Bass trombonist Adam Graham will present a faculty recital at Hope College on Tuesday, March 29, at 7:30 p.m. in the Concert Hall of the Jack H. Miller Center for Musical Arts.
The public is invited. Admission is free.
For his first recital at Hope, Graham intends to introduce members of the audience to the role of the bass trombone as a crossover instrument between classical and jazz genres. The recital will feature pieces for the bass trombone in both solo and chamber settings, including “Sonata for Bass Trombone and Piano,” by David Gillingham; “Worlds Beyond,” by Daniel Schnyder; “Sonata for Bass Trombone and Piano,” by Alec Wilder; and “Capriccio,” by Frank Gulino.
Graham is the instructor of low brass at Hope. Currently serving as bass trombonist of the Holland Symphony Orchestra, he has also performed with the Midland and West Michigan Symphonies. An active freelance musician across the state, Graham enjoys performing in many diverse styles including big band, jazz, church, and chamber music; from 2009 to 2012, he was a member of both the General Assembly Big Band and Holland Jazz Orchestra. As a bass trombonist of the MSU Jazz Trombones, Graham won the International Trombone Association’s Kai Winding Jazz Ensemble Competition in 2014. Prior to his appointment at Hope, he was a featured soloist with both the Michigan State University Wind Symphony and Hope College Wind Ensemble.
A strong advocate for music education, Graham has led low brass clinics on breathing, sound production and musical style at West Ottawa, Zeeland, Grand Haven, Coopersville, Godfrey-Lee, Cedar Springs, Onekama, Fennville, Grattan Academy, Wayland and Fowlerville schools.
Graham is currently a Doctoral Fellow at Michigan State University studying with Ava Ordman. He also earned the Master of Music degree in trombone performance at MSU, studying with Ordman and Curtis Olson. Under the tutelage of Dr. Mark Williams, Graham earned his Bachelor of Music degree in trombone performance from Grand Valley State University. Graham is also on faculty at GVSU, teaching low brass methods and trombone pedagogy.
Graham will be assisted by saxophonist Adam Briggs and pianist Hyekyung Lee.
The Jack H. Miller Center for Musical Arts is located at 221 Columbia Ave., between Ninth and 10th streets.