jonathanwhitaker.com

Dr. Jonathan Whitaker joined the faculty of the University of Alabama in the fall of 2009. At Alabama, Whitaker’s students have been tremendously successful in national and international solo competitions including the Eastern Trombone Workshop National Solo Competition, the International Trombone Association’s solo competitions and the Alessi Seminar. The University of Alabama Trombone Choir has given performances at the 2010 Eastern Trombone Workshop and the 2011 International Trombone Festival in Nashville, TN. Whitaker has also appeared as a performer and clinician at the Eastern Trombone workshop and two International Trombone Festivals.

As a soloist, Whitaker can be heard on the 2011 release of “Glass Bead” on Albany Records, which includes David Maslanka’s Concerto for Trombone and Wind Ensemble with the University of Alabama Wind Ensemble under the baton of Kenneth Ozzello. He has appeared as a soloist with all of the wind groups at Indiana University, the Augustana College Symphonic Band, the Purdue University Symphony Orchestra, the Henderson State University Wind Ensemble and performed a premier performance of John Mackey’s Harvest: Concerto for Trombone with the University of Alabama Wind Ensemble in the fall of 2010.  He also performed the American premier of Johan de Meij’s T-Bone Concerto with the Murray State University Symphonic Wind Ensemble.

As a chamber musician, Whitaker can be heard on Dee Stewart’s CD entitled D+ (Dee Plus) performing with the Indiana University Trombone Faculty and on two recordings by the Stentorian Consort Trombone Quartet. He is also a member of the Alabama Brass Quintet.

Whitaker is currently Principal Trombone of the Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra. He performs regularly with the Alabama Symphony, Harrisburg Symphony (PA), Mobile Symphony (AL) and has also held positions and performed with the Arkansas Symphony, Pine Bluff Symphony (AR), Shreveport Symphony (LA), South Arkansas Symphony, Duluth-Superior Symphony (MN), Owensboro Symphony (KY), Evansville Philharmonic (IN), Richmond Symphony (IN), Jackson Symphony (TN) and the Paducah Symphony (KY). In 2011, Whitaker performed with the New York Philharmonic on concerts featuring Bartok’s Bluebeard’s Castle with Esa-Pekka Salonen conducting.

Whitaker serves on the faculty of the Alessi Seminar. In 2005, he was selected as one of sixteen participants for the Seminar and was a featured soloist twice that year. Since 2005, Whitaker has served as the chief administrator for the Seminar and is honored to now be on the faculty and to host the 2011 Alessi Seminar at the University of Alabama.

Dr. Whitaker holds degrees in trombone performance from Murray State University and the University of Minnesota and the Doctor of Music degree in Brass Pedagogy at Indiana University where he served as Associate Instructor of Trombone from 2001-2004.  Dr. Whitaker’s primary teachers include Ray Conklin, Tom Ashworth, M. Dee Stewart, Peter Ellefson and Joseph Alessi with additional studies with Arnold Jacobs, Edward Kleinhammer, Michael Mulcahy, Charlie Vernon and Douglas Wright.

Jonathan Whitaker is an S.E. Shires Performing Artist and plays Greg Black Mouthpieces exclusively.

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