Douglas Yeo Trombone Interview
Welcome to the show notes for Episode #22 of the Trombone Corner podcast. This episode features trombonist, Douglas Yeo
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About Douglas Yeo
Recognized worldwide as a leading low brass performer, teacher, scholar, and author, Douglas Yeo is Clinical Associate Professor of Trombone at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for the 2022–2024 academic years. From 1985-2012, he was bass trombonist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and before coming to Boston, he was a member of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, a free-lance musician in New York City, and a high school band director. He served as Professor of Trombone at Arizona State University from 2012–2016 and has also been on the faculties of New England Conservatory of Music and the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University. Since 2019, he has been trombone professor at Wheaton College (Illinois). He received his Bachelor of Music degree from Wheaton College (1976)—where he studied trombone with Edward Kleinhammer (bass trombonist of the Chicago Symphony,
1940–1985)—and his master’s degree from New York University (1979).
In 2014, Douglas Yeo was the recipient of the International Trombone Association’s highest honor, the ITA Award, given to him “in recognition of his distinguished career and in acknowledgement of his impact on the world of trombone performance.” He has written dozens of book chapters and articles for many publications including the International Trombone Association Journal, the Historic Brass Society Journal, the International Tuba Euphonium Association Journal, and the Galpin Society Journal, and is the author of The One Hundred: Essential Works for the Symphonic Bass Trombonist (Encore Music Publishers), Serpents, Bass Horns and Ophicleides at the Bate Collection (University of Oxford Press), and co-author (with Edward Kleinhammer) of Mastering the Trombone (Ensemble Publications). His most recently published books are Homer Rodeheaver and the Rise of the Gospel Music Industry (2021, co-authored with Kevin Mungons, University of Illinois Press), and An Illustrated Dictionary for the Modern Trombone, Tuba, and Euphonium Player (2021, Rowman & Littlefield). His instructional DVD and seven solo recordings have received critical acclaim as have his 12 music arrangements that are published by G. Schirmer, International Music, Southern Music, and De Haske Music.
As a teacher, Douglas Yeo has given master classes and recitals on five continents and
has held residencies around the world including the International Trombone Festival
(seven times), the Banff Center (Canada), the Hamamatsu International Wind Instrument
Academy and Festival (nine times) and the Nagoya Trombone Festival (Japan), the
International Trombone and Tuba Festival (Beijing), and the Dutch Bass Trombone Open
(Holland). His website, yeodoug.com (1996), was the first site on the Internet devoted to
the trombone, and his blog, thelasttrombone.com—Occasional thoughts on Life, Faith,
and the Trombone—was launched in 2016. He is a Yamaha performing artist.
Video links (three links):
Elizabeth Raum, Turning Point https://youtu.be/yzHZW0zF_K4
Girolomo Frescobaldi, recomposed by Eddie Koopman, Canzone
https://youtu.be/Sk2BiD2FUYM
John Stevens, The Chief; Steven Verhelst, A Song for Japan
https://youtu.be/pPVxhmcMJ8g
Douglas Yeo Links
Podcast Credits
- Theme Music: The Trombone Choir Arrangements of Jay Friedman, Vol. 1
- Audio Engineer – Preston Shepard
- Cover Art – Frank Gladstone
- Podcast Hosts – Noah Gladstone & John Snell
Trombonist/composer Michael Davis has enjoyed a diverse and acclaimed career over the past 40 years. Widely known as the trombonist for five world tours with the Rolling Stones, he toured and recorded extensively with Frank Sinatra, has released 14 CDs as a solo artist, composed over 150 works, authored a dozen books for brass players of all levels and appeared on over 500 CDs, television themes and motion picture soundtracks. He is the founder, creator and president of Hip-Bone Music, Inc. In 2011, the S.E. Shires Company released the Michael Davis signature model trombone and followed that in 2014 with the release of the Michael Davis+ trombone.
Alex has been a faculty trombone and jazz instructor at the California Institute of the Arts, Azusa Pacific College and California State University, Northridge. He has appeared numerous times as a featured soloist at the International Trombone Workshop and at The American Trombone Workshop in Washington DC.
Inspired by the great valve trombonist BOB BROOKMEYER, Barry Mosley is keeping the legacy of playing jazz valve trombone. The first important jazz valve trombonist were JUAN TIZOL and BRAD GOWANS in the 1930s and 1940s, setting the stage for others. The valve trombone has a unique place in jazz history.
Steve Shires is best known in the brass world as the founder of the S. E. Shires Company, crafter of custom trombones and trumpets. His passion for designing and building brass instruments grew from his love of playing the trombone. Steve received his undergraduate degree in trombone performance from the University of Iowa, where he studied with John Hill and George Krem. A true trombonist, he skipped theory class to apprentice as a brass repair technician at West Music Company in Iowa City and was soon developing his craft by converting old small bore tenor trombones into alto trombones. While continuing his trombone studies in Chicago with legendary Chicago symphony brass section members Arnold Jacobs, Edward Kleinhammer, Frank Crisafulli, and Jay Friedman, he worked for the Schilke Music Company, learning the art of spinning brass instrument bells, as he absorbed the high standards of quality that Schilke represents. In 1986, Steve and his wife Cathy relocated to Boston. It was there that he gained much of his knowledge of the Horn, working for Osmun Brass Instruments, the nationally respected shop for horn repairs and restorations. It was here that Steve gained the invaluable experience of rebuilding valves, cutting bells, and restoring Geyer, Kruspe, Conn, and Paxman horns.
Timothy Higgins was appointed to the position of Principal Trombone of the San Francisco Symphony by Michael Tilson Thomas in 2008. He was previously the acting Second Trombonist with the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, DC. Mr. Higgins, a Houston native, has a Bachelor’s degree in Music Performance from Northwestern University and has performed with the Chicago Symphony, New York Philharmonic, Milwaukee Symphony, Virginia Symphony, Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Music of the Baroque, Aspen Music Festival, Grand Teton Music Festival, Sun Valley Summer Symphony, Washington National Opera, and Baltimore Symphony. His principal teachers have been Michael Mulcahy (Chicago Symphony), Michael Warny (Houston Grand Opera), and Royce Landon (Des Moines, Iowa). He has participated in music festivals with the Roundtop Music Festival, the National Repertory Orchestra, and the Tanglewood Music Center.
Along with a busy orchestra career, Timothy Higgins is a sought after arranger of music. He was the sole arranger of the National Brass Ensemble’s Gabrieli recording. Additionally, he has arranged music for CT3 Trombone Quartet, National Brass Quintet, Bay Brass, and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music Brass Ensemble. Timothy Higgins has also composed works for brass instruments in solo and chamber settings. His arrangements and compositions have been performed by the Washington Symphonic Brass, the Bay Brass, the San Francisco Symphony brass section, the Chicago Symphony brass section, the Los Angeles Philharmonic brass section, and numerous university brass ensembles. His arrangements and original compositions are available through his publishing company, 415Music.
In 2005, Timothy won the Robert Marsteller Solo trombone competition, as well as the ITA Trombone Quartet competition with CT3. While attending the Tanglewood Music Center, Mr. Higgins was awarded the Grace B. Upton Award for Outstanding Fellow. In 2013, Timothy released his solo CD, Stage Left.