San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts

 

Texas Tech Brass Quintet

The Texas Tech University Faculty Brass Quintet has represented the School of Music at Texas Tech University for over 30 years. The ensemble presents regular recitals on the Tech campus and throughout Texas and the Southwest. The quintet's many outreach projects include performances at area high schools and middle schools as well as appearances at state and national conventions, most recently the Midwest Band and Orchestra Convention in Chicago, the Texas Music Educators Association and the American Choral Directors Association. Members of the Texas Tech University Brass Quintet are; Will Strieder and Joseph Vandiver, trumpets; Christopher M. Smith, horn; James Decker, trombone; and Kevin Wass, tuba.

Will Strieder, trumpet, is Associate Professor of Music at Texas Tech University. He studied at Northwestern University, where he received the Masters of Music degree in Trumpet Performance and was winner of the Northwestern Concerto Competition. He also studied at the University of Houston, where he received the Bachelor of Music in Music Education. He is principal trumpet of the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra, as well as second trumpet of the Houston Ballet Orchestra. Mr. Strieder performs at Texas Tech with the Faculty Brass Quintet, and also conducts the Trumpet Choir.

He is active as a soloist and chamber musician throughout the United States, Mexico, and Europe. Appearances have included those with such groups as the Houston Symphony, Houston Grand Opera, Santa Fe Pro Musica, Clear Lake Symphony, Texas Opera Theater, Society for the Performing Arts in Houston, and the Millar Brass Ensemble. He has recorded Incantations for Trumpet and Piano, Rhapsody for solo trumpet and harp, and Trio Italiano by Mary Jeanne van Appledorn with the Opus One recording label. Also, Mr. Strieder recorded Fisher Tull's Concerto for Trumpet with the Nurnberg Symphony Orchestra in Nurnberg, Germany on Albany Records. Mr. Strieder has also recently appeared twice as a soloist with UADY Chamber Orchestra of Merida, Mexico.

Christopher M. Smith, horn, is Associate Professor of Horn at Texas Tech University School of Music where his duties include teaching horn, brass pedagogy class, coordinating brass chamber music and performing in the Texas Tech Brass Quintet and the Mariah Winds. He earned a BM from Murray State University where he was awarded The Most Outstanding Senior Man in Music and holds an MM in Performance with Honors from the University of Michigan. At Michigan his primary teacher was Lowell Greer, the renowned artist and pedagogue. He also studied with Charles (Skip) Snead; Horn Professor at the University of Alabama, and hornist with The Trans-Atlantic Horn Quartet.

Mr. Smith has been a finalist and winner of many competitions throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. He is also an extensive recitalist, performing frequently not only at the University, but at other venues when his schedule permits. He has appeared as a soloist and a frequent guest artist at regional, and International workshops sponsored by the International Horn Society. He is currently Principal Horn of the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra, and has held Principal or Associate Principal Positions with the Barcelona Symphony, Sinfonia da Camera, Santa Fe Pro Musica, Owensboro Symphony, Evansville Philharmonic, Champaign-Urbana Symphony, Paducah Symphony, Jackson Symphony, Lansing Symphony, Saginaw Symphony Orchestras. Other orchestras with which he has been associated have been the Detroit Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony, Windsor Symphony, American Wind Symphony, and Roswell Symphony Orchestras.

James Decker, trombone, is Assistant Professor of Trombone at Texas Tech University, Principal Trombonist of the Britt Festival Orchestra, trombonist with the Texas Tech Brass Quintet, trombonist with the Lubbock Symphony and Music Director of the Texas Tech Trombone Choir. Prior to his appointment at Texas Tech, Mr. Decker was Principal Trombonist with the Honolulu Symphony, Lecturer of Trombone at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Director of the Manoa Trombones and Trombonist with the Honolulu Brass.

Mr. Decker has performed with many fine artists, including Seiji Ozawa, Leonard Bernstein, Yo-Yo Ma, Luciano Pavarotti, Sammy Davis Jr., The Temptations, Wycliffe Gordon, Diana Krall, Bill Watrous, Glen Campbell, Natalie Cole, Ray Charles, Kenny Loggins, Al Jarreau, Bill Watrous, Frankie Valli, Burt Bacharach, Don Ho, Jim Nabors, Andy Williams, Michael McDonald, Lou Rawls, and Christopher Cross. His performing ensemble credits include the Cascade Festival Orchestra, Colorado Music Festival Orchestra, Maui Symphony, Hawaii Opera Theater Orchestra, National Repertory Orchestra, Spoleto Festival Orchestra, Stamford Symphony, Greenwich Choral Society Orchestra, National Orchestra of New York, Eroica Brass, Cosmopolitan Brass, and the Grammercy Brass.

Mr. Decker is an active recitalist and clinician. He has performed and taught at many locations throughout the United States, including Boston University, University of Wisconsin, Arizona State University, University of New Mexico, University of Northern Iowa, Merkin Concert Hall and at Riverside Church in New York City. Mr. Decker studied at the Juilliard School, where he received both Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Performance. In addition, James has earned a Masters Degree in Music Education from Herbert H. Lehman College. Jim has studied with some of the finest wind and brass pedagogues, including Joseph Alessi, Steven Norrell, Vincent Penzarella, Jerome Callet, Keith Underwood, Arnold Jacobs, Edward Kleinhammer, Frank Crisafulli, John Swallow and Edward Erwin.

Kevin Wass, tuba, Assistant Professor of Tuba and Euphonium, holds the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Michigan, the Master of Music degree and Performer's Certificate from Indiana University, and the Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education from Dana College in Blair, Nebraska. He has performed with a wide range of ensembles, including the Disneyland All-American College Band, the Music Academy of the West Festival Orchestra, the Omaha, Lincoln and Honolulu Symphony Orchestras, and various brass chamber groups. Dr. Wass also has excelled in international tuba competitions, winning the Arnold Jacobs Mock Orchestral Audition at the International Tuba and Euphonium Conference in Canada, and advancing to the semifinal round of the Brno International Performer's Competition in the Czech Republic, the ITEC Solo Competition in Canada, and the Leonard Falcone International Tuba and Euphonium Competition. His teaching experience is equally varied, with experience as a band and orchestra director at the elementary and high school levels in addition to private studio and classroom teaching at the college level. In addition to his duties at Tech, Dr. Wass serves on the faculty of the Las Vegas Music Festival. His principal studies have been with Fritz Kaenzig, Daniel Perantoni, Harvey Phillips, and Craig Fuller.

Joseph Vandiver, trumpet, is a 1996 graduate of Canyon High School. He is a 2003 graduate of Texas Tech with a bachelor of music degree and master of music degree in 2005. He plays trumpet in Lubbock Symphony Orchestra. He teaches at Wayland Baptist University as an assistant director of instrumental music education. Mr. Vandiver is currently pursuing a DMA in Trumpet Performance from Texas Tech University.