Department of Music

The McIntire Department of Music is pleased to present the 2018-2019 University of Virginia Chamber Music Series. This annual series, which presents innovative performances by the University of Virginia's world-class performance faculty and celebrated guest artists, is comprised of six professional performances for the University and the central Virginia community. These intimate concerts are programmed to offer both new and traditional works that will delight audiences of all musical tastes.

The series kicks off on Sunday, October 21 at 3:30 pm with Nathaniel Lee and the American Trombone Quartet. The quartet, which also features Bill Mann, Jemmie Robertson, and Zsolt Szabo, will be presenting an exciting program of works commissioned by the ensemble. Paul Johnston’s sonorous Quartet No. 1, written exclusively for the group, explores the warm timbre of the instrument, while Mark Rheaume’s American Suite celebrates American music in a series of movements based on the interval of a perfect fourth. Guest tenor trombonist Jeremy Loudon will join the group for Jean Douay’s arrangement of J.S. Bach’s Chaconne, while John Cheetam’s Variations on a Brahms Chorale and Jacob ter Veldjuis’s multimedia-infused Hoorah round out the program.

Founded in 2015, The American Trombone Quartet, seeks to champion new music and works of Americana, whether that is by sharing recently composed works with new audiences, commissioning new works, or by adapting innovative musical works from various genres, each avenue leads us towards our goal, which is to share the art and joy of collaborative chamber music with live audiences. The four founding members; Nathaniel Lee, William Mann, Zsolt Szabo, and Jemmie Robertson, have come together from diverse musical and pedagogical backgrounds to advocate for music education and audience engagement. To this end we happily devote ourselves to both performing and teaching in residencies. Since 2015, ATQ has performed a multiple colleges, universities and conferences.  In 2017 & 2018 ATQ was selected to perform a recital at the International Trombone Festival and in 2019 ATQ has been invited to perform at the Lille Trombone Festival in France.

The American Trombone Quartet performs exclusively on Edwards Trombones.

Nathaniel Lee is the Lecturer of Trombone at the University of Virginia and serves as Principal Trombone of the Charlottesville Symphony. In addition to his duties at UVa and the Charlottesville Symphony, Nathaniel maintains an active freelance career having performed with the Richmond Symphony, Castleton Music Festival, Ash Lawn Opera, Opera on the James, Boston Philharmonic, Virginia Oratorio Society and the Virginia Sinfonietta. Nathaniel received his Master of Music degree in Trombone Performance from the New England Conservatory and a Bachelor of Music Performance degree from Virginia Commonwealth University.

William Mann teaches at Georgia State University and is a member of the Des Moines Symphony.  Prior to his appointment at GSU, he taught on the faculties at Morehead State University (KY), the University of Missouri, and Prairie View A&M University and at the Bay View Music Festival.  Dr. Mann has also performed with the Lexington Philharmonic, Quad City, Missouri, Tuscaloosa, Victoria, and Waco Symphonies and the Austin Lyric Opera.  His education includes the Doctor of Music and Master of Music degrees from the University of Texas at Austin and a Bachelor of Music Education from Baylor University.

Zsolt Szabo is Assistant Professor of Trombone/Euphonium at Western Carolina University, and performs with the American Trombone Quartet, The Hungarian Trombone Connection and as Principal Trombone of the Brevard Philharmonic Orchestra. Previously, Zsolt was the Principal Trombone of the Ars Viva Symphony Orchestra in Chicago and was a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. In 2010, Zsolt performed and toured with Pierre Boulez and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra where he has been a substitute at other times as well. Zsolt received a Performance Diploma from Roosevelt University Music Conservatory as a student of Jay Friedman, a Master of Music Degree from Western Illinois University, and a Bachelor of Music Degree from “Gheorge Dima” Music Academy.

Jemmie Robertson is Associate Professor of Trombone at the University of Florida. He performs with the American Trombone Quartet and the Breckenridge Music Festival, and as Principal Trombone of the Santo Domingo Festival Orchestra in the Dominican Republic. Jemmie is an active musician throughout the Midwest where he has performed with Lyric Opera of Chicago, the St. Louis Symphony, Music of the Baroque, Chicago Chamber Musicians, Chicago Civic Orchestra, and with many other regional ensembles. Previously Jemmie was a member of the Virginia Symphony and the U.S. Air Force Heritage of America Band. Jemmie studied at Northwestern University (DM), Yale University (MM), and the University of Northern Colorado (BM).

Jeremy Loudon is currently an active orchestral and chamber musician in central Virginia. After earning his Master of Music degree from The Boston Conservatory, Jeremy was a freelance musician in New England, performing with many of the area’s regional orchestras and chamber ensembles. Since relocating to Virginia, Jeremy frequently performs as a substitute musician with the Richmond, Virginia, and Charlottesville Symphony orchestras and maintains a small private teaching studio. Jeremy is an alumnus of the Cleveland Trombone Seminar and the Atlantic Music Festival. In addition to his MM, he holds a BM in Trombone Performance from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Individual Tickets: $15 General / $13 for UVa Faculty and Staff / $5 Students / Free for UVA Students who reserve in advance / Free for students under 18.  Tickets and subscriptions can be purchased at the UVA Arts Box Office website or by calling 434-924-3376.  To see all events in the UVA Chamber Music Series, please visit http://music.virginia.edu/uvacms

Old Cabell Hall is located on the south end of UVA's historic lawn, directly opposite the Rotunda.  (map) Parking is available in the central grounds parking garage on Emmet Street, in the C1 parking lot off McCormick Rd, and in the parking lots at the UVA Corner.  Handicap parking is available in the small parking lot adjacent to Bryan Hall.

To see all events in the UVA Chamber Music Series, please visit http://music.virginia.edu/uvacms

All programs are subject to change.