Competitions Coordinator
contact: donny@trombone.net
Trombonist Donny Pinson maintains a full schedule as both a performer and an educator. As an orchestral musician, he serves as principal trombonist of both the Victoria Symphony Orchestra and the Mid-Texas Symphony, and he has also performed with ensembles such as the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, and San Antonio Symphony. In addition to the alto and tenor trombone, he is experienced in performing early music on the sackbut, most notably under conductor Helmut Rilling as part of the Festivalensemble Stuttgart (Germany) in 2006.
Active as a chamber musician, recitalist, and clinician, Dr. Pinson has been a featured soloist with numerous ensembles in both classical and jazz idioms, and he has taken a particular interest in performing the literature for solo trombone and organ. He is a founding member of the Corpus Christi Brass Quintet, performing concerts and educational programs throughout the South Texas region. He has performed and lectured at venues such as the International Trombone Festival, the Texas Music Educators Association Convention, the Big XII Trombone Conference, and the Texas Jazz Festival.
In 2009, Dr. Pinson joined the faculty at Del Mar College, where he is currently Assistant Professor of Trombone/Low Brass. An active member of the International Trombone Association, he is the Competitions Coordinator for the ITA, responsible for the implementation of fourteen annual competitions with an international pool of applicants and judges. He holds degrees from Texas Christian University, Southern Methodist University, and the University of North Texas, and his mentors have included Vern Kagarice, John Kitzman, Dennis Bubert, Barney McCollum, and Ron Wilkins.