Studio Members

Ohio University Trombone Studio 2018-2019

Meet the students
Conheça os alunos

Clayton Yoshifuku

Clayton Yoshifuku is currently the graduate assistant at Ohio University pursuing a Master’s in Trombone Performance under the tutelage of Dr. Lucas Rego Borges. He acquired his undergraduate degree from Texas Woman’s University in Music Performance. His past mentors include Dr. Michelle Flowers, Dr. Jeriad Wood, and Jimmy Clark. Mr. Yoshifuku is an active performer who has played in a variety of musical settings, including solo recitals, large ensembles, and chamber groups. He was principal bass trombonist for the 2017 College Band Director’s National Association (CBDNA) Small Band Programs Intercollegiate Band and 2018 CBDNA Southwestern Intercollegiate Honor Band. Mr. Yoshifuku was also selected for the 2017 and 2018 Texas Woman’s University Honors Recital.

Garrett Birk

Garrett Birk is a first-year graduate student working on his degree in Trombone Performance. Hailing from Ann Arbor, Michigan Garrett studied with Jonathan Holtfreter and performed with the Ann Arbor Trombone Choir at the Eastern Trombone Workshop in Arlington, VA.
He graduated Cum Laude from Ohio University with a degree in Music Education. During his time in Athens, he was a member and Section Leader of the Ohio University Marching 110, served as Principal trombonist of the Ohio University Symphonic Band, Symphony Orchestra and Wind Symphony. Garrett was apart of the 2017 Ohio University Wind Symphony when they performed at Carnegie Hall in New York City. After graduation, Garrett spent the 2017-2018 school year as the Assistant Director of Bands at Jackson High School in Jackson, Ohio.

Jared Kitchen

Jared is a freshman majoring in music education at Ohio University. He hails from Granville, Ohio, and graduated from Granville High School in 2018. Jared has spent 8 years studying trombone, his primary instrument.

Matthew Harrison

I'm Matthew Harrison and I grew up in a small town called Duncan Falls in Muskingum County, Ohio. I auditioned for Ohio University on a tenor trombone but then switched to bass trombone when I started classes. At my high school, Philo High School, I played in the jazz band, concert band, and marching band. Outside of school functions, I was also in the Rusty Knights jazz band, and played in the Newark-Granville Youth Symphony Orchestra. During my senior year, my high school's marching band received a superior rating at OMEA State Finals, and the jazz band also received a superior at the OMEA Jazz Competition. I also received an award for "Best Jazz Solo." In marching band, I was one of two student leaders, and I was first chair/section leader all four years of high school. I received a superior rating at OMEA Solo and Ensemble on all of my solos throughout high school, and received a superior rating for all the ensembles I was in my senior year. I performed in a concert with the Army Field Band in 2017. I studied with Lucas Kaspar at Muskingum University taking weekly lessons for two years before arriving at Ohio University.

Alexander Eberhardt
Alexander was born in Cincinnati in 1999. His major is music composition, and his primary instrument is the tenor trombone. He has played trombone since he was ten years old, and in the ensuing eight years, he was a member of the 2017 and 2018 All-State Bands, the 2017 Ohio District 14 Honour Band, the 2017 Southwest Regional Orchestra, the 2015-2016 Cincinnati Symphony Youth Concert Orchestra, the 2017-2018 Cincinnati Youth Wind Ensemble, the 2014-2015 Cincinnati Youth Jazz Orchestra II, and many, many others that matter less. He participated in McAuley High School's drama program for three years, portraying Dr. Herman Einstein in Arsenic & Old Lace, Albert Dussel in The Diary of Anne Frank, and an extra in The Wizard of Oz, Singin' in the Rain, and Ramona Quimby. He also played trombone in their pit orchestra for Mary Poppins, All Shook Up, Singin' in the Rain, and Thoroughly Modern Millie. In 2016, he placed second in the state of Ohio for his entry in the musical compositions category of the PTA Reflections Competition. He has spent quite a lot of time compiling information on his ancestry, tracing it generation by generation to Érimón King of Ireland, who likely lived c. 700 - 648 B.C.

Emily Angel Justice
Emily Justice is a sophomore double majoring in music education and trombone performance. She went to Westland High School in Galloway, Ohio, and was in symphonic band, marching band and jazz band all four years. During her senior year of high school, she had the honor of receiving the Louis Armstrong Jazz Award. In addition to her musical commitments junior and senior year, she was also in the Columbus Youth Symphonic Band through Capital University. The summer after junior year, she had the opportunity to travel with George Edge and the American Music Abroad Band. They performed numerous pieces in Italy, Slovenia, Croatia and Austria. She has participated in many ensembles at Ohio University such as the Marching 110, Symphonic Band, Women’s Ensemble, Trombone Choir, trombone quartet, Jazz Combo and Symphony Orchestra. She’s eager to see what new doors the Ohio University's School of Music will open for her!

Alec Ingram
Alec Ingram is an active performing artist on bass trombone and emerging composer born in Marietta, Ohio in 1999. He currently resides in Athens, OH and attends Ohio University pursuing Music Performance (BM) and Music Composition (BM) degrees with an expected graduation date of 2021. Alec is involved in numerous performing activities and has written several works for local ensembles, such as the Ohio University Trombone Choir and the Ohio University Bassoon Studio.

More coming soon...