Congratulations to our top three prize winners!

Bronze Medalist: David Fletcher ($100 prize)
Silver Medalist: Maximillian McNutt ($250 prize)
Gold Medalist: Grant Jameson ($500 prize, solo engagement with BBC)

Learn more about our Adjudicators: Tom Battenberg, Jon Waters, Tom Zugger

The 2009 Competitors:

Front L-R: Jing, Jameson, Gerhart, McNutt.
Rear L-R: Slater, Fletcher, Zelnik, Tour, Poulton.

L-R: Battenberg, Zugger, McNutt, Jameson, Fletcher, Waters

See The Programme for additional details.

Following are the solos performed by each competitor
Mirror Lake...................................................... Edward Montgomery
Phillip Slater, euphonium
Junior, Gahanna Lincoln High School; Jeff Shellhammer, Director

Sonata 1 in F Major............................................. Benedetto Marcello
Max Gerhart, tuba
Junior, Centennial High School; Jeff Groff, Director

En Forět....................................................................... Eugène Bozza
Joy Jing, horn
Senior, Worthington Kilbourne High School; Don Nathan, Director

Concerto for Trombone and Piano, Mvt. 1................. Launy Grondahl
David Fletcher, trombone
Senior, Grandview Heights High School; Kie Watkins, Director

Aria Con Variazioni......................................................... G. F. Handel
Matthew Zelnik, Trumpet
Junior, Dublin Coffman High School; Jeremy Bradstreet, Director

Concerto for Trumpet, Mvt. 2, Mvt. 1.................. Franz Joseph Haydn
Maximillian McNutt, trumpet
Freshman, New Albany High School; Darren Falk, Director

Concerto in One Movement................................ Alexander Lebedev
Kenneth Tour, Tuba
Senior, Dublin Coffman High School; Jeremy Bradstreet, Director

Aria Con Variazioni................................................... G. F. Handel
Cory Poulton, trumpet
Junior, Whetstone High School; Rick Burkart, Director

Fantasia for Euphonium and Band.......................... Gordon Jacob
Grant Jameson, euphonium
Freshman, Dublin Coffman High School; Jeremy Bradstreet, Director

Thomas Battenberg

Tom Battenberg is a true cross-over artist. He is well-known in Columbus as the consummate musician - classical trumpeter, jazz artist, conductor, and arranger. He came to study at Ohio State on a piano scholarship and to pursue a degree in music education. Once here, he switched to trumpet and played in the OSU Marching and Concert Bands, Symphony Orchestra, Brass Choir, and Jazz Forum. By his senior year he was playing in the Columbus Symphony.

Following graduation from OSU, Battenberg moved to Arizona State University where he earned his Master of Music degree. He performed with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra for one season, then returned to Columbus in 1966 to begin a twenty-six year career as a professor in the OSU School of Music. While on the faculty he taught trumpet, performed with the Faculty Brass Quintet, directed the award-winning OSU Jazz Ensemble, and served as Assistant Director of the School of Music. He also founded the Faculty Jazz Sextet and the popular High Street Stompers Dixieland Band.

Battenberg retired from OSU in 1992 and continues to play with the Columbus Symphony, the ProMusica Chamber Orchestra, and the High Street Stompers. He remains active as a soloist and chamber musician in church, classical, and jazz ensembles.

Jon Waters

Jonathan N. Waters serves as the Assistant Director of The Ohio State University Marching and Athletic Bands, a position he has held for seven years. He received his Bachelor of Music Education degree from OSU in 1999, and was a member of the Marching Band for five seasons. While serving as Graduate Assistant Director for the Marching Band, he earned two Masters degrees, one in Music Education and the other in Wind Band Conducting, graduating in 2001.

Waters' duties include writing shows, rehearsing, and conducting the Marching Band and Athletic Bands. Within the School of Music, Waters also teaches undergraduate beginning and secondary instrumental conducting, brass methods, and marching band techniques. Additionally, Waters is the Assistant Director of the OSU Alumni Marching Band. He has also served as clinician and guest conductor for numerous middle school, high school, and college bands in Ohio and throughout the nation, including the Macy's Great American Marching Band in New York City.

Dr. Thomas Zugger

Dr. Thomas W. Zugger is currently the Associate Professor of Trombone and Euphonium at Capital University. He also taught at Adrian (MI) College and in the Walled Lake Michigan public schools. Zugger holds degrees from the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Trombone Performance from Ohio State.

Zugger performs extensively on trombone and euphonium. He is the principal trombone in the Newark/Granville Symphony and appears with the Columbus Symphony, ProMusica Chamber Orchestra, and the Richmond (IN) Symphony. He has played with the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra and in orchestras for national tours of named artists including Aretha Franklin, The Moody Blues, and Barry Manilow.

As a clinician Zugger has appeared at The Midwest Clinic and many state conferences. He is a published composer, a member of ASCAP, and is listed in several "Who's Who" publications. Zugger frequently contributes literature reviews to the International Trombone Association Journal. He is an avid marathoner having completed twenty-seven marathons and two ultra marathons to date. He is now running for the American Cancer Society team.

Thanks to Rettig Music (Tim Rettig), Northwest Christian Church (Rev. Jeff Wheeler, Rev. Cindy Adcock, Minister of Music Al Adcock) and the members of the BBC for financial support.

February 5, 2009

The Educational Outreach Committee for the Brass Band of Columbus is pleased to announce the Second Annual Young Artist Competition on February 15, 2009. The Competition will be held at 3:00pm at Northwest Christian Church (1340 Fishinger Rd. Columbus, OH).

Competition applicants in grades 9-12 must prepare a Brass Solo in Class A from the OMEA required list and be a member-in-good-standing of their high school band program. The competition is in recital format and applicants must provide their own piano accompanist.

Three adjudicators will evaluate the performers on tone and intonation, technical merit and musicality and interpretation. Cash prizes ($500, $250, $100) will be awarded to the top three contestants.  The winner will also be invited to perform with the BBC at a concert in the spring.

The Young Artist Competition is designed to parallel the timing of the OMEA Solo and Ensemble Event and preparations for college auditions.  Applicants must submit the application and entry fee by the adjusted deadline of February 7, 2009.

Sincerely,                          

Stephanie K. Smith                                    Tim Jameson
Chairperson                                                Director
Brass Band of Columbus                         Brass Band of Columbus
Educational Outreach Committee