Neal Corwell, a former member of the the United States Army Band "Pershing's Own," will present a guest euphonium recital at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 24, in Esber Recital Hall as a part of Penn State's annual OcTUBAfest celebration. His visit to campus is hosted by School of Music professor Velvet Brown. The recital is free and open to the public.
Master Sgt. Neal Corwell served as euphoniumist with "Pershing's Own," the United States Army Band in Washington, D.C., from 1981 to 1989. During those years, he was one of the concert band’s most popular soloists and was featured at many prestigious events and venues to include the Lincoln Center in New York City and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. After briefly serving as principal euphonium with the 257th Army National Guard Band (Washington, D.C.) during 2001, Neal rejoined Pershing’s Own in 2002, serving as euphonium section leader of the Ceremonial Band. For several years he was also NCOIC for the Ceremonial Band’s Tuba-Euphonium Quartet, and, while serving as their leader, created several new compositions and arrangements for the ensemble. He retired from the band in 2016.
During his 12-plus years as a civilian from 1989 to 2001, Corwell taught at Shepherd and Frostburg State universities, earned a doctorate in euphonium performance and pedagogy at the University of Maryland under the tutelage of Brian Bowman and served on the executive committee of the International Tuba Euphonium Association and on the board of the Women’s Brass Conference. During the mid-1990s, he was chosen to be a founding member of “Symphonia,” a tuba-euphonium ensemble chosen from among the nation’s finest low brass performers and directed by R. Winston Morris. During that same time period, he also made numerous appearances as principal euphonium for the River City Brass Band in Pittsburgh, and as trombonist with the Maryland Symphony. Since 1990, he has been trombonist with the St. James Brass Quintet.
In 2007, the definitive sourcebook for the euphonium, titled "Guide to the Euphonium Repertoire," was published by Indiana University Press. Corwell was tasked with writing two chapters for the book (one on all the current literature available for unaccompanied euphonium, and the other on current literature for euphonium with electronic media). In addition, he authored an article about “recording the euphonium” which was also included in the volume.
Corwell has authored over seventy musical compositions and arrangements. For more information on his writing and performance career, please visit his website.