Trombone Studio Alumni News

Shawn Bell BM '06	Shawn was recently selected to be part of the prestigious Betty Carter Jazz Ahead Program at the Kennedy Center, Washington, DC. He is currently completing his MM degree in jazz studies from Northern Illinois University (NEW).
Dr. James Bicigo MM	Associate Professor of Music, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, AL
Earlie Braggs MM '01	Freelance trombonist and clinician for King Trombones.
Evan Conroy BM '09	Following four rounds of auditions, Evan was selected as the new bass trombonist of the Louisiana Philharmonic. Most recently he has been a master's student at the Juilliard School of Music in New York where he was studying with New York Philharmonic bass trombonist James Markey. Over the past year Evan has been named a finalist with bass trombone auditions for both the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and the Naples (FL) Philharmonic.
Emily Cox BM '06	Director of Bands, Gobles Public Schools
Raphael Crawford BM	Raphael is a Chicago-based performer, composer, and clinician.
Ryan Demkovich BM	Ryan is the Assistant Director of Bands at Alvin High School, Alvin, TX.
Evan Dorner MM '10	Evan recently participated in the competitive Pokorny Low Brass Seminar 2010, held at the University of Redlands in California. He was also one of three finalists for the bass trombone chair with the Akron Symphony Orchestra.
Brandon Drew BM '08	Brandon is working as a professional trombonist with the Royal Caribbean cruise ship, "Jewel of the Seas."
Chris Green MM '08	Chris is completing his doctorate in trombone performance at Louisiana State University.
Carrie Krueger-Bates	Doctoral graduate assistant in the School of Music at Michigan State University.
Dan De Kok MM '87	Daniel De Kok continues as second trombonist in the Southeast Pennsylvania Symphony Orchestra and serves as principal trombone of the Warminster (PA) Symphony.
Katie Hahn MM '06	Katie is now Band Director at Lincoln High School, Thief River Falls, MN.
Michael Haisten MM '04	Trombone doctoral graduate assistant at the University of Illinois, Champaign, Illinois.
Dave Hepinstall BM '10	Dave has been hired as the new band director at Plainwell Middle School.
Chris Van Hof BM '06	Chris graduated with an MM degree in Trombone Performance from the Eastman School of Music. He is the new adjunct trombone teacher at Nazarath College in Rochester, New York, and he was recently hired as fulltime broadcaster with Rochester, New York's classical music station, WXXI.
Adam Houk BM '07	Adam has won the one year principal trombone position with the Madison (WI) Symphony Orchestra. He also continues playing with the Quad City (IA) Symphony Orchestra. He was recently selected as an Associate Trombone Member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago for the 2009-2010 year.
Amy Holtz BM '91	Grandville (MI) Middle School Band Director.
Jennifer Hyslop-Borr BM '98, MM '03	Director of Bands, Loudon High School, Loudon, TN
Eric Joslin BM '94	Director of Bands, Standish-Sterling Central Public Schools, Standish, MI.
Ben Kadow MM '02	Trombonist in the band at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska.
Aaron Kadrmas	Trombonist in the US Army Field Band and Brass Quintet, Washington, D.C.
Sandy Kessler BM '99	Trombone Instructor at the Fine Arts School of the State College Universidad Autonoma de Querétaro, Mexico and Director of the Querétaro Municipal Youth Band.
Dr. David Krosschell BM '98	Dave has accepted the adjunct trombone position at the University of North Carolina, Pembroke. He also recently completed his doctorate in bass trombone performance at Northwestern University in Chicago, IL. He currently resides and freelances in the Raleigh/Durham, NC area and he subs with several orchestras, including as 1st call sub with the North Carolina Symphony. He is a member of the Triangle British Brass Band and a private instructor in the area. Dave was also a clinician at the 2009 North Carolina Music Educator's Convention.
Dr. David Lambert MM '02	David has accepted a new position as Director of Jazz Studies and Low Brass at Morningside College in Sioux City, IA (added 2/20/10).
Ruth Lindgren-Livengood BM '06 MM '08	Ruth is the Director of Bands, Berrien Springs Public Schools, MI.
Jeremy Marks MM '10	Jeremy is working on his Doctorate of Musical Arts degree in trombone performance at the University of Texas, Austin as a student of Nathaniel Brickens.
Brian Massey BM '10	Brian has been hired as the new Director of Bands at Lakeview High School in Battle Creek, Michigan (added 9/3/11).
Brian McCullough BA '81	Adjunct Faculty, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, and trombonist with the Rochester (MN) Orchestra.
Andy Mitchell BM, '07	Andy Mitchell has won the position of Associate Trombone member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago for the 2010-2011 season, and has performed with the group. Prior to that, after completing his master's degree in trombone performance as the trombone graduate assistant in the School of Music at Florida State University, he was offered a full tuition scholarship to attend The Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University, where he recently earned his Performance Diploma Certificate as a student of Peter Ellefson.
Louie Morand BM '07	Louie is a board certified music therapist, and is currently completing a master's degree in music therapy at WMU. He works in several clinical settings, and specializes in providing treatment that addresses social, inter-personal, and behavioral skill development with clients in youth detention facilities in West Michigan.
Paul Mundo BM '95, MM '97	Director of Bands, Plainwell High School, Plainwell, MI. Paul is also trombonist with the Michigan rock group "The Verve Pipe," and he will be featured on their new album which is due out in October 2009.
Dr. Chris Nigrelli BM '90	Associate Professor of Music, Lenoir-Rhyne College, Hickory, NC. He is also the principal trombonist of the West Piedmont Symphony and a founding member of the Charlotte Chamber Brass.
Claudia Schmitz MM '09	Director of Bands at both the middle school and high school, Bloomingdale, MI
Ed Schoendorff BM '98	Director of Bands, Manchester Middle School, Manchester, MI
Chris Shook BM '73	Chris has been appointed Secretary-Treasurer of the International Trombone Association. He is also Principal Trombonist of the Battle Creek (MI) Symphony and Executive Vice President, Properties Management for Gilmore Enterprises in Kalamazoo, MI.
Jay Siverson BM '02, MM '04	Jay is a doctoral trombone graduate assistant at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln.
Ibe Sodawalla BM '07	Ibe is the Executive Director/CEO and founder of the Legends Performing Arts Association from Kalamazoo MI, the organization that sponsors the Legends Drum & Bugle Corps. He is the Vice-Chair for the DCI Open Class Advisory Committee and was selected as the 2009 DCI Open Class Corps Director of the Year. He is also the brass arranger for the Legends Drum and Bugle Corps and arranges for a number of high schools and colleges across the country.
Nicole Stahl (Peabody) BM '94	Book Production Manager, Jenkins Group, Inc., Traverse City, MI
Dr. Steve Sudduth MM '88	Assistant Professor of Music, University of the Cumberlands, Williamsburg, KY.
Mike Suter	Freelance bass trombonist in the Los Angeles area. As a clinician for Kanstul Musical Instruments, he designed the MS169i bass trombone. Former member of the Stan Kenton Orchestra, and member and founder of both the National Slide Quartet and the 11-piece band, Slidewerke. Mike has a number of albums to his credit, and he recently re-issued his bass trombone method, "Exploring the In-Line Bass Trombone."
Cheryl Gibbons Thomas BM '02	Director of Bands, Coloma Community Schools, Coloma, MI.
Brian Wagner BM '02 MM '10	Brian is working on his Doctorate of Musical Arts degree in trombone performance at Michigan State University. He is also the adjunct trombone instructor at Cornerstone University.
Dr. Jeffrey A. Wardlaw BM '90	Assistant Professor of Music and Music Department Chair, Clarion University, Clarion, PA.
Mark Wells BM	Director of Bands, Laingsburg High School, Laingsburg, MI
Matt Westgate BM '00, MM '06	Matt graduated with a DMA in Wind Conducting from the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music (CCM) in 2009, and he now is the Director of Bands at Xavier University in Cincinnati, OH.

Are you a former student or trombone graduate of WMU? If your name is not
on the list and you would like it added, please contact Steve Wolfinbarger.

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