soloists and as members of orchestras and chamber music ensembles. As well, they are also their own brass quintet, the Portland Brass, which performs regularly in the Portland area and all over New England also. Some other ensembles that our faculty have performed with are the Boston Symphony, the Boston Pops, the Boston Handel Haydn Society, the Utah Symphony, the Portland Symphony Orchestra, the Bangor Symphony Orchestra, the Philadelphia Classical Orchestra, and the Vermont Symphony Orchestra.

Brass instruction for both music education majors and performance majors is given in the form of weekly hour long private lessons. Brass majors play a jury for the applied faculty every year and receive individualized comments. Music Education majors present a senior recital open tothe public in the beautiful Corthell Concert Hall, and performance majors present recitals in both their junior and senior years.

Brass instrumentalists perform once a semester in the weekly recital class, can give non-required recitals, and have the opportunity to perform as members of the University Orchestra, Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, Brass Quintet, Horn Ensemble, Trumpet Ensemble, Trombone Ensemble, and Low Brass Ensemble. Additionally our brass students have performed as extra players for the Portland and Bangor Symphony Orchestras.

Former brass students at the University of Southern Maine are currently teaching in schools and universities, are free-lance musicians, are rockband musicians, are solo competition winners, and are performing in the nation's leading service bands and finest professional orchestras throughout the world.

University of Southern Maine Brass Faculty:

Trent Austin, Jazz Trumpet

John Boden, French Horn

Brian Diehl, Trombone

Mark Manduca, Trombone

Michael Milnarik, Euphonium/Tuba

Chris Oberholtzer, Jazz Trombone

Betty Rines, Trumpet