Lamont trombone and euphonium students at Lamont study with Richard Harris, who has an eclectic career as a soloist, chamber musician and educator. He is the former Assistant Principal Trombone of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and has been a guest with many of the U.S.'s top symphony orchestras, including the Boston Symphony and the Metropolitan Opera. He has appeared on Grammy award winning albums and Oscar winning movie soundtracks. In addition to being on faculty at DU, he teaches at the Raphael Mendez Brass Institute, the Idyllwild Summer Academy and hosts his own low brass seminar "RichardTromboneCamp!" during the summers in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
The Lamont trombone studio regularly welcomes esteemed musicians for masterclasses. Recent guests include:
Peter Steiner, international touring artist
Bill Stanley, Associate Professor of Trombone at CU Boulder
Toby Oft, Principal Trombone of the Boston Symphony
Dr. Brad Edwards, Arizona State University
Scott Hartman, Yale University
M.D. Stewart, Indiana University (retired)
Chris Houlding, Hochshule Dusiburg, Essen
Ilan Morgenstern, Vancouver Symphony
Demian Austin, Principal Trombone, Metropolitan Opera
The inaugural Low Brass Weekend saw Joe Alessi, Principal Trombone of the New York Philharmonic, in residency for a week. He presented four masterclasses, four solo performances, a talk with Warren Deck and private lessons.
Applicants may choose to either audition in person in Denver OR submit a recorded video audition and complete a Zoom interview.
Applications received after January 15 will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. You may indicate your preference for a live or virtual audition on the Lamont application.
Click here to view the current year’s audition/interview dates and the full steps for how to apply.
Applicants unable to travel to Denver for a live audition may submit a video audition via the Lamont application AND will complete a live Zoom interview. Repertoire may be recorded separately in multiple takes; editing within each take is prohibited.
The interview will last about 20 minutes. It will include a performance of part of one of your prepared audition pieces, a short sight-reading exercise, and a Q&A with the faculty.
Undergraduate (BM, BA and Minor)
Trombone and Bass Trombone
2 contrasting solo pieces
Any Bordogni etude (arr. Rochut) of your choice
All major and minor scales
Euphonium
A melodious etude
A study to demonstrate technical facility
Any solo of your choice
Graduate (MM and Certificate in Performance)
Trombone and Bass Trombone
2 contrasting solo pieces
Any Bordogni etude (arr. Rochut) of your choice
All major and minor scales
3 standard excerpts from the orchestral literature
Go to the graduate admission application to submit your information. For information on admission requirements, visit the graduate academic programs page and locate your program of interest.
