This is ITW's logo image

International Trombone Week

April 3-10, 2022

Everyone is welcome to participate! The ITW’s official week is April 3-10, but we celebrate all month.

Stay up-to-date with ITA’s website and social media. Please tell us how you plan to celebrate the world’s best instrument using our event submission form.

Be kind. Play big.

  • Encourage other trombonists!
  • Help yourself and others stay healthy by getting your vaccine, masking up, and keeping your distance. Remember that there are many things you can do without a big crowd.
  • Listen to great musicians playing great music. Enjoy the many recorded events from past ITWs.
  • Play your trombone and have fun. If you don’t know how to play the trombone yet, now is the perfect time to start learning.
  • Read on for ideas and inspiration…

Create and share a recording.

Here are just two examples of the many fine ensembles that have done exactly that.

Feed your ears with quality content.

  • The Stephen F. Austin State University Trombone Octet conducted by Deb Scott performed Hex Files by James Kazik to commemorate International Trombone Week.
  • Charlie Vernon and the Columbus State University Philharmonic, under the direction of Dr. Fred Cohen, kicked off International Trombone Week with Christian Lindberg’s “Chick’a’Bone Checkout”.
  • Calgary Philharmonic’s Trombones hosted Slide Into Spring. There’s lots to explore here including a discussion of The Trombone in the Time of Quarantine (with Calgary Philharmonic’s James Scott, principal trombone, and Dave Reid, bass trombones) and video submissions by Marshall Gilkes and talented Calgary players.
  • Ryan Keberle and Wycliffe Gordon shared free educational resources and videos.
  • and Wycliffe Gordon shared free educational resources and videos.

Play, play, play your trombone!

Looking for free sheet music for ITW? Here are some options:

Create and learn.

  • Make some sound! Practice a new scale, warm-up, or exercise each day. We like to play through a mode-a-day: Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, and Locrian.
  • Join Sarah Jo on Classic 107 with interview guests Kenley Kristofferson and Joel Green. The pair debuted a new work by Kristofferson during Winnipeg’s International Trombone Week celebration with more than 40 trombonists performing.
  • Watch Trent Hamilton’s Introduction to the Trombone Family.
  • Pay a visit to your well-worn copy of Arban’s.
  • Watch Super Bone’s ITW20 interview with Eric Budd, a multi-instrumentalist from Melbourne, Australia.
  • Give your trombone and mouthpiece a good cleaning.
  • Have an impromptu garage concert for your neighborhood while practicing safe social-distancing.
  • Call your grandmother and play her a jazz standard, like Blue Skies.
  • Share your recital video.
  • Send a front line healthcare hero a Happy Birthday message.
  • Learn to use music notation software and arrange something for a trombone friend.
  • Begin and end each day with a very looooong long tone.
  • Read this article about alternate positions in bebop by Tony Garcia.
  • Record an excerpt using a multi-track video app. Our friend Roger Cutts created his legendary collection of Opera Excerpts!
  • Soak up some rich trombone history with Will Kimball.
  • Share your painting or drawing of a trombone.
  • Do a trombone dance-of-joy through your neighborhood.
  • Listen to this beautiful NPR TinyDesk Concert with Ryan Keberle and Catharsis.
  • Write a poem about your faithful trombone stand.
  • Post a favorite trombone-related quotation.
  • Take a moody photo of your straight mute.
  • Pose a philosophical question to your trombone colleagues.
  • Go outside, be still, and meditate on trombone goodness.

Let’s kick things off with Sandra Boynton‘s gift to all who celebrate ITW!