Hundreds of the finest trombonists from around the world will converge on Ithaca June 15-19 as the Ithaca College School of Music welcomes the 2004 International Trombone Festival.
Sponsored by the International Trombone Association -- the world's largest association of trombonists -- the festival will include a series of public concerts featuring an outstanding army of soloists and ensembles.
For a complete listing of artists, ensembles, and performers attending the event, as well as registration information, visit International Trombone Festival.
"This international convention is coming to Ithaca thanks to the excellent performance facilities offered by the James J. Whalen Center for Music," says Harold Reynolds, professor of music performance and host of the event. "We are fortunate that the College and the City of Ithaca can provide the services to make an event of this magnitude possible."
The days will be filled with warm-up sessions, clinics, workshops, master classes, and recitals for the participants, while the evenings will be highlighted by performances that are open to the public.
The festival will kick off with a free outdoor concert on Tuesday, June 15. Featuring the Ageless Jazz Band, Ithaca College Alumni Trombone Choir, and the Ithaca Concert Band, the performance will begin at 7:30 p.m. on the lawn between the Campus and Fitness Centers. Free popcorn and lemonade will be provided, along with a wine tasting offered by Six Mile Creek Winery.
A limited number of tickets for the performances on each of the following four evenings will cost $10 apiece and be available at the door. The concerts will be held in Ford Hall in the Whalen Center at 8:00 p.m. For more information on the public evening performances, call Erik Kibelsbeck in the School of Music, 607-274-3717.
The public concert schedule and performers are listed below.
- Wednesday, June 16 -- Upstate New York Trombone Ensemble, New York State Baroque, and Spiritus Collective
- Thursday, June 17 -- American Classic Trombone Quartet and PanAmerica
- Friday, June 18 -- Wycliffe Gordon, Paul McKee, Ingo Luis, Ludwig Nuss, and the United States Army Blues
- Saturday, June 19 -- Blair Bollinger, Nitzan Haroz, Megumi Kanda, Kiril Ribarski, and the United States Army Field Band
Formed in 1972, the International Trombone Association's mission is to promote the trombone and all trombone-related activities across the world. The organization currently has 4,500 members from 50 countries.
Contributed by Erik Kibelsbeck
