James Michael Hall D.M.A., Biography

MIKE HALL was appointed professor of trombone/euphonium and brass choir director at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA in 2006. He served as professor of trombone and member of the Kansas Brass Quintet at the University of Kansas 2000-2006, and at Eastern Michigan University 1995-2000 where he was lecturer of low brass and director of the EMU Jazz Ensemble. Since 1998 he has served as Literature Reviews Editor for the International Trombone Association Journal.  He has received the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in trombone performance from the University of Minnesota, the Master of Music degree also in trombone performance from the University of Arizona, and the Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. His principal teachers include Thomas Ashworth, Tom Ervin, Vern Kagarice, and Brian Martz.

Dr. Hall has performed extensively throughout the United States, Mexico, Europe and China covering a large spectrum of styles. Some of his symphony orchestra performances include Virginia Symphony, Kansas City Symphony, Kansas City Chamber Orchestra, Topeka Symphony, Ann Arbor Symphony, Detroit Symphony, Tucson Symphony, and the Arizona Opera Orchestra. Dr. Hall performed as Solo Trombonist with the Fountain City Brass Band in Kansas City 2002-2004. He has also been quite involved in pit orchestra performances ranging from ballet to light opera to theater. The Arizona Theater Company cast him as on-stage trombonist for their production of "Ain't Misbehavin'", and he has backed such notable entertainers as Natalie Cole, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Maureen McGovern, Jack Jones, Vanessa Williams, Ben Vereen, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Bob Hope, Kenny Rogers, Bob Newhart, and many others.

As a chamber musician, Dr. Hall served as trombonist for the Kansas Brass Quintet 2000-2006 and the Galliard Brass Ensemble based in Ann Arbor, MI from 1995-2000, concertizing throughout the country in styles ranging from Renaissance to contemporary. He rejoined GBE in 2004 for concerts on the Summer Music Festival of Harbin, China. He has also given many performances with the Detroit Chamber Winds and Michigan Chamber Brass. In 1991, Dr. Hall toured China with the University of Arizona Graduate Brass Quintet giving concerts, masterclasses and a featured concert at the Shanghai Civic Center.

As a jazz musician, Dr. Hall's experiences range from small group leader to big band trombonist. He is currently a faculty member of the International Music Camp Jazz Week. He was a member of the Couriers, appearing on their latest recording, a ten-piece group based in Ann Arbor, MI and frequent guest with the Bird of Paradise Orchestra in Ann Arbor. In Michigan Dr. Hall led a quartet featuring pianist Rick Roe, bassist Paul Keller and drummer Aron Siegel. He also appeared in Detroit with Wendell Harrison, Marcus Belgrave, Walter White, Johnny Trudell, Bill Meyer and many more of Detroit's finest jazz artists. Dr. Hall also appeared regularly with salsa bands Latin Sounds in Minneapolis and the Edgar Leon Group in Detroit, and served as Staff Musician aboard the S.S. Norway, Royal Viking Sea, and Crystal Symphony. His solos took first place in the 1991 Tucson Jazz Society Competition and he is a three-time winner of the Eau Claire Jazz Festival Combo Competition.

As a studio musician, Dr. Hall has recorded several motion picture sound tracks, television and radio commercials, and compact discs ranging from symphonic wind music to jazz, rap, ska and R&B.

As a soloist, Dr. Hall performs a wide range of repertoire in classical and commercial settings. He has recorded three solo compact discs, Arcangelo Corelli Solo Chamber Sonatas Opus 5 for alto trombone, harpsichord and double bass, J.S. Bach: The Gamba Sonatas and Benedetto Marcello Solo Sonatas Opus 1. He premiered a new concerto by Vitaly Patzera with the Kharkiv Symphony, Ukraine in 2004 and gave a solo recital and several masterclasses there as well. In 1994 Dr. Hall won a position on the Christian Lindberg Solo Seminar at the University of North Texas where he worked with Mr. Lindberg for seven days of intensive study in the art of solo performance.

Holding the rope at the top of this well is wife Michelle and children Rebekah, James and Wyatt. They rarely kick stones over the edge and always share the water! Together, they enjoy travel and mountain biking.

Mike Hall is a C.G. Conn and Selmer Bach performing artist.

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Recordings

Released October 2007. Available from CDBaby and Amazon. Mp3 downloads from CDBaby, iTunes and dozens of other digital distributors. Performing editions available; see below.

Released May 2006. Available from CDBaby, Tap Music Sales, Amazon.com. Mp3 downloads from CDBaby,  iTunes, GreatIndie, PayPlay, AudioLunchbox, Tradebit and dozens of other digital distributors.

Released May 2004. Available from CDBaby, Tap Music Sales, Amazon.com. Mp3 downloads from CDBaby, iTunes, PayPlay, MusicIsHere, Tradebit and dozens of other digital distributors.

Also available from Hickey's Music Center. Download individual tracks or entire disc from  Mp3tunes.com and others.

Larry Rice, Rebecca Bell and Mike Hall, recording Corelli sonatas, St. Lawrence Catholic Church, Lawrence, KS, September, 2001.

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Publications

Benedetto Marcello. Sonatas 1-3 for Trombone & Keyboard/Continuo. Critical edition by Mike Hall. Keyboard realization by Rebecca Bell and Mike Hall. Vancouver, BC: Cherry Classics Music. 2008.
https://secure.cherry-classics.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/CCMusic.woa/wa/brassSheetMusic

A second volume containing sonatas 4-6 is in press.

Compact disc review published in the Online Trombone Journal:

• An Evening from the 18th Century: A Review
  http://www.trombone.org/articles/library/viewarticles.asp?ArtID=280

 

Mike Hall is Literature Reviews Editor for the International Trombone Association Journal. His column appears in each quarterly issue beginning with volume 26 number 3, (Summer 1998). Read reviews he has authored in the following ITAJ issues:

ITAJ Volume 37 no.2 (Spring 2009)

• Sonata No.4 by Dario Castello, arranged by Richard I. Schwartz and Mark LaFratta. 40-1.

ITAJ Volume 36 no.2 (April 2008)

• The Trombone by Trevor Herbert. 67-9.
• Sonata for Trombone and Piano by Joseph Trapanese. 71-2.
• Three Admirations for bass trombone and piano by Daniel Kallman. 72.

ITAJ Volume 35 no.4 (October 2007)

• Also Sprach Arnold Jacobs: A Developmental Guide for Brass Wind Musicians compiled by Bruce Nelson. 76.

ITAJ Volume 35 no.2 (April 2007):

• 20 minute Warm-up Routine by Michael Davis. 62.

ITAJ Volume 35 no.1 (January 2007):

• An Elizabethan Songbook for trumpet, trombone or euphonium and piano by Eric Ewazen. 58-9.

ITAJ Volume 34 no. 2 (April 2006):

• Solos for the Student Trombonist: An Annotated Bibliography Second Edition edited by J. Mark Thompson. 72-3.

ITAJ Volume 34 no. 1 (January 2006):

• The Sadness In My Soul for trombone and piano by Vitaly Chepelenko. 71-2.
• Sonata for trombone and piano by Oksana Pohilo. 72.
• Concerto No.4 for two trombones and orchestra by Vitaly Patzera. 75.

ITAJ Volume 33 no. 4 (October 2005):

• Coney Island Medley for four trombones by Applegate, Goodwin and Meyer, arranged by John Pursell. 82.

ITAJ Volume 33 no. 1 (January 2005)

• Selected Trombone Masterclasses, Vol.1, 2001 and Selected Breathing Masterclasses, Vol.1, 2002 by Windplayer Publications. 62-63.

ITAJ Volume 32 no. 3 (July 2004):

• ·"Listen to the others . . . as well" for four trombones by Marin Valtchanov. 63.

ITAJ Volume 32 no. 2 (April 2004):

• · Night Song for trombone and piano by Athony Iannaccone. 56.

ITAJ Volume 32 no. 1 (January 2004):

• Sonata for Trombone and Piano by David L. Wells. 64.

ITAJ Volume 31 no. 4 (October 2003):

•  Prélude, élégie et final for tenor or bass trombone or tuba and piano by Jean-Michel Damase. 81.
• ·Fantasy for Trombone and piano by Elizabeth Raum. 81-82.

ITAJ Volume 31 no. 3 (July 2003):

• Eclogue for trombone and piano by Alan Ridout. 62.
• Solo de Concours for trombone and piano by Adrien Barthe. 62.

ITAJ Volume 31 no. 2 (April 2003):

• Lynn Meadows Waltz for trombone and piano by Lennie Niehaus. 49.
• Daily Routines for Trombone by David Vining.49-50.

ITAJ Volume 31 no. 1 (January 2003):

• Rapsodie Armoricaine for trombone and piano by Marc Lys. 72.

.ITAJ Volume 30 no.4 (October 2002):

• Dark Tango for trombone and organ by Charles Hoag. 93-4.

ITAJ Volume 30 no.3 (July 2002):

• A Heroic Tale for eight trombones by Eric Hankey. 58.

ITAJ Volume 30 no.2 (April 2002):

• Arban Complete Method for Trombone and Euphonium, Joseph Alessi and Brian Bowman, editors. 43-4.

ITAJ Volume 30, no.1 (January 2002):

• Concerto in B-flat major for alto trombone and strings by J.G. Albrechtsberger. 73.

ITAJ Volume 28, no.3 (Summer 2000):

• Sonatina for trombone and piano by Jan Koetsier. 59.
• Chorale for trombone quartet by Rodney S. Miller. 62.

ITAJ Volume 28, no.1 (Winter 2000):

• Fond Memories of Frank Rosolino: Historical Notes and Transcriptions by Herwig, Pivert, and Benedict. 56.
• Sonatina for trombone and piano by David Uber. 57.

ITAJ Volume 27 no.4 (Fall 1999):

• The Trombone: An Annotated Bibliography by G.B. Lane. 72.

ITAJ Volume 27 no.1 (Winter 1999):

• wotda . . ., for trombone and audience members by Dan Aldag. 59-60.

ITAJ Volume 26 no. 4 (Fall 1998):

• In Darkest Africa and Cakewalk Contest for trombone and piano by Arthur Pryor, edited by Ken Shifrin. 81.
• Trumpet Voluntary for trombone quartet by Jeremiah Clarke, arranged by Ronald C. Dishinger. 82.
• Madrigal: Madonna mia gentil for trombone quartet by Luca Marenzio, arranged by Ronald C. Dishinger. 82.
• The Pink Panther for trombone quartet by Henry Mancini, arranged by Dennis Armitage. 83.

ITAJ Volume 26, no.3 (Summer 1998):

• Subadobe for trombone only by Fredrik Högberg. 60.
• Concertino for 2 horns (or horn and alto trombone) and orchestra/piano reduction by Michael Haydn, edited by Róbert Árpád Murányi. 60-1.
• 50 Études Faciles et Progressives, vol. 2, Études variées sur la souplesse et le legato, vols. 1 and 3 for trombone by Jérôme Naulais. 61-2.