Dr. Ken Shifrin

PhD, Oxford University

Alto and Tenor Trombone / Euphonium / Bass Trumpet
Soloist, Clinician, Lecturer, Magistrate Judge, Music Publisher

Orchestral Musician

Principal Trombone, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Great Britain (Sir Simon Rattle, Chief Conductor),1982-1994, also responsible for alto trombone, euphonium and bass trumpet;
Principal Trombone, Jerusalem Radio-Symphony Orchestra , 1978-1982;
Co-Solo Trombone, Stuttgart Radio Orchestra, 1977-1978;
Associate Principal Trombone, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (Zubin Mehta, Chief Conductor), 1976-1977.

Chamber Musician

English Trombone Consort, 1st Trombone, 2015- present;
Posaune Voce Trio, international touring chamber ensemble, Artistic Director, 1994- present.
Stuttgart Brass Philharmonie, 1977-1978

Soloist

Brno International Janacek Festival
Howard University
Eastern Trombone Workshop
University of Idaho
University of Texas, El Paso
Brigham Young University
Texas Christian University
University of Utah
Texas Tech University
University of Nevada
University of North Dakota
University of New Mexico
New Mexico State University
University of Minnesota
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
University of North Dakota
Concordia University
Prague Conservatoire of Music
University of Florida
Bratislava Academy of Music
Furman University
Western Carolina University
Old Dominion University
Virginia Commonwealth University
Lenoir-Rhyne University
Gardner Webb University
Hayes School of Music, Appalachia State University
International Trombone Association Festival
International Women’s Brass Conference
Florida Sinfonia
North Carolina School of the Arts
University of North Carolina
Valdosta State University, Georgia
Olomouc, Klasterni Hradisko
Vienna Danube International School
Bratislava Zichy Palace; Franciscan Church
Bratislava Castle
Birmingham Symphonic Winds (England)
Shepherd School of Music, Rice University
Krakow Chamber Music Series
Warsaw Humanitarian Aid Foundation
Karlovy Vary, Kaiser Spa
Duke University
Kiev Academy of Music
Prague Mozart Museum “Bertramka”
44th International Smetana Music Festival
Markneukirchen Wind Band, Markneukirchen, Germany
Vienna, St Stephen’s Cathedral
Prague, Sternberg Palace
Prague, Zbraslav Castle
US Army Orchestra
Oxford University Symphony
Dresden Summer Music Festival
Warwick University
Prague Gallery Series
Royal Welsh School of Music (Cardiff)
Eastern Michigan University
Bratislava Summer Festival
US Army Band
Dvořák Summer Music Festival, Prague
Budapest Town Hall
Prague, Dvořák Museum
Nottingham University Symphonic Band
Nottingham Sinfonia
Oxford Festival Orchestra
Duke University Wind Symphony
Nottingham Sinfonia, Prague
Stourbridge, Bonded Warehouse
Oxford, Exeter College
Oxford, Holywell Concert Hall
Malta International Arts Festival
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (Barbican Centre, London)
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (Edinburgh Festival)

Premieres

David Maves, “D to A, for Ken Shifrin and Computer” (USA Première)
Leopold Mozart, “Concerto for Alto Trombone” (USA and British Première)
Leopold Mozart, “Agnus Dei” (British Première)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, “Jener Donnerworte Kraft” (British Première)
Richard Mudge, “Concerto for Alto Trombone” (USA and British Première)
Elizabeth Raum, “Three Jazz Moods for Ken Shifrin” (USA and British Première)

Research / Lecturer

2000-2004 carried out post-doctoral Research in European archives on behalf of the British Academy and Czech Academy of Science; frequent lecturer on the baroque trombone as well as the role of women in the music of the Bohemian Baroque.

Teacher

Birmingham Conservatoire of Music (Trombone Choir )
Warwick University (Symphonic Brass)
Oxford University (Trombone and Orchestral Brass Coach)
Prague Conservatoire (visiting)

Master Classes/Lectures Presented

Brno International Janacek Festival
International Women’s Brass Conference
Howard University
University of Idaho
University of Texas, El Paso
Brigham Young University
Texas Christian University
University of Utah
University of Nevada
University of North Dakota
University of Minnesota
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
University of North Dakota
University of Florida, School of Music
Bratislava Academy of Music
Lenoir-Rhyne University
University of Western Carolina
University of North Carolina
Shepherd School of Music, Rice University
Valdosta State University, Georgia
Prague Conservatoire of Music
Kiev Academy of Music
Gliere College of Music, Kiev
Eastern Trombone Workshop, Washington, D.C.
Royal Danish School of Music
Eastern Michigan University
Janáček Academy of Music
International Trombone Association Conference
Duke University
British Association of Symphonic Bands and Wind Ensembles
Birmingham Conservatoire of Music
British Euphonium/Tuba Society
Birmingham Symphonic Winds
British Trombone Society
Birmingham Conservatoire of Music
British Euphonium/Tuba Society
Birmingham Symphonic Winds
British Trombone Society

Publications

Orchestral Study Books:
Orchestral Excerpts for Euphonium and Bass Trumpet (with K. Hanlon)
Orchestral Excerpts for Alto Trombone
British Orchestral Excerpts for Trombone and Tuba (with D Longstaff)
Performance Publications (full list available on request)
Handel: Concerto in Ab Major for Trombone and Piano
W.A. Mozart: Jener Donnerworte Kraft for Tenor, Alto Trombone and Strings
Solo Baroque Trombone, Vol 1 (works by Eberlin, Schütz, Ziani)
Solo Baroque Trombone, Vol 2 (works by Eberlin, Reutter, Ziani)
The Baroque Trombone in Sonata (works by Fux, Tuma, Vejvanovský);
Leopold Mozart: Agnus Dei for Alto, Alto Trombone and Chamber Orchestra
Michael Haydn: Et Incarnatus for Alto, Alto Trombone, Tenor Trombone and Chamber Orchestra
Solo and Ensemble Arrangements
George Gershwin: Swanee for Solo Instrument and Piano
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: X-Rated Mozart for Trombone Quartet (with Adrian Taylor)
James Paisible: Sonata for Alto Trombone
Pryor: Cakewalk Contest for Solo Trombone and Piano
Pryor: Canhanibalmo Rag for Solo Trombone and Piano (with Guy Turner)
Old King Cole was a Real Hip Dude for Trumpet, Trombone and Piano
Sweet Molly, Naughty Molly for Tenor saxophone, Euphonium and Piano
What Do We Do with a Drunken Sailor in the Tavern in the Town? For Brass Quintet
“Jelly Roll” Morton: Billy Goat Stomp as recorded by Winton Marsalis on
“Marsalis Standard Time No.6: Mr Jelly Lord”
Gottfried Reiche, Tower Sonata No. 3 for Trombone Quartet

Scholarly Articles

“An Exchange of Sharp Notes”, The Trombonist, Spring 1997
“Trombone Myth Busters No. 1: Dvořák Wrote for the Alto Trombone?”
International Trombone Journal, Spring 1997; re-printed in The Trombonist, Summer 1997; translated into German and re-printed in the IPV – Journal Das Schallstück, No. 22, 2/1997
“Trombone Myth Busters No. 2: Rossini Wrote for the Valve Trombone?” International Trombone Journal, Fall 1997; translated into German and re-printed in Das Schallstück, No. 23, 3/1997
“The Saint Thomas Sonata”, International Trombone Journal, Autumn 1999
“The Valve Trombone in the Nineteenth Century Orchestras of France, Germany , Austria and Bohemia”, Brass Bulletin, part 1: No. 111-III/2000; part 2: No. 112-IV/2000
“The Solo Trombone of the Bohemian Baroque”, Brass Bulletin, part 1: No. 119-III/2002; part 2: No. 120-IV/2002; part 3: No. 121-V/2002
“The Women’s Orchestra of Old Brno”, Early Music America, Summer 2005, Volume 11, Number 2; translated in Danish and reprinted in Tidig Musik, Nr3/2005, October 2005
“Trombone History”, with Jay Friedman, Brass Herald, part 1: December 2013; part 2: February 2014
“Are We Playing Berlioz Right?”, International Trombone Journal, April 2015/Volume 43, Number 2
“Did Wagenseil Write the Wagenseil Concerto?”, International Trombone Journal, July 2020, Volume 48, Number 3

Judicial

Appointed a Magistrate Judge for England and Wales by the Lord Chancellor in 2005.  He serves as a Judge of the Family Court in Birmingham, England.

Ken Shifrin Online