Faculty

Euphonium

Blake birmingham

Blake Birmingham is an American euphoniumist, Composer, and Educator. He attended and graduated with a degree in Euphonium Performance from the University of North Texas where he studied under Dr. Brian Bowam, and had additional studies with Patrick Nyren. Whilehe was at North Texas, Blake performed with the North Texas Wind Symphony, North Texas Symphony Orchestra, and the North Texas Symphonic Band. Blake has also had a wide variety of success and experience in competitions. Most notably, Blake was awarded 1st prize in the 2018 Leonard Falcone International Euphonium Artist Competition.

Blake performs regularly as a member of the Lone Star Wind Orchestra, as a featured guest soloist, and as a teacher/clinician. A few highlights include guest artist appearances at Stephen F. Austin St. University, Missouri St. University, The Litha Symphony Orchestra, OkMEA, Musical for All National Concert Band Festival, and the United States Army Band Tuba-Euphonium Workshop. He currently serves as Adjunct Professor of Low Brass at East Central University in Ada Oklahoma, and is finishing a Masters Degree in Euphonium Performance as a Graduate Teaching Fellow under the mentorship of world renown euphonium virtuoso, David Childs. Blake currently resides in the Dallas Fort/Worth metroplex, where he is in high demand as a guest artist and teacher.

Blake is the director of the North Texas Low Brass Camp, and is proud to be a Besson Artist, as well as a Brass.Lab MOMO Artist. Blake plays on the Besson Prestige 2052 euphonium, and MP-M2 MOMO mouthpiece.

Dr. danny chapa

Dr. Danny Chapa is a Willson performing artist and has recently been appointed a Professor of Euphonium and Tuba position at Tyler Junior College. Dr. Chapa maintains an active solo performance and lecture schedule through several appearances at various universities and conferences for the International Tuba-Euphonium Association. He is also the euphonium section manager of the Lone Star Wind Orchestra, principal trombonist of the McKinney Philharmonic Orchestra, and a member of the North Texas Euphonium Quartet.

Dr. Chapa has been featured as a guest artist at Baylor University, Oklahoma State University, University of Nebraska at Kearney, Sam Houston State University, Eastman School of Music, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Illinois Wesleyan University, University of Northern Iowa, Texas Tech University, Texas State University, University of Texas San Antonio, University of Texas Rio Grand Valley, Henderson State University, University of Memphis, St. Mary’s University, Washington State University, Texas Music Educators Association Convention, Texas Bandmaster Association Convention, the International Tuba Euphonium Conference, the United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own” Tuba Euphonium Workshop, and the North East, Rocky Mountain, Great Plains, Midwest, South Central, and South East Regional Tuba Conferences. He was also runner-up for the United States Air Force Band audition and advanced to the final round of the Army “Pershing’s Own”, West Point, Navy and Naval Academy Band premier band auditions.

Several of his arrangements and compositions have been published by Atticus Sounds Publications and can be purchased through www.sheetmusicplus.com.

Donald Bruce

A native of Manchester New Hampshire, Donald Bruce began his musical studies in the 3rd grade with the violin, joining the elementary school band in the 5th grade on the alto saxophone. At the end of middle school Mr. Bruce joined the brass section on the trombone, before eventually finding the euphonium his junior year in high school. Mr. Bruce earned placement in the New Hampshire All-State band (2yrs), All New-England Band (2yrs), New Hampshire Youth Wind Symphony (2yrs), and performed with the University of New Hampshire Symphonic band as a senior in high school.

In 2003 Mr. Bruce moved to the DFW area to study at the University of North Texas with world renowned euphonium performer and pedagogue, Dr. Brian Bowman. He graduated with his bachelor’s degrees in music education and euphonium performance in 2009, a master’s degree in 2015 and expects to finish his doctorate in euphonium performance in Spring of 2021. Mr Bruce has performed with the UNT Green Brigade Marching Band, UNT Tuba-Euphonium Ensemble, UNT Concert Band, UNT Brass Band, UNT Symphonic band, and the University of North Texas Wind Symphony.

In 2009 Mr. Bruce accepted a position as a band director in Frisco ISD. Mr. Bruce served as an assistant director at Stafford and Griffin middle schools for one year before joining the staff at Fowler middle school from 2010-2013, and from 2020-present. Mr. Bruce’s concert and jazz bands have earned numerous accolades including UIL sweepstakes, band of the day, and placement at regional jazz festivals. In addition to teaching band in the public schools, Mr. Bruce has served as a teaching fellow at the University of North Texas where he taught the brass methods course sequence for four years and has served as the professor of euphonium at the University of Texas at Arlington since 2015. In addition to his college work, Mr. Bruce has maintained a large private studio and has taught low brass lessons at schools throughout the DFW area.

Mr. Bruce has performed as a euphonium soloist and section member throughout the United States and Europe. Currently Mr. Bruce performs with the Lone Star Wind Orchestra under the baton of Eugene Corporon and as a regular substitute with the Dallas Winds. Bruce has been a semi-finalist or finalist in the artist division at many of the most prestigious euphonium solo competitions in the world including, The Leonard Falcone Festival, The International Tuba-Euphonium Conference, The Potomac Festival, The Tubonium Regional ITEC, The Southwest Regional ITEC, and the University of North Texas Concerto Competition. Mr. Bruce has also been an invitee and finalist for several military band auditions including The United States Army Field Band and the United States Air Force Band.

Dr. jamie lipton

Dr. Jamie Lipton is the Associate Professor of Low Brass at Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. As a Willson performing artist, Dr. Lipton has performed throughout the United States and all over the world, most recently in João Pessoa, Brazil. She is a past winner of the ITEC Euphonium Artist and Falcone Euphonium Artist competitions, and now serves on the board of the Falcone Festival. Dr. Lipton has been on faculty at many of the leading American brass workshops and frequently appears as a clinician and adjudicator. Currently, she is a board member and principal euphonium of the Natural State Brass Band in Little Rock. She also performs with a chamber ensemble, Trio di Velluto, which performed at the 2019 ITEC and IWBC conferences and recently completed a tour of Michigan.

In her position at Henderson State University, Dr. Lipton teaches applied trombone, euphonium, and tuba. Many of her alumni are now successful music educators throughout Texas and Arkansas. Under her direction, the HSU Tuba Choir has performed at several tuba/euphonium conferences, and the HSU Brass Band (Arkansas’ only collegiate brass band) tours twice a year. Dr. Lipton is the faculty advisor to HSU’s chapters of Sigma Alpha Iota and Tau Beta Sigma, and she is an honorary member of both organizations as well as Kappa Kappa Psi.

Dr. Lipton holds music education and euphonium performance degrees from Northwestern University and the University of North Texas, and her major influences include Rex Martin, Dr. Brian Bowman, and the late Dr. Vern Kagarice. In her free time, she enjoys travel, studying Spanish and Portuguese, watching soccer, playing with her three dogs, and attempting to be entertaining on social media.

TROMBONE

ESTON BELL

Eston Bell is a North Texas based trombonist and low brass instructor. Eston completed his undergraduate education in Trombone Performance with Karen Ballard at Washburn University, and received his Masters of Music degree from the University of North Texas, while studying with Jan Kagarice and Tony Baker. His devotion to music has propelled him to pursue a DMA in Trombone Performance at the University of North Texas under Steve Menard. As a Doctoral candidate and former Teaching Fellow at the University of North Texas in the College of Music, Eston’s obligations as a Teaching Fellow included, directing trombone choir, teaching undergraduate students, directing and coaching chamber music. In October 2018, Eston was featured as a guest soloist, with the University of North Texas Trombone Consortium.

In addition to his work at the University of North Texas, Eston’s had the privilege to freelance within the Dallas/Fort Worth area, and perform as a substitute trombonist with a few regional orchestras such as: Irving Symphony, San Angelo Symphony, Odysseus Symphony, Sherman Symphony and Lonestar Wind Orchestra.

Having been blessed with a few opportunities. You can hear Mr. Bell’s most memorable performance with the Dallas Chamber Choir in “Mozart Requiem: Remembering Matthew Shepard 20 years later” album recorded in 2018.
Teaching the next generation of trombonists is what Eston enjoys most. Currently, teaching trombone within McKinney ISD at Cockrill Middle School, Scott Johnson Middle School, McKinney North High School, Dowell Middle school alongside McKinney Boyd High School. Mr. Bell enjoys spending time with his wife and two boys, alongside his feisty italian greyhound.

DR. JOYCE HSU

Dr. Joyce Hsu is an in-demand trombonist, clinician, and teacher. She holds a Doctor of Musical Arts from Texas Tech University, a master’s degree in Trombone Performance and Pedagogy from Oklahoma State University. A native of Taiwan, she also holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the oldest and most prestigious art college in her country, National Taiwan University of Arts. While in living in El Paso, Texas she had the pleasure of performing with the Rio Bravo Trombone Quartet, El Paso Jazz Collective, salsa group, Azúcar, and the El Paso Winds. She has also been a member of award-winning Oklahoma State Trombone Octet. As an educator Dr. Hsu has served as the Director of Trombone Ensembles at the University of Texas at El Paso, where she coached the UTEP Trombone choir. Under her tenure the group was invited to perform at the 2019 Big 12 Trombone Conference, in Lubbock, TX. She served as an adjudicator for low brass juries at New Mexico State University and Assistant Director of the El Paso Youth Jazz Ensemble. As of Fall 2019, Dr. Hsu and her husband have relocated to the Dallas-Fort Worth area, where she is currently a freelance trombonist and teacher. Her students often range from elementary school through University, where she maintains competitive piano and trombone studios. Dr. Hsu’s students are consistently ranked among the most proficient of their peers; they are performance scholarship recipients and are active participants in TMEA All-Region bands and State Solo and Ensemble Contests.

LAUREN CASEY-CLYDE

Lauren Casey-Clyde is an international performer and music educator residing in Austin, TX. She maintains an active performance career on both trombone and euphonium, that has brought her across the globe. She has had the opportunity to perform with such as The Boston Symphony Orchestra, with conductors Andris Nelsons and Bernard Haitink. Lauren has also been recognized at regional, national and international Solo Competitions. Most recently, she placed third in the Susan Slaughter Solo Competition at the 2019 International Women’s Brass Conference. She was a finalist in the Artist Euphonium Competition of the 2018 Midwest Regional ITEA Conference in Fort Wayne, and was the Winner of the Young Artists Euphonium Competition at the 2015 Northeast Regional ITEA Conference in Ithaca, NY. She has made solo appearances with the New England Brass Band, the Saratoga High School Wind Ensemble, and the Boston University Wind Ensemble and has performed as a member of the New England Brass Band, Brookline Symphony Orchestra, the Fulham Brass Band, Gardner Street Brass Quintet, and Bone Trom.

Lauren is passionate about dedicating her time to teaching music to students of all ages and skill levels. She currently teaches a private studio of trombone and euphonium students , ranging from middle school students to college students in Lake Travis ISD, Round Rock ISD, and Austin ISD. She also holds students and serves as a regular brass clinician to multiple schools in the San Francisco Bay Area. She has consistently maintained a private studio of students who have made it into TMEA Region Bands, CBDA All-State Bands and summer festivals such as the Boston University Tanglewood Institute.

In the marching arts, Lauren is a brass instructor for the seven-time DCI World Class Champion, Santa Clara Vanguard Drum & Bugle Corps. She is a proud alumnus of Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps, where she marched as a lead baritone, was a featured soloist, and earned an individual accolade for being an outstanding member. In 2019, she served on the brass educational staff for the five-time DCI Open Class Champion, the Blue Devils B Drum Corps in Concord, CA. At the high school level, she is currently on staff with the 2019 BOA Grand National Champion, Vandegrift Viper High School Marching Band.

DR. CHRIS SHARPE

Dr. Christopher Sharpe is currently serving as Adjunct Instructor of Trombone at the University of Central Arkansas. He holds DMA and MM degrees in Trombone Performance from the University of North Texas as well as a BM in Trombone Performance and Music Education from the University of Tennessee. Dr. Sharpe’s performance experience includes performances with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and Dallas Opera Orchestra, three years with the GRAMMY-nominated One O’Clock Lab Band, and performances with solo artists such as Bobby McFerrin, Doc Severinsen, Wycliffe Gordon, and James Morrison. He can be heard on recordings with the One O’Clock Lab Band, the Keith Karns Big Band, the Toshi Clinch Big Band, and Natalie Mannix. Dr. Sharpe is the founder of C. Sharpe Editions, a sheet music publishing company specializing in music for solo trombone and trombone ensembles, and he is an avid composer and arranger under the name Chris M. Sharpe. He is also the author of Bass Trombone Double Valve Technique, a method book for bass trombonists looking to develop advanced technique with both valves, available at www.CSharpeEditions.com. For more information on Dr. Sharpe, visit his website at www.chrismsharpe.com.

TUBA

DR. AUSTIN CRUMRINE

A native of Lake Jackson, TX, Austin Crumrine is a tubist, upright bassist, and electric bassist currently based in the Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex. In his young career, Austin has enjoyed a broad range of diverse musical opportunities. He received a BM in tuba performance from the University of North Texas (UNT) where he studied with Don Little. In the summer after his freshman year, Austin was accepted into the Le Domaine Forget two-week brass academy where he studied under world-renowned tuba soloist Øystein Baadsvik in Quebec, Canada. In the summer of 2015, Austin was accepted into the Disneyland All-American College Band in Anaheim, CA as one of two tuba players and the sole jazz bass player. He performed around the park on sousaphone, electric bass, and upright bass. Austin was a member of the North Texas Wind Symphony and performed with the group at the 2015 Midwest Clinic in Chicago, IL. While at UNT, Austin was heavily involved with the Jazz Studies program on both bass and tuba. He performed multiple concerts on tuba with the UNT One O’Clock Lab Band. In addition to collegiate performances, Austin was busy with many musical projects across the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex of various genres including classical, jazz, Neo-Soul, rock, contemporary worship, and more.

Following his studies at UNT, Austin began a MM in tuba performance from Baylor University studying under Dr. Kent Eshelman. While at Baylor, Austin served as the Teaching Assistant for the Wayne Fisher Jazz Program at Baylor University under Alex Parker. His responsibilities included assistant conducting the Baylor Concert Jazz Ensemble, coaching jazz combos, teaching jazz improv lessons, and more. He established both a weekly Jazz Jam Session and a weekly Jazz Listening Session to foster musical growth in the jazz program. Austin served as jazz bassist for the Baylor Jazz Ensemble and toured with the group in Athens, Greece in the summer of 2017. During his time at Baylor, he was principal tubist for both the Baylor Wind Ensemble and Baylor Symphony Orchestra. After his graduation from Baylor, Austin served as the principal tubist for the Hot Springs Music Festival Orchestra (AR) for their 2018 summer season.

In May of 2020, Austin earned a DMA in tuba performance at The Ohio State University (OSU) where he served as Graduate Associate for the tuba/euphonium studio. His duties included teaching tuba and euphonium lessons to undergraduates of all levels, assistant conducting the OSU Tuba/Euphonium Ensemble, and more. Austin won 3rd prize in the International Tuba Euphonium Rich Matteson Jazz Competition (tuba division) at the 2019 International Tuba Euphonium Conference in Iowa City, IA. In January of 2020, Austin was the featured soloist for a concert titled “Covering All Basses” with the Brazosport Symphony Orchestra in Lake Jackson, TX. He performed on tuba, upright bass, electric bass, and voice. Austin frequently travels to perform recitals and give masterclasses at universities across the country. Austin’s primary teachers are James Akins, Dr. Kent Eshelman, and Don Little. Austin is an active member of the International Tuba Euphonium Association.

JUNG MOO LEE

Jung Moo Lee has achieved a Bachelor of Music in Tuba Performance from Kei-Myung University in South Korea, a Master of Music in Tuba Performance from the University of North Texas, a Master of Music in Instrumental Conducting from Southern Methodist University and a Doctor of Musical Art (ABD) in Tuba Performance from the University of North Texas.
Jung Moo Lee is an active freelance tuba player, low brass instructor, and conductor. As a teacher, he maintains a studio of over 85 students in Prosper, and Coppell ISD. His students are selected consistently and placed at the top of their all-State and region band auditions and have received superior ratings at solo and ensemble festivals. He has presented master classes and summer camps with college and high school students in Seoul, Daegu, Daejeon, Jeju in South Korea, and DFW metroplex. As a teaching fellow at UNT, he taught private lessons at the undergraduate and graduate level as well as coaching brass quintets. As a teaching assistant at UNT, the taught undergraduate conducting class.
Jung Moo is the tuba player of the Center Stage Brass (www.centerstagebrass.com) and Sounding Brass (www.texasdixielandband.com). He has performed with Daegu Symphony Orchestra, Daegu wind Orchestra, Dallas Pops, North Texas Wind Symphony, North Texas Symphony Orchestra, and Meadows Wind Ensemble. He was 3rd place winner of Pusan MBC Music Competition and finalist of UNT Concerto Competition. He also played as a tuba player with large and small ensembles at international music conferences and festivals, such as PASIC, ITEC, TMEA, WASBE, and Crested Butte Music Festival. Jung Moo Lee can be heard in Klavier Wind Project, Mark Records, and Crystal Records on works with the North Texas Wind Symphony and Symphony Orchestra. Also, he recorded the solo for the Korean Movie, “Homicide Sonata (2011).”
He studied the tuba with Don Little (UNT), Matt Good (Dallas Symphony Orchestra), Dr. Brian Bowman (UNT), and he studied conducting with Dr. Jack Delaney (SMU), Eugene Migliaro Corporon (UNT), and Dennis Fisher (UNT).