Online Reviews Editor (Literature Reviews)
contact: jhall@odu.edu
MIKE HALL was appointed professor of trombone/euphonium and brass choir director at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA in 2006. He served as professor of trombone and member of the Kansas Brass Quintet at the University of Kansas 2000-2006, and at Eastern Michigan University 1995-2000 where he was lecturer of low brass and director of the EMU Jazz Ensemble. Since 1998 he has served as Literature Reviews Editor for the International Trombone Association Journal. He has received the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in trombone performance from the University of Minnesota, the Master of Music degree also in trombone performance from the University of Arizona, and the Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. His principal teachers include Thomas Ashworth, Tom Ervin, Vern Kagarice, and Brian Martz.
Dr. Hall has performed extensively throughout the United States, Mexico, Europe and China covering a large spectrum of styles. Some of his symphony orchestra performances include Virginia Symphony, Kansas City Symphony, Kansas City Chamber Orchestra, Topeka Symphony, Ann Arbor Symphony, Detroit Symphony, Tucson Symphony, and the Arizona Opera Orchestra. Dr. Hall performed as Solo Trombonist with the Fountain City Brass Band in Kansas City 2002-2004. He has also been quite involved in pit orchestra performances ranging from ballet to light opera to theater. The Arizona Theater Company cast him as on-stage trombonist for their production of “Ain’t Misbehavin'”, and he has backed such notable entertainers as Natalie Cole, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Maureen McGovern, Jack Jones, Vanessa Williams, Ben Vereen, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Bob Hope, Kenny Rogers, Bob Newhart, and many others.
As a chamber musician, Dr. Hall served as trombonist for the Kansas Brass Quintet 2000-2006 and the Galliard Brass Ensemble based in Ann Arbor, MI from 1995-2000, concertizing throughout the country in styles ranging from Renaissance to contemporary. He rejoined GBE in 2004 for concerts on the Summer Music Festival of Harbin, China. He has also given many performances with the Detroit Chamber Winds and Michigan Chamber Brass. In 1991, Dr. Hall toured China with the University of Arizona Graduate Brass Quintet giving concerts, masterclasses and a featured concert at the Shanghai Civic Center.
As a jazz musician, Dr. Hall’s experiences range from small group leader to big band trombonist. He is currently a faculty member of the International Music Camp Jazz Week. He was a member of the Couriers, appearing on their latest recording, a ten-piece group based in Ann Arbor, MI and frequent guest with the Bird of Paradise Orchestra in Ann Arbor. In Michigan Dr. Hall led a quartet featuring pianist Rick Roe, bassist Paul Keller and drummer Aron Siegel. He also appeared in Detroit with Wendell Harrison, Marcus Belgrave, Walter White, Johnny Trudell, Bill Meyer and many more of Detroit’s finest jazz artists. Dr. Hall also appeared regularly with salsa bands Latin Sounds in Minneapolis and the Edgar Leon Group in Detroit, and served as Staff Musician aboard the S.S. Norway, Royal Viking Sea, and Crystal Symphony. His solos took first place in the 1991 Tucson Jazz Society Competition and he is a three-time winner of the Eau Claire Jazz Festival Combo Competition.
As a studio musician, Dr. Hall has recorded several motion picture sound tracks, television and radio commercials, and compact discs ranging from symphonic wind music to jazz, rap, ska and R&B.
As a soloist, Dr. Hall performs a wide range of repertoire in classical and commercial settings. He has recorded three solo compact discs, Arcangelo Corelli Solo Chamber Sonatas Opus 5 for alto trombone, harpsichord and double bass, J.S. Bach: The Gamba Sonatas and Benedetto Marcello Solo Sonatas Opus 1. He premiered a new concerto by Vitaly Patzera with the Kharkiv Symphony, Ukraine in 2004 and gave a solo recital and several masterclasses there as well. In 1994 Dr.
Hall won a position on the Christian Lindberg Solo Seminar at the University of North Texas where he worked with Mr. Lindberg for seven days of intensive study in the art of solo performance.
Holding the rope at the top of this well is wife Michelle and children Rebekah, James and Wyatt. They rarely kick stones over the edge and always share the water! Together, they enjoy travel and mountain biking.
Mike Hall is a C.G. Conn and Selmer Bach performing artist.