Michael Becker, Trombone Michael Becker was named Principal Trombone of the Tucson Symphony in 2000 and 2nd Trombone of the Arizona Opera Orchestra in 2008. In 2009, he was appointed Bass Trombone of the Britt Festival Orchestra in Oregon. He is currently Adjunct Professor of Trombone at the University of Arizona, Tucson.
Prior to his engagement with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, he was 2nd Trombone of the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra (now the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra) Mr. Becker has performed, recorded and toured with orchestras across the U.S. and world including the Chicago Symphony, London Symphony, Detroit Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, Lyric Opera of Chicago, the World Orchestra with Sir Georg Solti in Geneva, Switzerland and Baden Baden, Germany, the Savannah Symphony, the Malaysian Philharmonic, the Charlotte Symphony, the Alabama Symphony and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.
In the summer, he has performed at the Grand Teton Music Festival, Grant Park Symphony Orchestra, Ravinia Festival and Arizona Opera’s Wagner Ring Cycle.
Mr. Becker has performed and toured as Bass Trombonist with Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Ensemble.
He received his Bachelor of Music in Trombone from Indiana University and his Masters Degree in Trombone Performance from Arizona State University.
As a dedicated teacher, Mr. Becker has performed and presented clinics at major universities throughout the US. He has also served as adjunct in Trombone at the University of Hawaii, Manoa and Visiting Professor of Trombone at the University of Arizona,Northern Arizona University and the University of Georgia, Athens.
In 2005, Mr. Becker created and launched the first of his annual Becker Low Brass Boot Camp in Tucson, AZ. This week long intensive workshop is geared for students and young performers pursuing a career in Symphony Orchestras.
Michael Becker can be heard on his solo CD, "Songs and Dances" available at CD Baby or other digital store outlets including iTunes.
Michael Grose, Tuba
Michael Grose joined the UO music faculty in 2001 as associate professor of tuba. Prior to coming to Oregon, Grose was principal tubist of the Savannah Symphony Orchestra since 1986 and the Hilton Head Orchestra since 1990. He is currently the principal tubist of the Eugene Symphony.
Grose received his bachelor's and master's degrees from Northwestern University, where he was a student of Arnold Jacobs. After graduation, he continued his private study with Jacobs until 1998.
Before assuming his position in Savannah, Grose was a tubist with Civic Orchestra of Chicago and the Illinois Philharmonic. He has performed with the Chicago, Oregon, Atlanta, Milwaukee, Honolulu, Charleston, and Jacksonville symphonies, and the Boise Philharmonic. An accomplished chamber musician, Grose received the Sweepstakes Award at the Fischoff International Chamber Music Competition, making him the first tubist to receive that prize. Grose was also a prize-winner at the Coleman Chamber Music Competition in Pasadena, California. Both awards came while he was a member of the Chicago-based Asbury Brass Quintet. A founding member of the Millar Brass Ensemble, Grose has recorded for the London/Decca and Crystal Records labels.
Professor Grose is a member of the Oregon Brass Quintet, the faculty brass ensemble at the University of Oregon. Since coming to UO, he has developed a special website, Tube People, to highlight UO tuba-euphonium activities, and to offer educational/pedagogical materials about the tuba and euphonium to interested students, educators, and enthusiasts.
Mr. Grose was formerly an adjunct faculty member at Armstrong Atlantic State University, Georgia Southern University, and a faculty-artist at the Brevard Music Center in North Carolina.