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Shifrin Tours USA
Ken Shifrin’s recent tour of the USA during February and March included performances of the unique combination of two solo alto trombones. Shifrin, former Principal Trombonist in Sir Simon Rattle's City of Birmingham Symphony in England and currently leader of Posaune Voce Trio, and Mike Hall (Professor of Trombone at Old Dominion University) performed the difficult double concertos originally for horns by Franz Joseph Haydn and Leopold Mozart, and Michael Haydn’s “Concertino”, accompanied by the Diehn String Quintet, in Norfolk and Richmond. Ken also performed these works with Mark Britt of Furman University and Chris Nigrelli of Lenoir Rhyne University, as well as with Professor Dan Cherry as part of the “University of Western Carolina’s Low Brass Days”. Bass Trombonist George Curran of the Atlanta Symphony joined Ken and Dan on Sonata by Daniel Speer and on a beautiful rendition of “Danny Boy” arranged by Ken’s accompanist, Robert Challinor, for three trombones and piano. During a four day residence in Gainesville for the University of Florida’s Low Brass Symposium, organized by distinguished trombone professor Art Jennings, Dr. Shifrin, who holds a Ph.D. in Musicology from Oxford University, taught a master class on baroque performance practice and ornamentation, lectured musicology students on his post-doctoral research carried out for the Czech Academy of Science in Prague as a British Exchange Scholar, “The Role of Women in Bohemian Baroque”, as well as performed a “Baroque & Boogie Concert” with Challinor. They presented this program at several venues, including Gardner Webb University, where they were joined by trombone professor Aaron Misenheimer. In addition, Shifrin and Challinor also gave workshops on “How to Get the Best out of Your Accompanist – and Vice- Versa” during the tour, which culminated with a recital performance of Michael Haydn’s “Concertino” with the Army Band’s Principal Trombonist Fred Gleason, accompanied by the USA Army chamber ensemble at the Eastern Trombone Workshop.

For further information on upcoming tours, please contact Nigel Pennington at Kvalita@aol.com.

About Ken Shifrin and Posaune Voce Trio:

Established in Oxford, England in 1994, Posaune Voce Trio comprises the unique and most interesting combination of soprano, keyboard and the virtuosic talents of the charismatic trombonist Ken Shifrin.
The name Posaune Voce derives from the German word for Trombone and the Italian for Voice, reflecting that the chief composers for this combination were German and Italian speakers. This instrumentation was very popular during the Baroque period at the Vienna Court as well as in Salzburg and Prague, particularly in sacred music, and the Trio breathes new life into the long-neglected, original works of the young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Leopold Mozart, Michael Haydn, Albrechtsberger, Tuma, Fux, Caldara and Ziani among others.
The Trio's repertoire is varied and wide-ranging -- from the Baroque to Broadway -- and makes full use of the possibilities inherent in the mellifluous blend of voice and trombone. A regular guest on both sides of the Atlantic, including appearances at the International Smetana Festival, the Bratislava and Dresden Summer Festivals, the prestigious Dvorak Festival as well as at leading venues in Vienna, Prague, Budapest, Krakow and Washington, DC, Posaune Voce Trio performs in a highly entertaining style, creating a real interaction with audiences which has become a hallmark of its programmes. In addition to concerts the Trio also presents masterclasses, lecture-recitals and pre-concert talks.
Whether arias from Handel's favourite oratorios or Gershwin's best loved melodies, this most exciting of ensembles never fails to impress.
Ken Shifrin , Alto & Tenor Trombone/Claire Angela Hollocks, Soprano/Rob Challinor, Piano & Cembalo