SHIFRIN IN RECITAL AT JANECEK MUSIC FESTIVAL
On November 18, 2010, Ken Shifrin, formerly Principal Trombone of England’s City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, presented a recital at the prestigious Janacek International Music Festival in the Monastery of Stare Brno in the Czech Republic. With the assistance of Jana Wallingerova (mezzo-soprano soloist with the Janacek Opera) and Robert Challinor (piano), the program included the “St Thomas Sonata for Trombone”, Caldara’s “Domine Deus”, Leopold Mozart’s “Agnus Dei” and Ziani’s “Alma Redemptoris Mater.” Guests Mike Hall, Professor of Trombone at Old Dominion University , and Martin Chmelar of the Czech Academy of Music joined Ken to give the Czech premiere of the Allegro from the Hanisch “Concerto for Three Horns”, performed by alto trombone trio. Dr. Shifrin, a PhD in musicology, also delivered a lecture based on the post-doctoral research
he carried out for Oxford University on Janacek’s musical education and the historical development of music in the Moravian capital.

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

THE GOLDEN AGE OF THE SOLO BAROQUE TROMBONE
From September 23-30, Ken Shifrin and Mike Hall took their presentation, “The Golden Age of the Solo Baroque Trombone in Vienna and Prague”, to New Mexico State University, the University of New Mexico and the University of Texas (El Paso). Their repertoire featured compositions from the Baroque Era, including double alto trombone works by Leopold Mozart and J. Michael Haydn. Shifrin also performed the Wagenseil Concerto. At Las Cruces they were ably assisted by students of Trombone Professor Allan Kaplan, and at El Paso by Trombone Professor Steve Wilson in original baroque trombone works of Speer, Marini and Monteverdi. As guests of Karl Hinterbichler at the University of New Mexico, Shifrin & Hall also conducted the outstanding combined trombone choirs of Tonya Ackely (the Frawgbones) and Neil Weinberg (Ambush Brass) in the Boyce Alleluia, Handel Pater Noster and Hassler Three Madrigals, among other works. Master classes consisted of lectures on Baroque Performance Practice in which the duo team-taught and demonstrated baroque ornamentation. Dr. Shifrin also spoke about his post-doctoral research undertaken for Oxford University in the archives of Austria, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia, and played extracts from solo works for the baroque trombone which he uncovered.

At El Paso, Shifrin, the former Principal Trombone under Sir Simon Rattle of England’s City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, gave a master class on orchestral repertoire in which he coached Professor Wilson’s well-prepared students and discussed the various and sometimes conflicting demands by leading conductors under whom he has played.

Also in September, Dr. Shifrin was a guest of Trombone Professor Joel Pugh and Head of Brass/Trumpet Professor Ronnie Ingle at the University of North Dakota, where he gave a master class on solo and orchestral repertoire, and performed in recital, highlights of which were the first performance of Alme Ingrate by Emperor Joseph I, transcribed for alto trombone and piccolo trumpet (superbly played by Ronnie Ingle), M. Haydn’s Concertino with Joel Pugh, and in ensemble with Dr. Pugh and his outstanding students and Professor of Theory, Dr. Christopher Gamble. Shifrin concluded the program with “Brother Can You Spare a Dime?” and Leadbelly Leadbetter’s “Why Do You Do Me Like You Do?” on tenor trombone and vocals, and his theatre piece rendition of Elegy for Mippy II-Thousand.

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

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.

Ken Shifrin in Bratislava and Prague

Recently, Ken Shifrin was a guest of the Slovakian Academy of Music in Bratislava and the Prague Conservatoire of Music. Included on the Bratislava recital was J.M. Haydn's "Concertino" performed on two alto trombones, in which he was joined by his esteemed colleague, Mike Hall of Old Dominion University; and Daniel Speer's "Sonata", ably assisted by Slovakian Philharmonic trombonist Brano Belorid.

Drawing on his research for Oxford University and the Czech Academy of Science, Dr. Shifrin lectured on the historical background of the solo baroque trombone, focusing on the Wagenseil "Concerto" on which he then conducted a Master Class with students of Professor Albert Hrubovcak. The Master Class was organised by former Slovakian Philharmonic trombonist, Josef Gasparovic.

In Prague, Dr. Shifrin was joined by Pavel Cermak, the renowned Principal Trombonist of the Czech Radio Symphony, where in the elegant recital hall of the Palfy Palace they peformed on alto trombones Leopold Mozart's "La Caccia", Michael Haydn's "Concertino", and F.J. Haydn's "Concerto in Eb". Shifrin also gave a seminar on his recent discoveries of solo baroque trombone repertoire that he has uncovered in the archives of Vienna, Prague, and Brno. The event was organised by Conservatoire Trombone Professors Josef Simek and Vaclav Ferebauer and was attended by trombone students from throughout the Czech Republic. Mr. Cermak will once again join Ken Shifrin with his ensemble Posaune Voce Trio for a series of concerts in upper Bohemia this spring. For further details please contact Nigel Pennington at kvalita@aol.com.