Department of Music to
present Trombone Choir

March 31, 2005--The Department of Music at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro will present the Trombone Choir in concert Tuesday, April 5, at 7:30 p.m. in Fowler Center, Riceland Hall.

The Trombone Choir concert is part of International Trombone Week of April 3 -10, and is sanctioned by the International Trombone Association. The Trombone Choir is conducted by Dr. Neale Bartee. Musical selections for this concert include: “Fanfare” by Andrew Fox; “Suite for Trombones” by Michael Hennagin; “Just You and Me” by Jim Pankow; “The Pink Panther” by Henry Mancini; “Satin Doll” by Duke Ellington; “Steamroller Blues” by James Taylor; “The More I See You” by Harry Warren performed by Dad’s Bones; “Myths and Legends Movement III” by Eric Ewazen, performed by TetraHelix.

A special feature of the ASU Trombone Choir concert will be “Soundpiece” by Mark Anderson. “Soundpiece” was the winner of an Honorable Mention Award in the International Trombone Association Composition contest of 1975. Anderson was a graduate assistant at ASU at that time and studied composition with Dr. Jared Spears and trombone with Dr. Neale Bartee. In the last thirty years, “Soundpiece” has become a standard in trombone choir performances world wide.

Two ASU trombone students in the choir have received special recognition the semester. Senior Daniel Harrelson won the brass division of the Delta Symphony Orchestra Concerto competition in January and was selected third chair in the Arkansas Intercollegiate Band which performed in February at the All-State Convention in Hot Springs. Sophomore Blake Howerton was awarded a position in the Honors Jazz Band of the International Association of Jazz Educators which will perform in the regional conference in April in Waco, Texas. Howerton also studies jazz improvisation with Dr. Ken Carroll.

Personnel for the Trombone Choir include Ryan Barnet and Jason Payne of Poplar Bluff, Mo., Lanny Heidbreder of Corning, J.D. Hogue of Jonesboro, Jared Huffmaster of Paragould, Treavor Mitchell of Jonesboro, Casey Murphy of Pocahontas, Eric Palmer of Bald Knob, trombone; Matt Vardell of Jonesboro, piano; Jay Shepherd of Paragould, guitar; John Hays of Jonesboro, bass; Perry Harper of Paragould, drums;  Daniel Harrelson of Warren, Blake Howerton of Paragould, Seth Weston of Jonesboro, and Corey Spencer of Wynne, quartet TetraHelix.            

The concert is free and open to the public. For more details, please call the Department of Music at (870) 972-2094. 

                                                      ###