Steve Wolfinbarger

Steve Wolfinbarger is a professor of music at Western Michigan University, where he teaches trombone. He earned the Bachelor of Music Education degree from Evangel University in Springfield, Missouri, and the Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees in trombone performance from the University of North Texas.

Students in his studio have competed successfully and have won a number of important competitions. His former students have been named finalists in the prestigious International Trombone Association solo competitions 26 times, winning the top prize on nine occasions. They have been recognized as either an alternate or an honorable mention on 19 other occasions. In total, they have been recognized a total of 44 times spread out over 11 different ITA competitions. In addition, they have been invited to compete as semifinalists or finalists at the American Trombone Workshop’s National Solo Competition 13 times since 2005. Two separate students have recently been chosen as winners and honorable mention in the Yamaha Young Performing Artists Competition. His students have been selected as finalists in the Minnesota Orchestra's Steve Zellmer Orchestral Excerpt Competition, as well as Associate Trombonist of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. Since 2000, graduates of his studio have been admitted to some of the most competitive music programs in the United States, including The Juilliard School, Yale University, The Eastman School of Music, Cleveland Institute of Music, New England Conservatory, Cincinnati Conservatory, Oberlin Conservatory, Northwestern University, University of North Texas, Florida State University and Indiana University, to name a few. Former students now teach at over 20 universities across the country, while many others play professionally in top military bands, orchestras, or chamber ensembles.

Over the past few years, Wolfinbarger has won several major teaching awards, honors, and recognitions. In 2020 he was featured in an hour-long international podcast by the Third Coast Trombone Retreat, recognizing his career teaching success. In 2019 he was selected as the first recipient of the International Trombone Association's Kenneth Hanlon Award, given to an individual who has made significant contributions to the worldwide trombone community. He was selected as the Michigan Professor of the Year for 2013 by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) in Washington, D.C (see article). He was also one of 15 nominees statewide for the 2013 Michigan Distinguished Professor of the Year Award. Wolfinbarger was the recipient of the 2010 Western Michigan University Distinguished Teaching Award, the highest award given to any professor at WMU. Wolfinbarger was selected as the WMU College of Fine Arts Distinguished Professor for 2014, and he was also presented with the College of Fine Arts Dean's Teaching Award in 2009. He was the sole recipient of the 2009 International Trombone Association's prestigious ITA Award "in recognition of his distinguished career and in acknowledgment of his impact on the world of trombone performance," This is the highest prize awarded by the International Trombone Association each year, going to one person annually. He was also named one of three finalists for the International Trombone Association's Neill Humfeld Award for Teaching Excellence. And earlier in his career, he was selected by Evangel University as the Outstanding Young Alumnus recipient.

Wolfinbarger was president of the International Trombone Association from 1994–96. He is currently the Treasurer of the International Trombone Festival Board and was the Director of the International Trombone Festival and Chair of the International Trombone Festival Site Selection Committee from 1992 to 2001. He also hosted and organized the 1990 International Trombone Workshop, which was held at WMU. He served 17 years as chair of the ITA Governance Committee, and he has published articles in the International Trombone Association Journal. He served on a steering committee with six other leading trombone teachers to develop a national trombone pedagogy manual for public school music teachers in an effort to increase the quality and quantity of trombone students in the United States. He was also the subject of a feature article in Director Magazine. Locally, Wolfinbarger is serving a second, three-year term as a member of the Kalamazoo Concert Band Board.

He has appeared as a guest soloist or clinician at numerous regional, national, and international conferences, including the Midwest Trombone Workshop, National Fine Arts Festival, Midwestern Music Conference, the Arizona Low Brass Symposium, several Brazilian National Trombone Symposiums, and the Latin America Trombone Symposium. He has been featured as a guest performer or clinician at major music conservatories in The Netherlands, Finland, and Mexico and in the United States at the Chautauqua Institute, The Eastman School of Music, and more than 30 colleges and universities. As a member of the Western Brass Quintet, Wolfinbarger has performed in Canada, Germany, Russia, and The People's Republic of China. He has also performed as an extra with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and with the Springfield (Missouri) and Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestras.
 

Websites

Trombone Studio
Teaching Philosophy
Third Coast Trombone Retreat Podcast, featuring Steve Wolfinbarger discussing the art of practicing, building a studio culture, and the great success of the trombone program at Western Michigan University (Recorded 9/10/20). Hosted by Nick Schwartz (New York City Ballet) and Sebastian Vera (Pittsburgh Opera).