What sets the best colleges for trombone performance apart from the rest?
Personalized instruction, abundant performance opportunities, exposure to successful trombone performers via masterclasses, and participation in ensembles with passionate peers.
Additionally, the best trombone colleges in the United States retain some of the most talented teaching and performing talent in the trombone world.
Rarely do students in other disciplines have the chance to learn alongside the best in their craft. For students attending the best trombone colleges, they can expect to do so every day.
Some trombone graduates perform classical & modern music in major orchestras.
Many others return to academia to steward future trombone musicians into the next phase of their careers.
Others lead exciting freelance careers, travel the world to play in competitions and compose their own music.
Here are our picks for 10 of the best trombone performance schools in the U.S.
Keep in mind this list is a starting point, and while these are some of the very best schools and teachers in the country, there are others not included on this particular list that some professional classical trombonists may consider equally excellent.
Juilliard School (New York, NY)
Juilliard stands out with its 700+ public performances in music each year, most of which are free to attend.
Trombone students have the opportunity to play at NYC venues like Carnegie Hall throughout their undergraduate or graduate years.
Regarding ensembles, all undergraduate brass scholars must complete a class called “American Brass Quintet Seminar,” wherein they study repertoire and perform under the tutelage of the American Brass Quintet, an ensemble-in-residence at Juilliard among the most lauded brass groups in the world.
Independent chamber ensembles allow students to form their own groups, including brass quartets, with faculty often coaching them.
Joseph Alessi, principal trombonist of the New York Philharmonic since 1985, has served on the Juilliard faculty since 1986 and regularly imparts his wisdom in trombone masterclasses across Europe and the world. Alessi has trained at the Curtis Institute of Music, played with the Philadelphia Orchestra and Montreal Symphony Orchestra, received accolades from the International Trombone Association, and is a founding member of the Summit Brass ensemble.
Another faculty member in trombone performance, Per Brevig, was the Principal Trombonist of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra for 26 years.
Northwestern University Bienen School of Music (Evanston, IL)
The Bienen School of Music’s brass program maintains a strong bond with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
Offering private lessons, studio classes, orchestral training, and chamber music, the program leverages the resources of a major research university and the vibrant cultural scene in Chicagoland.
Faculty, including Michael Mulcahy, trombonist with the nearby Chicago Symphony, help mentor students to musical success.
Another faculty member, Randall Hawes, has career highlights that include producing two solo records, touring with the World Orchestra for Peace, and playing with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra for 35 years as a member of their trombone section.
Northwestern brass students consistently win prizes, with many securing positions in prestigious groups like the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, the U.S. Navy Band, and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
Doctoral students enjoy full-tuition scholarships, stipends, and health insurance, further enhancing the program’s commitment to excellence and producing graduates in prominent positions globally.
San Francisco Conservatory of Music (San Francisco, CA)
Leading talented trombone students to their ideal ensemble roles is faculty member Timothy Higgins, a former student of Randy Hawes and Michael Mulcahy at Northwestern, who has held the Principal Trombone role in the San Francisco Symphony since 2008.
At the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, students perform with on-campus ensembles like the Conservatory Orchestra and frequently compete in the biennial Brass Concerto Competition.
A weekly Brass Choir class challenges students to develop their repertoire reading skills and engages them in guest artist masterclasses.
If tuition assistance is a top consideration in your search for an ideal collegiate trombone program, know that 99% of students enrolled at SFCM receive financial aid, with an average tuition discount rate of 57%.
Rice University Shepherd School of Music (Houston, TX)
The Shepherd School of Music offers comprehensive brass studies leading to bachelor’s, master’s, or artist diploma degrees in trombone performance.
Students searching for a collegiate trombone program with small studios, one-on-one attention, and frequent performance engagements will find all those priorities as the pillars of a Rice trombone experience.
The Rice Brass Ensemble showcases the collective talents of trumpet, horn, trombone, and tuba studios through varied repertoire performances, reflecting the program’s commitment to artistic growth for brass students.
Allen Barnhill, a Rice trombone professor and former Principal Trombonist of the Houston Symphony, is an award-winning trombone player who studied under the renowned trombone teacher Donald Knaub at Eastman.
Some of Barnhill’s notable students include Paul Radke, trombonist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and Sasha Romero, Principal Trombone of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra.
Eastman School of Music (Rochester, NY)
The Eastman School of Music boasts a rich legacy in trombone education dating back to its 1921 founding.
Professors Mark Kellogg and Larry Zalkind now carry the torch, with Kellogg serving as Principal Trombonist in the Rochester Philharmonic and Larry Zalkind bringing over 30 years of experience as Principal Trombonist in the Utah Symphony.
Eastman’s trombone alumni hold prestigious positions worldwide, from the San Francisco Symphony to the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Current students, immersed in elite ensembles, benefit from collaboration between Professors Kellogg and Zalkind via the Eastman Trombone Choir and exposure to renowned guest artists.
The Eastman School has hosted the International Trombone Festival twice, solidifying its reputation as a hub for excellence in trombone education.
The Summer Trombone Institute – also led by Zalkind and Kellogg – offers performance-focused instruction for collegiate and post-graduate trombone players.
Indiana University Jacobs School of Music (Bloomington, IN)
The multitude of exciting ensembles at the Jacobs School of Music is one reason aspiring trombone musicians should look at Indiana University’s brass department.
There are four symphony orchestras, four concert bands, and four jazz bands holding annual auditions.
The Latin Jazz Ensemble, for example, is led by multiple-Grammy Award-nominated trombone player Wayne Wallace. The group describes their sound as “a semitruck going down the highway,” blending Latin Jazz, Afro-Cuban folklore sound, and other upbeat musical styles.
Trombone students at Jacobs can also play for the Hoosier Brassworks, one of the best large brass ensembles in the United States, with a repertoire spanning 400 years!
Professor Peter Ellefson supports many undergraduate and graduate trombone students at Indiana annually and in nationwide clinics. He has even helped design a unique type of tenor trombone – the Getzen 4047-DS.
Curtis Institute of Music (Philadelphia, PA)
If individualized attention is the most important aspect of potential trombone programs to apply to, tune in to the Curtis Institute of Music.
Limited enrollment in the brass program means regular performance assignments and one-on-one faculty investment throughout their time at Curtis.
All students will play in brass quintets and other chamber ensembles while collaborating with other brass students in weekly studio sessions.
Career studies courses are integral to the Curtis trombone degree, exposing students to vital teaching, entrepreneurship, and networking skills they’ll need as professional musicians.
Blair Bollinger, a 1986 Curtis graduate and bass trombonist of the Philadelphia Orchestra, joined the Curtis faculty in 1997.
With international solo appearances and diverse recordings, he emphasizes showcasing talent and advises students to “take a big breath and show them what you can do!”
University of Texas at Austin Butler School of Music (Austin, TX)
Exposing budding trombone players to successful career performance artists is an area where the Butler School of Music excels.
Recent workshops and master classes were led by people like Michael Davis, trombonist for the Rolling Stones, and Randall Hawes, formerly of the Detroit Symphony.
Those in search of a close-knit group of trombone-loving scholars will gravitate to a community like the UT Trombone Studio.
Members are constantly performing in recitals, the Trombone Choir, and the Trombone Olympics; studio travels take them to Spain, Germany, and Brazil, where they can feel what it is like to perform in one of the world’s iconic venues.
UT trombone students frequently earn top honors in national and international ensemble competitions; upon graduating, they earn principal chair positions in ensembles like the Austin Symphony, Zurich Opera Orchestra, and Silk Road Ensemble.
Nathaniel Brickens serves as director of the UT Trombone Choir and has received numerous teaching awards during his career, including the 2019 International Trombone Association’s Hufeld Teaching Excellence Award.
One of his former students, Brian Hecht, recently joined the Dallas Symphony in 2021.
New England Conservatory of Music (Boston, MA)
Aspiring trombonists who maintain a passion for academics as ardent as their passion for performance will want to learn more about the New England Conservatory’s dual-degree program with Harvard, wherein they can earn their BM and MM degrees in trombone performance and another liberal arts major.
One of the most competitive dual degrees in the world, this five-year program only accepts five or six programs annually.
How about an opportunity to work with most of the Boston Symphony Orchestra brass section?
At the NEC, this is the daily experience for trombone students. Stephen Lange is one such faculty leader who has been with the orchestra for over a decade.
One compelling performance opportunity is the annual Brass Bash, which features brass musicians at NEC performing in the conservatory’s Jordan Hall, one of the great concert halls of America.
Manhattan School of Music (New York, NY)
MSM brass majors go through intense exposure to various stylistic approaches throughout the history of music.
Each student will participate in an on-campus ensemble and have ample opportunities to observe and play alongside some of the world’s top trombone talent.
Trombone program alumni excel to hold principal chair positions in groups like the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, United States Army Band, and Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.
Leading Manhattan School of Music trombonists toward achieving their professional dreams since 1988 is faculty member Per Brevig, Music Director of the East Texas Symphony Orchestra and former Principal of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra for 26 years.