The University of Northern Iowa School of Music offers a distinguished and comprehensive trumpet program. Each student is assured of the opportunity to work with an experienced teacher whose main responsibility is to guide the student in the fullest development of his/her abilities. All students who wish to enter the trumpet program at UNI must first perform an audition for one or more members of the faculty. It is strongly advised that students schedule auditions as early as possible in the school year prior to the semester in which they plan to enroll.Scholarship Audition dates for the 2009-2010 school year are as follows:
- Saturday, February 27, 2010
- Friday, March 5, 2010
I strongly urge you to be proactive by visiting the campus and applying early. Arrange a time with me so that I can listen to you play, and so that we can talk. Discuss the trumpet studio with students who go to school here, as well as with your private instructor and/or band director.
Please note that there are three steps to the application process: 1) Apply to the University, 2) Apply to the School of Music, and 3) Complete the Financial Aid application, which will put you into the system and automatically search for scholarships. You can find the links on the School of Music page at: http://www.uni.edu/music/ Follow the links from Prospective/undergraduate to Admissions. Applying early can put you in line for university academic scholarships that may not be available later in the year. Some people also don’t realize that, in addition to the actual application, you also need to audition for acceptance into the School of Music. That information is also available on the website, but feel free to contact me with any questions you might have.
Graduate students must audition (and have completed all necessary paperwork) by February 1st in order to receive full consideration for assistantship and stipend awards.
For more information, contact:
Undergraduate: alan.schmitz@uni.edu (Associate Director for Undergraduate Studies in Music)
Graduate: rebecca.burkhardt@uni.edu (Associate Director for Graduate Studies in Music)
Performance Experience
Performance opportunities for trumpet students at the University of Northern Iowa are varied and extensive. The School of Music offers a concert band, the Panther Marching Band, a JAZZ program (with 3 bands) that is continually recognized worldwide for its excellence, a symphony orchestra, the Wind Symphony, the UNI Trumpet Ensemble, Pep Band, jazz combos, and numerous ad-hoc chamber ensembles. Solo performance experience may be gained in Wind Performance Seminars, Trumpet Class, and studio and solo recitals. Professional performance experience is available for advanced students in area dance bands, through chamber ensembles, and with the Waterloo/Cedar Falls Symphony Orchestra. Positions in university ensembles are open to any full-time university student through audition.
Trumpet Instruction
Students enrolled for trumpet instruction study privately with a full-time teacher each week. No part-time or graduate student instructors are presently employed for this purpose, assuring each student that his/her instructor will be a teacher with extensive performance and teaching credentials. Trumpet Class and Brass Seminar meet each week, and guest artists are often presented in recitals and clinics.
The Trumpet Studio at UNI is a good place to be. In recent years, we have had students from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Nebraska, and Texas in addition to many talented students from all over Iowa.
The opportunity for students to associate directly with world-class artists is considered a vital experience for the emerging performer. A selected list of guests who have appeared at UNI includes:
Phil Smith (New York Philharmonic); John Hagstrom (Chicago Symphony Orchestra); David Hickman (Arizona State University); Charles Schleuter (Boston Symphony Orchestra); Adolph Herseth (Chicago Symphony Orchestra); Vincent Cichowicz (Northwestern University); Allan Dean and Robert Nagel (Yale University); Barbara Butler and Charles Geyer (Northwestern University); Keith Johnson (University of North Texas); Rex Richardson (Rhythm & Brass); Carl "Doc" Severinson (Tonight Show); Bobby Shew (Jazz artist); David Monette (Trumpet Designer); Marvin Stamm (Jazz artist); Ed Cord (Indiana University); Allen Vizzutti (soloist); Gordon Mathie (State University of New York at Potsdam); Susan Rider (U.S. Marine Band, The President's Own), and Charles Gorham (Indiana University).
Financial Aid
Extensive programs are available to assist students with financial matters pertaining to their education. Financial aid is available to both graduate and undergraduates in the form of scholarships, assistantships, loans, work-study programs, and various other stipends. Questions on financial aid should be directed to the university's Director of Financial Aids or one of the School of Music faculty listed above.
...After Graduation
Graduates of the UNI Trumpet Studio have gone on to careers in a variety of directions. Those who have elected to seek additional education have gone on to prestigious graduate programs at the Eastman School of Music, Indiana University, Yale, Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, University of North Texas, New England Conservatory, DePaul University, and the San Francisco Conservatory. Many have chosen to be public school music educators or arts administrators, while others have chosen fields outside of music. Several have chosen careers in the military and are members of the President's Own Marine Band, the Army Fife and Bugle Corp, the West Point band, the premier Air Force Bands, and several other choice organizations. There are those in performance careers on Broadway, in symphony orchestras, the recording industry, and in a variety of commercial settings. Some have even chosen to lead the clandestine life of a university professor!
