Eastern Trombone Workshop
Encyclopedia
Trombone
The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
in the world. The workshop’s mission is to give students, performers, and educators an opportunity to meet and share ideas, talents, and opinions about the world of trombone. ETW regularly hosts participants throughout the nation and abroad. The workshop is held at Brucker Hall —- The U.S. Army Band
United States Army Band
Founded in 1922, the United States Army Band – known as "Pershing's Own" – is the premier musical organization of the United States Army. Before 2002, the United States Army Band was the only Washington-based military band to have participated in a theater of foreign combat operations...
’s state of the art performance center -— located on historic Fort Myer
Fort Myer
Fort Myer is a U.S. Army post adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. It is a small post by U.S...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, just across the Potomac River
Potomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
from the Nation’s capitol.
ETW is the only professionally organized and staffed trombone workshop or conference in the United States. Soloists, educators, and students, as well as university and college trombone ensembles from around the world, attend the workshop annually.
The workshop hosts a number of solo and ensemble competitions for performers of all ages. Over 1,000 students and professional trombonists have submitted audition tapes for the various competitions sponsored by ETW since 1993. Competitions include the National Solo Competition, the National Jazz Solo Competition, the National Jazz Ensemble Competition, and the National Trombone Quartet Competition.
Registration and Fees
Soloists have the opportunity to perform with the music ensembles from the U.S. Army Band to include the U.S. Army Orchestra, Concert Band, and Blues Jazz Ensemble.
All events are open and free to the public. Activities include concerts, master classes, recitals, lectures and clinics by the leading artists of the day. The workshop annually features premier performances of new works and arrangements for tenor and bass trombone.
There are no registration fees.
History of ETW
In 1978, John MarcellusJohn Marcellus
John Marcellus is a trombone musician and teacher. He is currently Professor of Trombone at The Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester, and past Chair of the Woodwind, Brass, and Percussion Department. In addition to his trombone teaching responsibilities at Eastman, Dr...
, former principal trombonist with the National Symphony Orchestra, along with John Melick, former trombone instructor at Towson State University, founded the Eastern Trombone Workshop at Towson State University, in Baltimore, Maryland. In 1981 the workshop moved to Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
, under the direction of trombone instructor William Cramer. The U.S. Navy Band
United States Navy Band
The United States Navy Band, based at the historic Washington Navy Yard in Washington, D.C., has served the nation as the official musical organization of the United States Navy since 1925...
took control of the workshop in 1986, thus bringing the event to the Washington, DC area.
In 1993, U.S. Army Band solo trombonist Scott Shelsta, with support of Colonel Bryan Shelburn, commander of the U.S. Army Band, took hold of the reins of ETW.