T.A.P.A.S.

Trombone Artists Playing for Amateurs and Students

The TAPAS (Trombone Artists Playing for Amateurs and Students) Project is one of the tools ITA President Jiggs Whigham has created to promote the trombone and all trombone-related activities across the world. A multi-faceted project, TAPAS encourages ALL members of the ITA to get involved and recruit new members into our association. The whole premise behind the program is to promote the vision and mission of ITA at any concerts, events, master classes and schools that we can, in hopes of spreading the joy of the trombone and our association to many that might not know much about it.

Why Join the ITA

  • With more members, the ITA will be able to increase its resources and networks across the globe.
  • For the cost of less than one trip to Starbucks a month, anyone can be a member of the ITA!
  • You will have online access to an archive with more than 40 years of ITA Journal publications that contains scholarly, pedagogical, biographical, historical and other various types of articles.
  • You will receive the latest ITA Journal quarterly online and/or hardcopy.
  • The Member's Only section of the ITA website provides various benefits as to current members
  • Take advantage of discounted registration fee to attend the International Trombone Festival
  • and much, much more!!!

Recruitment Incentives

  1. We would like to offer two incentives for your participation in the TAPAS project. We are very fortunate to have the support of the Conn-Selmer Corporation. They have very kindly agreed to award the first ten ITA members who recruit ten or more new members to the association with a free pBone! We are deeply grateful for their generosity!
    NOTE: In order to take advantage of the "free pBone" offer, you will need to have your recruits apply for membership to the ITA using this membership form: TAPAS ITA membership form.
  2. Also, Tom Ervin is most generously offering one of his "Counterparts" books (for the Bordogni or Voxman - your choice) for the professors willing to participate. This offer will be valid to university, college and junior/community college teachers for any TAPAS event scheduled through May of 2013, while supplies last.
    NOTE: In order to take advantage of Tom Ervin's offer, contact Dr. Ben McIlwain to redeem at ben.mcilwain@usm.edu.

TAPAS Personnel


Ben McIlwain, TAPAS Director
Dr. Ben McIlwain
Director of TAPAS Project, The University of Southern Mississippi
Michael Dease
General TAPAS advisor, Michigan State University
Jamie Williams
European TAPAS coordinator, Deutsche Oper, Berlin

U.S.A. State Representatives

If you are interested in representing any of the following vacant states, please feel free to contact me at ben.mcilwain@usm.edu.

Alabama
Dr. Eddie Elsey, University of North Alabama
Alaska
Dr. James Bicigo, University of Alaska-Fairbanks
Arizona
David Vining, Northern Arizona University
Arkansas
Josh Bledsoe, University of Central Arkansas
California
Mark Lawrence, San Francisco Conservatory
Colorado
Dr. Nathaniel Wickham, University of Northern Colorado
Connecticut
Scott Hartman, Yale University
Delaware
Dr. Bruce Tychinski, University of Delaware
District of Columbia
Sam Woodhead, US Army "Pershings Own" Band
Florida
Michael Wilkinson, University of Central Florida
Georgia
Dr. Brad Palmer, Columbus State University
Hawaii
Jason Byerlotzer, University of Hawaii/ Honolulu Symphony
Idaho
VACANT
Illinois
Elliot Chasanov, University of Illinois
Indiana
M. Dee Stewart, Indiana University
Carl Lenthe, Indiana University
Chris Canapa. Indiana University (Grad assistant)
Eric Rogers, Indiana University (Grad assistant)
Iowa
Grady McGrannahan, Drake University
Kansas
Dr. Michael Davidson, University of Kansas
Kentucky
Dr. Brett Shuster, University of Louisville
Louisiana
Steven Menard, Louisiana State University
Maine
Dr. Dan Barrett, University of Maine
Maryland
VACANT
Massachusetts
Toby Oft, New England Conservatory/ Boston Symphony Orchestra
Michigan
Dr. Steve Wolfinbarger, Western Michigan University
Minnesota
Tom Ashworth, University of Minnesota
Mississippi
Dr. Ben McIlwain, University of Southern Mississippi
Missouri
Dr. Matthew Hoormann, Lindenwood University
Montana
VACANT
Nebraska
Dr. Scott Anderson, University of Nebraska- Lincoln
Nevada
VACANT
New Hampshire
VACANT
New Jersey
Weston Sprott, Rutgers University/ Metroplitan Opera
New Mexico
VACANT
New York
Denson Paul Pollard, Juilliard/ Metropolitan Opera Orchestra
North Carolina
Dr. Drew Leslie, Appalachian State University
North Dakota
Dr. Joel Pugh, University of North Dakota
Ohio
Sarah Paradis, Ohio Univesity
Oklahoma
VACANT
Oregon
Henry Henniger, University of Oregon
Pennsylvania
Anthony Triplett, Philadelphia-area freelance player
Rhode Island
Gabe Langfur, University of Rhode Island
South Carolina
Dr. Mark Britt, Furman
South Dakota
Dr. Jonathan Alvis, University of South Dakota
Tennessee
Jeremy Wilson, Vanderbilt University
Texas
Dr. Martin McCain, Texas State University- San Marcos
Utah
Dr. Donn Schaefer, University of Utah
Vermont
VACANT
Virginia
Dr. Nathan Dishman, University of Virginia
Washington
Ko-ichiro Yamamoto, University of Washington/ Seattle Symphony
West Virginia
Dr. Keith Jackson, University of West Virginia
Wisconsin
Mark Hetzler, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Wyoming
Dr. Mark Rabideau, University of Wyoming