WILLIE CLARK is lecturer of tuba at the University of Maryland School of Music, where he teaches applied tuba lessons, coaches brass chamber groups and serves as the director of the UMD Brass Ensemble. Clark is also currently a member of the United States Air Force “Ceremonial Brass” in Washington, D.C., and was a founding member of the Barclay Brass and professional Disney tuba quartet, “The Tubafours.”
As a performer, Clark has toured the United States, South America, Australia, China, Japan and eighteen countries in Europe. During these travels he performed with the China National Symphony, the Empire Brass for the Campos do Jordao Winter Music Festival and USA Tour, American Wind Symphony Orchestra, Sam Rivers’ RivBea Orchestra and Keith Brion’s New Sousa Band. Clark has also served as a low brass clinician on the European Tour with the American Wind Symphony Orchestra. You can hear him on the Tuba 4’s CD, “Under the Boardwalk.” He has also recorded with John Williams and the Boston Bops Brass Section, the American Wind Symphony Orchestra, the United States Air Force Band, Alfred Publishing, Warner Brothers and Electronic Arts.
JUSTIN DREW is lecturer of horn at the University of Maryland School of Music where he teaches undergraduate horn lessons, coaches brass chamber groups and serves as the director of the University of Maryland Horn Choir. A busy freelance performer, he serves as the solo horn for Arena Stage, Third Horn of the National Philharmonic, Principal Horn of the Gourmet Symphony, Second Horn of the Apollo Orchestra and appears frequently with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and the Maryland Symphony Orchestra. He has also performed with the National Symphony Orchestra and numerous groups up and down the East Coast. Drew serves on faculty for the Maryland Classic Youth Orchestras, Potomac Valley Youth Orchestras and the Washington Brass Institute Summer Boot Camp.
Drew is a dedicated teacher with over 17 years of experience. In addition to his duties at the University of Maryland, he has an advanced private teaching studio based in Potomac, MD. Prior to joining the faculty at UMD, he served as adjunct faculty for University of Maryland Baltimore County for five years. His principal teachers include University of Maryland School of Music Director Gregory Miller, Denise Tryon, Suzanne Gonsalves and Wanda Whitener. He has also been highly influenced by studies with William VerMeulen, James Ross, Eric Ruske and Phil Munds.
A native of Scarborough, ME, Drew grew up in a family influenced by music. He began his musical studies on the trumpet, and performed at the Annual Key Bank Jazz Festival with notables such as Dave Brubeck, Cleo Laine and Wynton Marsalis. Although jazz trumpet was a passion of his, he decided to make French Horn his focus mid-way through completing a Bachelor of Music degree at the University of Maine. He received his Master’s in music performance in 2007 and his D.M.A. in music performance in 2019 from the University of Maryland School of Music.
Drew lives in Washington, D.C., with his wife, Katie, and their dog, Sophie.
CHRIS GEKKER is professor of trumpet at the University of Maryland School of Music. He has appeared as soloist at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and throughout the United States, Asia and Europe. He can be heard as soloist on more than thirty recordings, and on more than one hundred chamber music, orchestral, jazz and commercial recordings, as well as numerous movie and television soundtracks. Deutsche Grammophon selected him to be included on their 2005 CD compilation “Masters of the Trumpet.” He moved to Maryland in 1998, from New York City, where he was a member of the American Brass Quintet for eighteen years, principal trumpet of the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, and on the faculties of the Juilliard School, the Manhattan School of Music and Columbia University.
He also frequently performed and recorded as principal of the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and as a guest of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. He has been a guest principal trumpet with the New York Philharmonic, the San Francisco Symphony, the Baltimore Symphony and the Santa Fe Opera. Frequently invited to perform and record with contemporary popular artists, he is featured on Sting’s 2009 DVD “On a Winter’s Night,” filmed live in Durham Cathedral, England. Recent solo recordings include Larry Bell’s Unchanging Love (Fanfare Magazine: “Chris Gekker has made himself known over the years as a superb trumpeter who is able to produce meltingly flute-like tones at one extreme, and to bring down the house at the other.”) and Corollary III by Brian Fennelly, for trumpet and piano, of which American Record Guide writes “It is always a pleasure to hear Chris Gekker’s round, warm tone quality, virtuoso skills, and always thoughtful way of playing.” His most recent solo CD “Ghost Dialogues” was awarded second place in the Solo Artist Category 2018/19 by The American Prize.
MATTHEW GUILFORD is solo bass trombonist with the National Symphony Orchestra since 1991 when he was appointed by Mstislav Rostropovich in 1991. Previously, he was a member of the San Francisco Opera Orchestra and has performed with several of America’s leading orchestras, including the Boston Symphony, Boston Pops, Minnesota Orchestra, New York Philharmonic and San Francisco Symphony. He has also performed with Music of the Baroque in Chicago, Chicago Chamber Musicians and the Grand Teton Music Festival.
Guilford is a graduate of the New England Conservatory. His career has included a national tour of the Broadway musical Les Miserables, the motion picture soundtrack for the film Predator II, and fellowships with Tanglewood and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Institute. He has been a featured soloist with the National Symphony, the Arlington Symphony, the U.S. Army Band & Orchestra and the Harvard University Band. His solo and chamber recordings, “The Road Not Taken” with The Washington Trombone Ensemble and Brass Trios with the University of Maryland Brass Trio, have been received to worldwide critical acclaim.
A senior lecturer at the University of Maryland School of Music, Guilford serves as trombone studio chair. Many of his former students enjoy successful careers as performers and educators. An active educator and clinician, Guilford has given masterclasses at most of the top conservatories and universities in the United States and abroad.
ENSEMBLE PERSONNEL
Conductors
Willie Clark
Justin Drew
Chris Gekker
Matthew Guilford
Trumpet
Theresa Bickler
Allison Braatz
Maria Carvell
Julia Tsuchiya-Mayhew
Reece Updike
Tenor Trombone
Tobi Ajiboye
Eusung Choe
Gil Gruz
Brian Macarell
Brett Manzo
Pedro Martinez
Lorraine Montana
Marlia Nash
Raymond Schleien
Adrian Sims
Bass Trombone
Ted Adams
Austin Fairley
Skyler Foster
Leanne Hanson
Tuba
Cameron Farnsworth
Quinn Sarracco
Horn
Eric Aaron
Andrew Bures
Alex Choiniere
Garrett Cooksey
Allison Happ
Emerson Miller
Andrew Mincey
Matthew Tremba
Isaac Vallecillo
Kaitlyn Winters
Percussion
Jason Amis
Kyle Allen Graham
Christian Ortolf
Bruce Bernard Perry
Devon Rafanelli