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Trombone

What is a Trombone?

The trombone is a the third highest musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips on a cupped shaped mouthpiece causing the air column inside the instrument to vibrate. The trombone is usually characterised by a telescopic slide with which the player varies the length of the tube to change pitches, although the valve trombone uses three valves similar to those on a trumpet. Trombones and trumpets share the important characteristic of having predominantly cylindrical bores. Therefore, the most frequently encountered trombones—the tenor and bass trombone—are the tenor and bass counterparts of the trumpet. Trombones generally read music in standard concert pitch.

The repertoire of trombone solo and chamber literature has its beginnings in Austria in the Classical Era where composers such as were featuring the instrument, often in partnership with a voice. Haydn and Mozart used the trombones in a number of their sacred works, including two extended duets with voice from Mozart, the best known being in his Requiem.  Many composers were directly influenced by Beethoven’s use of trombones, and in the 19th century saw the trombones become fully integrated in the orchestra, particularly by the 1840s, as composers such as Brahms, Wagner and many others included trombones in their operas, symphonies and other orchestral compositions.

Today, the trombone can usually be found in wind ensembles/concert bands, symphony orchestras, marching bands, military bands and big bands. It can be part of smaller groups as well, such as brass quintets, quartets, or trios, or trombone trios, quartets, or choirs. Trombones are also common in swing, jazz, merengue, salsa, rock, R&B, and ska. 

Source: “Trombone.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.

 

Teaching Philosophy

Travis Anderson teaches Trombone at the Fabulous School of Music.  He will take students starting at age 8.  His goal is to guide the growing musician to a level of excellence on their instrument, not only playing the instrument well, but to become well rounded musicians.  All of Travis’s students will receive instruction on the fundamentals of music theory, reading staff notation (Bass clef for the Trombone), and history of the instrument. 

His Trombone teaching method involves a rich education in classical solo literature and band or orchestral excerpts.  Some of the books and media sources Travis uses for his brass students are “The Standard Book of Excellence” ,  “Practical Theory Complete: A Self-Instruction Music Theory Course”, “Canadian Brass Master Class” video and websites including http://www.musictheory.net .  The beginning/intermediate Trombone method books used are, “Arban’s Famous Method for Trombone” and “Melodious Etudes” by Joannes Rochut.