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One of the most well-known trombone educators of the twentieth century, Emory Remington left a widespread legacy for trombonists in the United States and around the world. His reputation and teaching methods influenced other trombone teachers' pedagogical approaches to trombone performance. One of his most popular implementations was the use of the large-group trombone ensemble. Remington used the trombone ensemble in his studio as a method of instilling and improving musical and ensemble playing skills in his students.
Born in 1891, Emory Remington studied trombone with his father, but credited his early music training to his singing experience in the choir at St. Andrews Episcopal Church in New York. In 1917, he joined the Navy and was assigned to the orchestra at a training station near Chicago. After returning from his successful military travels, Remington joined the Eastman Theatre Orchestra and then the faculty at the Eastman School of Music in 1922. He began playing in the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra in 1923 where he remained for twenty-six years. Remington's entire professional career was spent teaching at Eastman.
Shortly before his death in December of 1971, Remington served on the faculty of the very first National Trombone Workshop. The last day of that first Workshop was called Emory Remington Day, and Remington conducted a trombone ensemble established in his honor. Affectionately nicknamed "the Chief" by his students, Remington had a personal quality about him that encouraged excellence and a special devotion from his students. "He loved music. He loved that most noble instrument, the trombone. But above all, he loved his students." Reportedly, he never missed a concert in which a student of his performed.
On a number of occasions, he was honored as a teacher by his students, colleagues, and various professional organizations. In 1991, honoring the hundredth year of his birth, the Workshop was dedicated to him and entitled "An Emory Remington Centennial Celebration." The Workshop, hosted by John Marcellus at the Eastman School of Music, included many of Remington's former students, quite a few of whom were influential ITA members. Each year at the annual Workshop, a trombone choir was selected to perform as a featured ensemble. From 1971 to 1986, Romersa selected and featured trombone choirs based on submitted tapes or recommendations from close friends.
In 1986, the ITA created the Emory Remington Trombone Choir Competition as a tribute to Remington and his promotion of the large trombone ensemble. Although many events, articles, and studies have been devoted to Remington, the trombone esnemble competition serves as the official ITA recognition of his achievements. The first announcement of a Trombone Choir Competition appeared in the Winter 1986 issue of the ITA Journal. According to the article, "Ensembles that wish to be considered for performance at the 1987 Workshop should submit an unedited, fifteen-minute tape to Milt Stevens, Chairman of the Competition Committee." The article also named the original members of the committee: David Fetter and Eric Carlson, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra; James Kraft and Milt Stevens, National Symphony Orchestra; and David Summers, Kennedy Center Opera Orchestra. The guidelines regarding the makeup of the choir were discussed at the May 1988 Board meeting. In 1987, the first trombone ensemble competition was won appropriately by the Eastman Trombone Choir, directed by John Marcellus and Raymond Premru. An Emory Remington Trombone Choir Competition has been held and won each year with the exception of 1992 when Workshop organizers decided to hold a trombone quartet competition instead.
