Remington Trombone Choir

Zachary Bond
Jimmy Clark
Bobby N. Clifton II "Bo"
Ryan Johnstone
John Sheridan
Weston Sprott
Scott Stratton
David Rumbaugh

Zachary Bond from Coppell, Texas, is a recent graduate from Philadelphia’s prestigious Curtis Institute of Music. The 22-year-old trombonist was awarded a Bachelor of Music degree. Zachary, who entered Curtis in 1998, studied with Blair Bollinger, bass trombone of the Philadelphia Orchestra. He was the recipient of a merit-based full-tuition scholarship and held the Institute’s Friends of Curtis Fellowship. Zack has appeared with the New Jersey Symphony, Haddonfield Symphony, Reading Symphony, Harrisburg Symphony, Pennsylvania Ballet and the Opera Company of Philadelphia orchestras. He also was a member of the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra, Verbier Academy, National Repertory Orchestra and Bar Harbor Brass Festival. As a soloist, Zachary has performed with the Metropolitan Wind Symphony and the Reading Symphony Orchestra. In 1998 he was a member of the Curtis Symphony Orchestra on its tour of Europe with André Previn, conductor and Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin, performing Brahms fourth symphony and the Penderecki violin concerto. Zachary is also a finalist in the Donald Yaxley Solo Bass Trombone Competition. He will pursue his master degree at Yale University, as a student of Scott Hartman, in the fall of 2003.

Jimmy Clark is the associate professor of trombone and the Instrumental Division Chairman at Texas A&M University-Commerce.

Mr. Clark is a native of Commerce, Texas. He received his undergraduate degree at the University of North Texas where he was a member of the One O’clock Lab Band on bass trombone and tuba. He did graduate work at Yale University and received his master’s degree from East Texas State University (Texas A&M-Commerce). His teachers have been his father, Neill Humfeld, John Swallow, Royce Lumpkin, John Kitzman, Ed Jones and Vern Kagarice.

In addition to his teaching responsibilities at Texas A&M-Commerce, Mr. Clark has an active performance schedule. He is the principal trombone of the Dallas Opera Orchestra and the Dallas Wind Symphony. He has also performed with the New York City Ballet Orchestra, Santa Fe Opera, Dallas Symphony, Fort Worth Symphony, and the San Antonio Symphony. He has played with the big bands of Claude Gordon, Les Elgart, and Warren Covington. He was selected as a member of the University Of North Texas One O’clock All Star Alumni Band. He has also taught at the University of North Texas. Mr. Clark is also active as a euphonium specialist. He has performed euphonium with the Dallas Symphony, Dallas Opera, Dallas Wind Symphony and various other groups.

Mr. Clark is active in the International Trombone Association as the Advertising Manager of the International Trombone Journal. He is also a clinician for Edwards Trombones.

His wife Lou Ann, is the high school librarian in Sulphur Springs, Texas and their son Chris, is a member of the trombone section of the President’s Own United States Marine Band in Washington, DC.

Bobby N. Clifton II "Bo" graduated from Rains High School, in Emory, Texas in 1998. He completed his undergraduate degree in trombone performance at Texas A&M University-Commerce where he studied with Jimmy Clark. While in school at TAMU-C he performed with the university wind ensemble, jazz ensemble, trombone choir, and the North East Texas Symphony Orchestra. He also served as President of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia music fraternity. He is currently working on a Master of Music Performance degree from the University of North Texas, where he studies with Vern Kagarice.

A native Texan, Ryan Johnstone will soon be entering the first year of a two year Master's Degree program at Yale University.  Johnstone received his Bachelor of Music Performance degree this past May from the Curtis Institute of Music where he was a student of Nitzan Haroz, Principal Trombone of the Philadelphia Orchestra.  His other principal teachers include Jimmy Clark (Principal Trombone, Dallas Opera) and John Kitzman (Principal Trombone, Dallas Symphony).  Johnstone will be studying with Scott Hartman at Yale.

Johnstone began playing trombone at age 12; however, he did not begin studying the trombone privately until he was a junior in high school when he enlisted the help of Jimmy Clark, professor of trombone at Texas A&M-Commerce and now Principal Trombone of the Dallas Opera Orchestra.  Johnstone received numerous honors and awards in music while growing up in a small town of less than 1200.  His most notable public school music honors include being named to the Texas All-State Symphony Orchestra and winning the Outstanding Trombone Soloist for Texas, one of the states' most distinguished and high music honors.  He was also a member of the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra and was a third prize winner of that orchestra's concerto competition in 1997.

Following graduation from high school, Johnstone attended Southern Methodist University on a Meadows Foundation Artistic Scholarship.  There he studied with John Kitzman.  While student at SMU, Johnstone performed with the Dallas Symphony in the Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas, Texas and in Carnegie Hall.  He has also played with the Dallas Wind Symphony.  He is currently second trombone with the Haddonfield Symphony and is a trombonist with the Axiom Brass Quintet. Through the years Johnstone has had the privilege of working with many well-known conductors.  Wolfgang Sawallisch, Andrew Litton, Sir Andre Previn, Mstislav Rostopovich, Sir Simon Rattle, Roberto Spano, Otto-Werner Mueller, David Zinman, Hans Vonk, and Christoph Eschenbach are a just a few.

Roberto Mendoza was born in Brownsville, Texas and attended James Pace High School where he graduated in 2000. Mr. Mendoza was a member of the Texas All-State Symphonic Band as well as principal trombonist of the South Texas Youth Symphony his senior year. Currently, he is a undergraduate at Texas A&M University-Commerce where he is a student of Jim Clark. Roberto is a recipient of the Neill Humfeld Scholarship for outstanding trombone performance for 2001-2002 and for 2002-2003. Mr. Mendoza has also served as principal trombonist in the Texas A&M University-Commerce Wind Ensemble.

John Sheridan is a freelance bass trombonist and private trombone instructor in the Dallas area. A native of New Braunfels, TX, Mr. Sheridan earned a B.S. in Music Education from Texas A&M University at Commerce and a M.M. degree from Temple University’s Esther Boyer College of Music. His major teachers include the late Neill Humfeld, Jim Clark, and Blair Bollinger. Mr. Sheridan has performed in a variety of ensembles including the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Dallas Wind Symphony, the American Wind Symphony, and Walt Disney World’s "All-American College Band."

A native of Houston, TX, Weston Sprott is a current student of Nitzan Haroz at The Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. Before attending Curtis, he was a student of Carl Lenthe at Indiana University for two years. Weston has been a member of the Hot Springs Music Festival (2001 and 2002), the American Wind Symphony Orchestra (Principal Trombone on 2001 Tour), Spoleto Festival USA (2003), and the Tanglewood Music Center (2003). Weston is also a member of the Sphinx Symphony Orchestra in Detroit, MI and is a substitute member of the Philadelphia Orchestra. In his spare time, Weston enjoys running, lifting weights, watching/playing basketball, spending time with his family and playing in the church band.

Scott Stratton is a Dallas-based freelance trombonist and adjunct professor at Texas Christian University.  He formerly served on the faculties of the State University of New York at Geneseo and the Eastman School of Music's Community Education Division.  He is currently Principal Trombone with the Garland and Las Colinas Symphonies and has performed as a substitute with the Dallas Symphony, Fort Worth Symphony, Binghamton Philharmonic, Rochester Philharmonic, Syracuse Symphony, and others. Dr. Stratton is a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory and received the Master of Music, Performer's Certificate and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees from the Eastman School of Music.  His teachers include John Marcellus, Raymond Premru, Mark Kellogg, George Osborn, and John Kitzman.

"A native Texan, David Rumbaugh is in his fourth year at The Curtis Institute of Music. Rumbaugh's principal teachers include Jon James, John Kitzman, Principal Trombone of the Dallas Symphony, and Nitzan Haroz, Principal Trombone of the Philadelphia Orchestra.

When not at school, he resides in Carrollton, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. There he attended R.L.Turner High School and was named to the All-State Symphony Orchestra three times. His last year he was ranked First Chair in the state. In high school, David was also a member of the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra, serving as Principal his junior and senior years. While David plans to focus his studies on orchestral playing, he also enjoys playing jazz."

Concert Program in ITF 2003 Festival:

Ricercar (1979)……….…………………………………….…………….…Irv Wagner
Canzon Septimi Toni No. 2…………………………..…Giovanni Gabrieli (1553-1612) (Arr. H. Lloyd Leno)
Passagalia in c minor…………………………………………….J.S.Bach (1685-1750) (Arr. Donald Hunsberger)
How Lovely is Thy Dwelling Place…………..………..…Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) (Trans. Elwood Williams)
Trombone Octet (1994)……………………………………….Gordon Jacob(1895-1984)
    I. Allegro
    II. Andante sostenuto
    III. Allegro
Evening Prayer from Hansel & Gretel……………..Engelbert Humperdinck (1854-1921) (Arr. Douglas Cartwright)
Special (1970)…………………………………………………Pierre Gabaye (1930-2000) (Jimmy Clark- Soloist Arr. Paul Hunt)
Grand Canyon Octet (1997)…………………………………………Eric Ewazen (1954)
    III. Lento-Allegro Molto