Peter Ellefson

Felipe Brito, 24, native of Itu, Sao Paulo, Brazil, is currently working on a Performer Diploma at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music, where he is studying with Peter Ellefson. He studied with Robson de Nadai at State University of Campinas – UNICAMP in Brazil, where he completed a Bachelor’s Degree in Music. He also completed Performance Studies with Gilberto Gianelli and Carlos Freitas at Sao Paulo State School of Music. In the beginning of his studies he took lessons with Geraldo Domingues, Joao Verderi Jr., and Marcelo Bambam. During his tenure as an undergraduate, Felipe served as trombonist of the UNICAMP Symphonic Orchestra, Mario Campos & Orchestral Collective, and Villa-Lobos Symphonic Band. In the past two years Felipe worked as band director of ANGLO Marching/Concert Band. He also taught low-income children at both the ASSATEMEC School of Music and the Guri Project, and was the Trombone Teacher Assistant of Pre-College State University of Campinas. This past Winter he was a fellow at the Jacques Mauger Seminar in Piracicaba, Brazil. Outside of music, Felipe enjoys working out, swimming, and running.

Cheng Chao-Chun was born in 1985. He started his trombone learning at the age of 10 with former bass trombone player of Taipei Symphony Orchestra (TSO) Mr. Yu Tien-Jung, and he studied with Mr. Lee Shyan-Jer, Principal Trombonist of TSO during the period of junior and senior high school. He studied with Mr. Frank, Tsai Chia-Jung, Member of TSO at Taipei National University of Arts from 2003~2007. And Chao-Chun was admitted to Indiana University, Jacobs School of Music at 2010.

During his music career, he has won numerous prizes in Taiwan, including 1st prize of the National Taiwan Music Competition (1999,2001,2003), 1 prize of the Hsing-Tien-Kong Music Competition (2003, 2005), Winner of the Concerto Competition of TNUA (2006), 1 prize of ATS’09 solo competition (2009). He was chosen as the member of the Taiwan Youth Symphony Orchestra (1999), Asian Youth Orchestra (2001), and Pacific Music Festival (2011). He won the third prize of 6th Jeju International Brass Competition (2010) with DASH Brass Quintet. Chao-Chun is chosen as a member of National Repertory Orchestra (2012).

Chao-Chun has performed with many groups, which include Guest Member of National Symphony Orchestra, Taipei Symphony Orchestra and Evergreen Symphony Orchestra. Principal Trombonist of Taipei Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, Philharmonia Moment Musical and CYC Band.

Logan Chopyk, 25, born in southern California, is enrolled in the second year of the Doctor of Music program at Indiana University. He is currently principal trombone of the Columbus Indiana Philharmonic and was previously co-principal trombone with the Elgin Symphony Orchestra in Illinois.  Logan holds degrees from UCLA (BA) and Northwestern University (MM), and in summers past he has attended the Aspen Music Festival, Banff Brass Residency, and the Music Academy of the West.  As a chamber musician Logan has recorded for Naxos with the Millennium Chamber Players and is winner of the 2009 Eastern Trombone Workshop’s National Trombone Quartet Competition. He has performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra BRASS, San Diego Symphony Orchestra, Ravinia Festival Orchestra, and New World Symphony. Logan's teachers include Peter Ellefson, Michael Mulcahy, Mark Lawrence, Charles Vernon, Ralph Sauer, Randall Hawes, Bill Booth and Patrick Sheridan.  Logan enjoys spending time with his wife, Tina, and his cat, J'Dontae.

Dan Coffman is from Oak Park, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago. He has been playing the trombone since he was 9, and also played violin, piano, and electric bass. He decided to major in music after thinking about what his life would be without it. He attended the Interlochen Arts Camp for 3 summers, the Aebersold Jazz Camp for 5 summers, and participated in Illinois IMEA All-State in 2010 and 2011. Dan has studied with Henry Salgado and Tom Riccobono and has taken lessons from Scott Bentall, Tom Streeter, Mark Fisher, and Jim Beckel. He hopes to be in a military band some day and teach kids, whether it is in grade school, High School, or College. This past year, Dan was the Bass player for the Ska band the Huggin’ Bumpies, He is excited to be a part of the Jacobs School of Music and to study with Mr. Ellefson! Go Hoosiers!

Ryan Diefenderfer is a senior at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music who is pursuing a degree in music education and is a member of Peter Ellefson’s trombone studio.   Ryan hails from the northern Chicago suburbs, where he attended Mundelein High School.  During high school, Ryan performed with the Midwest Young Artists’ Big Band, and was a member of the Merit School of Music trombone studio.  While at Indiana University, Ryan has had the opportunity to perform with a variety of ensembles, including the IU Trombone Choir, Brent Wallarab’s Big Band, the IU Symphonic Band, the Marching Hundred and the IU Crabb Band.  Among his notable achievements on the trombone, in 2010 Ryan received second place at the S.E. Shires Southeast Trombone Symposium Solo Competition.

Ryan Diefenderfer is also pursuing studies in musical composition at Indiana University, in which he has studied with Professors Claude Baker and Aaron Travers.  Ryan has received numerous honors in this field.  In 2012, Ryan won the Eastern Trombone Workshop National Composition Competition, was awarded Honorable Mention for the NAfME 2012 Student Composition Competition, and was a finalist for an orchestral commission for the Tyler Youth Symphony Orchestra.  Most notably, Ryan’s composition, Stephansdom, which was premiered last spring by Carl Lenthe and the IU Trombone Choir, will be available later this fall through music publisher Cherry Classics.  Outside of his musical endeavors, Ryan thoroughly enjoys basketball, movies, and traveling.

Stephanie Lebens has been playing trombone and euphonium since she was ten years old.  As an active musician in the Seattle area, she has played with many ensembles, including Jackson High School’s Wind Ensemble and Jazz 1, Puget Brass, and Seattle Youth Symphony.  Three years in a row, she received the honor of being selected to participate in Washington All-State and All-Northwest ensembles on both instruments, and in 2010, she performed with MENC’s National Honor Concert Band on trombone.  Exploring jazz euphonium, in 2009 and 2010, she was recognized as an Outstanding Soloist at Lionel Hampton International Jazz Festival.  She placed at the Washington State Solo and Ensemble Competition on both trombone and euphonium in 2009 and 2010, and won both solo categories, along with the small and large brass ensemble categories in 2011.  She has studied with Ko-Ichiro Yamamoto, Danny Helseth, and Chuck Wiese. Currently, she studies with Peter Ellefson at Indiana University.  She plans to pursue a career as an orchestral trombonist.

Karen Mari picked up a trombone her freshmen year of high school and has never looked back. Originally from Vernon Hills, Illinois, she is proud to be part of Peter Ellefson’s studio pursuing her Bachelors of Music Education degree, which allows her to combine her passions for educating and performing. At IU, Karen has been a member member of the Symphonic Band, the Crabb Band, the Marching Hundred, the International Vocal Ensemble, and Kappa Kappa Psi. Before coming to IU, Karen performed with some of the Midwest’s finest ensembles, including the Merit School of Music Wind Symphony and the Chicago Youth Concert Orchestra. Karen has performed concertos with two Chicago land orchestras, and soloed on the stage at Orchestra Hall in association with the Merit School of Music. When she’s not practicing or performing, Karen enjoys improvising with baked goods and playing catch with her housemates.

Ronald Nash began playing trombone at the age of 11.  When entering high school, he was accepted to the Governor’s School for the Arts (GSA) in Norfolk, Virginia.  During his time at GSA, he studied trombone with Donna Parkes, Principal Trombone of the Louisville Symphony Orchestra, and Peter Dubeau, Tubist with the Virginia Symphony.   Also at GSA, he performed in the Symphony Orchestra, Jazz Band, Brass Quartets, and the Old Dominion University Wind Ensemble.
In the fall of 2007, Mr. Nash began his Bachelor’s of Music Degree at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA).  For three years, he studied with James Miller, Associate Principal Trombonist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and one year with John Ilika, Principal Trombonist with the North Carolina Symphony Orchestra.  During his time at UNCSA, he has performed as Co-Principal in many ensembles such as the Opera Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, and in chamber music groups such as Trombone Quartets, Brass Quintets, and Brass Sextets.  During his summers, he also was Trombone/Brass Instructor at Churchland High School.  In Winston-Salem, North Carolina he worked as private trombone instructor.
Ronald’s passion for music branched from playing Gospel Music in many churches in Virginia, North Carolina and Georgia.  He recounts first hearing music in church as a young child and has had a strong interest ever since.  

My name is Bailey Schmidt:
 
I love music, sports, family and friends etc. 

I played basketball, soccer, football and track in high school.

I love to be physically fit and love to work out in the gym.

I have played trombone for the last 10 years.

I was a finalist in the ITA (International trombone association).  I traveled to France this last summer and competed as one of the finalists.

I have been featured as a soloist in many concerts, mostly in the Portland Oregon area accompanied by a full symphony.

I have played duets in concerts with my brother Bryce who plays trumpet and is currently a student at the University of Mich.

I have been in many solo competitions playing the trombone

I have studied with well-known professionals

My favorite piece to play is Deux Danses by Defaye

I love social activities and it is a great honor to be in the IU Trombone Studio where I hope to make a lot of friends and work especially hard to become a great trombonist.

A native of Norcross, Georgia, Jared Slaff is an incoming senior at Indiana University. His musical career began at the age of three when he started taking piano lessons. However, once introduced to trombone in the fifth grade, Jared decided to drop piano and take trombone more seriously. With the help of teachers Jill Freeman, Jason Altieri, Matt Koperniak, and Dr. Philip Jameson (HS), Peter Ellefson, Carl Lenthe and Dee Stewart (JSOM), Jared has played in nearly every group in the IU school of music (at some point or another). During his freshman, sophomore and junior years at IU, he studied with Professor Ellefson (with the exception of one semester with Steve Fissel). When he’s not participating in musical activities, Jared enjoys watching/ playing various sports (but mostly hockey), playing poker, various video games, watching movies and hanging out with friends. Jared looks forward to working with Professor Ellefson in his remaining two semesters, as well as enjoying a plethora of musically enticing experiences.

Brian Tajii, 18, has lived his entire life in Torrance, California. He Began playing trombone in the 4th grade and has been playing for 9 years. He took private lessons with Dan Bochard, a well-respected free-lance musician in Los Angeles, for 7 years. In high school, Brian was the president of both the choir and band and a section leader in both groups. He also marched in 2 Tournament of Roses Parades with The Pasadena City College Honor Band. Being a part of his high school choir, Brian got to perform on stage at the Lincoln Center in New York and on stage at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. As a freshman in college, Brian will to pursue his BM in Trombone Performance and really looks forward to increasing his ability and knowledge in music.

Connor Thummel, a native of the Chicago area, is currently pursuing his undergraduate degree, fulfilling a major in music with an outside field in English. He played piano for a few years before starting on trombone under the direction of Mr. Chip DeStefano, who largely sparked Connor’s interest in pursuing music as a profession. He continued his studies with Tim Smith, Doug Rosenthal, and BJ Hardesty. During his 4 years in high school, Connor had the opportunity to play in Midwest Young Artists, which greatly fostered his musical interests; he had the pleasure of playing great orchestral works in the Symphony Orchestra, and also played in various chamber ensembles and the honors wind symphony. Outside of music, Connor enjoys running, doing archery, reading, writing, and spending time with friends.

From Olympia, Wash., Ross Wertjes is pursuing the Bachelor of Music Education and is a student of Professor Peter Ellefson.  Formerly of Olympia, Washington, in high school Ross won first place in the Washington State Trombone Solo and Ensemble Contest 2009 and the Olympian Excellence in the Arts Award 2009. He was also Principal Trombone in the 2009 All-Northwest Orchestra, and Second Trombone in the 2008 All-State Chamber Orchestra. While at Indiana, Ross has performed with the Marching Hundred, Concert Band, Brass Choir,  Wind Ensemble, and Symphony Orchestra. Last Fall, he studied in Vienna, Austria, and is entering his fourth and final year at IU. 

Originally from Salt Lake City, Utah, Aaron Zalkind is pursuing his bachelor’s degree at Indiana University in trombone performance. He is currently studying with Peter Ellefson. Aaron attended the Boston University Tanglewood Institute in the summer of 2010. In 2011 he attended the Rafael Mendez Brass Institute and was also a participant in the Michael Mulcahy Seminar at Northwestern University. This Past summer Aaron attended the Pierre Monteux School for conductors and orchestra musicians. In his spare time, Aaron enjoys skiing and competitive bird watching.