2015 Guest Artists:

Toby Oft

(please click on Toby's photo for a full bio) 

The Great Lakes Trombone Ensemble

    The Great Lakes Trombone Ensemble will perform on Monday, June 9. Please check our Performances page for more information. 

    The Great Lakes Trombone Ensemble was formed in 2011 and played its inaugural performance at the 2012 Cleveland Trombone Seminar. The group is comprised of professional orchestral musicians from the Great Lakes region of the United States. The Great Lakes Trombone Ensemble performs original trombone music as well as arrangements of challenging pieces. The group's annual concerts at the Cleveland Trombone Seminar are broadcast on WCLV 104.9FM in Northeast Ohio, or on the internet at www.wclv.com. 

    The Great Lakes Trombone Ensemble's founding members are Jeff Dee (Buffalo Philharmonic), Jeff Gray (Rochester Philharmonic), Shachar Israel (Cleveland Orchestra), Jonathan Lombardo (Buffalo Philharmonic), James Nova (Pittsburgh Symphony), Tim Smith (Buffalo Philharmonic) and Ken Thompkins (Detroit Symphony). We are also joined by Lisa Albrecht (Rochester Philharmonic), David Bruestle (Erie Philharmonic) and Garth Simmons (Toledo Symphony).

2014 Guest Clinicians:

    In addition to great trombone playing, the Cleveland Trombone Seminar is committed to a well-rounded education for its participants and auditors. We believe that physical health and mental ease are valuable aspects of ones progress and optimal improvement. Our faculty roster is complemented by a number of clinicians who will teach and coach on a variety of subjects. Samantha Basford (Feldenkrais), David Brockett (Wellness) and Dr. Birch Browning (Education) will share of their expert knowledge in there fields. As trombone players engage in a variety of non-trombone repertoire, Paul Ferguson (notorious Jazz composer/arranger and trombonist) will give a clinic discussing arranging for the instrument.

You can find detailed bios for our Guest Clinicians here below.

    Samantha has taught the Feldenkrais Method® for three years, having graduated after four years of intensive study under David Zemach-Bersin, a world renowned Feldenkrais educator and practitioner.   As a Guild Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner, Samantha regularly works with musicians from the Cleveland Orchestra and the Cleveland Institute of Music.  She has taught workshops and lessons throughout the world using her knowledge and skills.  In 2004, she joined the staff at the School of American Ballet at Lincoln Center as Artistic Assistant, working directly under Peter Martins and Kay Mazzo.  Since moving to Cleveland in 2007, she has become a member of the faculty at Sharron’s School of Dance and Cleveland City Dance teaching children and adults, including professional dancers and guest teaching with Great Lakes Youth Ballet and Groundworks Dance Theatre.

David Brockett, Wellness 

  David Brockett, a long time Martial Artist, has trained in Chen Style Tai-Chi, Fu BaGua, classical Wing Chun, and holds a Black Belt in Kenpo Karate.  In addition, he practices Bikram Yoga.  Mr. Brockett has studied meditation for several years, beginning with Zen training and eventually beginning a regular practice of Shamatha, Vipassana, and Tibetan meditation yogas. For the last five years he has taught a regular wellness class at the Sewanee Summer Music Festival for both students and faculty.

    Mr. Brockett is also a State of Ohio Medical Board Licensed Massage Therapist, and is currently working toward a Master's Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. 

    As a musician, he has played Horn with The Utah Symphony, The Cincinnati Symphony and the Cleveland Orchestra, as well as having recorded for radio, television and the Big Screen.  His other playing credits include being a founding member of Burning River Brass, and hornist in The Cleveland Chamber Brass which toured the U.S. and Europe.  Mr. Brockett lives in Cleveland Heights with his wife and their cats.

Dr. Birch Browning, Education

Dr. Birch Browning is Associate Professor of Music Education and Chair of the Department of Music at Cleveland State University, and Music Director of the Cleveland Winds, a professional wind band based at CSU. Dr. Browning taught high school band and orchestra in Florida prior to earning a Ph.D. in Music Education at Florida State University. On the CSU faculty since 2002, Dr. Browning previously taught music education courses at Stetson University and FSU.

Dr. Browning’s professional affiliations include MENC, OMEA (Ohio Music Education Association), CBDNA (College Band Directors National Association), WASBE (World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles), SMTE (Society for Music Teacher Education), and IMTE (Instrumental Music Teacher Educators). Dr. Browning serves as Editor of OMEA’s research journal, Contributions to Music Education, and is on the editorial board of the ASEAN, a music research journal published in Thailand. Dr. Browning's first book, Becoming a Musician-Educator: An Orientation to Musical Pedagogy, will be published by Oxford University Press in 2014.

    Dr. Browning’s professional affiliations include NAfME, OMEA (Ohio Music Education Association), CBDNA (College Band Directors National Association), WASBE (World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles), SMTE (Society for Music Teacher Education), and IMTE (Instrumental Music Teacher Educators). Dr. Browning serves as Editor of OMEA’s research journal, Contributions to Music Education, and is on the editorial board of the Music Journal of South-east Asia. His book on musical pedagogy, Becoming a Music Educator: A Reorientation to Musical Pedagogy will be published by Oxford University Press in 2013.