Ouachita to host Trombonanza – an event as unique as its name
August 27, 2012 - Rachel Gregory
Ouachita Baptist University will host Trombonanza, a one-of-a-kind musical event,
on Sunday, Sept. 9, at 2:30 p.m. The concert, to be held in Jones Performing Arts
Center on Ouachita’s Arkadelphia campus, is free to the public.
Trombonanza is a unique event for the state because of the level of professional talent
that will comprise the trombone choir. Dr. Sim Flora, professor emeritus of music
at Ouachita, began planning for Trombonanza last May. He said he wanted to “put on
the best trombone concert” while having fun doing it. Calling on friends from all
over the country, Flora assembled a top-quality trombone choir.
“That was one of my goals,” he explained, “to do something really fun and yet requires
high-level trombone playing.”
Among those Flora invited to perform are Ouachita students, faculty and alumni. Performers
in Trombonanza vary in their backgrounds and musical styles ranging from Bret Steed,
a junior performance major from Oklahoma, to Gene Stiman, an Illinois musician who
shared the stage with Benny Goodman in the Big Band era and will perform a solo during
the show.
Other featured musicians include Ouachita’s own trombone and low brass and theory
professor, Dr. Justin Isenhour; Kurt Silver, one of Flora’s former students from St.
Louis; and Jon Whitaker of University of Alabama, who will serve as trombone choir
conductor. Ouachita alumnus Tony Hutchins will anchor the trombone choir and solo
with the group; the Jacksonville, Ark., native serves as professor of low brass at
Morningside College in Iowa.
Pianist Bob Boyd and the Bob Boyd Sounds will provide accompaniment on piano, bass
and drums for the 10 to 14 trombone players. Vocal performances will also be accompanied
by the trombone choir. Featuring a mixture of classical and jazz music, Trombonanza
will offer swing, funk, ballads and Latin styles for the audience to enjoy. Many well-known
pieces will be played as well as a number of pieces that are Flora’s own compositions.
For more information, contact OBU’s School of Fine Arts at (870) 245-5129.
By Rachel Gregory
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