UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State School of Music's trombone studio will present the final concert of the 27th annual Frühling Posaunen Festival at 4 p.m. Sunday, March 20, in Esber Recital Hall on the University Park campus of Penn State. This year's special guests are trombonists Dick Nash and Brian Hecht, who will join faculty and members of the trombone studios from Penn State, the Eastman School of Music, and Ithaca College. Admission is free. This concert is available via livestream at CW Studios.
The annual trombone event, Frühling Posaunen (Spring Trombones), was started in spring 1989 by John Marcellus, Eastman School of Music; Harold Reynolds, Ithaca College; and Penn State’s Mark L. Lusk. The idea was to gather the trombone students from the three academic institutions together on Palm Sunday (the Sunday before Easter) to share their music and ideas. Over the years, the event has featured a diverse array of guest artists, and guest ensembles from many other fine schools of music. Thousands of trombonists and guests have enjoyed the variety of music presented at the major concerts, and especially the grand finale which often combines all the participants. For further information, contact trombone professor Mark L. Lusk.
Activities are planned throughout the afternoon prior to the concert which are also open to the public. All events take place in Esber Recital Hall.
Schedule12-12:50 p.m. — Masterclass with Brian Hecht1-1:50 p.m. — Music Business discussion with composer Charles DePaolo2-3 p.m. — Masterclass with Dick Nash3:15 p.m. — Trombone choir mass rehearsal4 p.m. — Final Concert featuring all participants
Texas native Brian Hecht joined the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra as a bass trombonist in 2013. Prior to that, he held the bass trombone position with the United States Navy Band in Washington, D.C. Hecht received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin and master’s degree from Northwestern University. He has performed with many major ensembles including the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the Philadelphia Orchestra.
Dick Nash began his musical studies at the age of 10, initially playing the trumpet and bugle. Shortly after switching to trombone, Nash started his professional work with the band of Tex Beneke. He soon became a first call studio musician in Los Angeles. He has played with musical luminaries like Henry Mancini, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Oscar Peterson, and many more, and can be heard on the soundtracks of the movies "Breakfast at Tiffany's," "Peter Gunn" and "Mission Impossible."