Trombone Master Classes
Michael Mulcahy
June 23-28, 2024
Faculty Recital: Sunday, June 23, at 12:00pm
Final Recital: Friday, June 28, at 10:00am
Location: Ryan Center for the Musical Arts (Evanston Campus)
Overview
This summer trombone workshop will feature an exhaustive exposure to fundamentals, training for orchestral auditions, master classes focusing on the interpretation of solo literature, and chamber music performance. Michael Mulcahy appears around the globe as a soloist and teacher. He has led Northwestern's trombone studio since 1999 and his students occupy major positions in orchestras worldwide, including the Boston Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, and the Berlin Philharmonic. A member of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra since 1989, Mulcahy is also principal trombone with Chicago's Music of the Baroque and the Grand Teton Music Festival. Previously he was principal trombone with Australia's Tasmanian Symphony and Melbourne Symphony and solo trombone with the Cologne Radio Symphony.
Available Credits
MUS_WKSP 310 Sec 3 Performance Workshop, One-Week 0 credit
MUS_WKSP 315 Sec 3 Performance Workshop, One-Week 0.5 credit
Tuition
Participant Tuition: $750, Full Program Auditors: $450
(Additional charge to register for credit)
Audition Requirements
A digital video recording of selections made in the same location, unaccompanied, with no editing within an individual excerpt.
- Tenor trombone: Saint Saën’s Cavatine (for high school and undergraduate students only); Martin’s Ballade, beginning to figure 14 (for graduate students and professionals); Mozart’s Requiem, Tuba mirum, 2nd trombone solo; Berlioz’s Hungarian March, 2nd trombone parts (from 6 measures before rehearsal 4 through the 2nd measure of rehearsal 5); Ravel’s Bolero, 1st trombone solo (3rd measure of rehearsal 10 to rehearsal 11); Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyries (major only).
- Bass trombone: Lededev’s Concerto, beginning to end of cadenza (for high school and undergraduate students only); Spillman’s Concerto, beginning to letter H (for graduate students and professionals); Bach’s Cello Suite No.5, Sarabande; Berlioz’s Hungarian March; Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyries (2nd major section only).
How to Apply
Applications must be submitted via the Summer Application. Upon creating a file in the Application, applicants should select “Summer Session” as their application type, and then select the workshop to which they are applying. This will ensure that the file is distributed to the correct reviewers. No separate application form is necessary—do not submit an application to Northwestern University via the Common Application or Graduate Music Online Application. Applicants will be asked to upload a detailed resume as well as all audition requirements.
The deadline for performer applications is April 8, 2024. The deadline for accepted participant registration with full tuition due is June 1, 2024.
NOTE: No paper applications will be accepted. Do not mail recordings to the Bienen School of Music or to faculty, as these will not be reviewed or returned.
Faculty
Michael Mulcahy
See Full BioMichael Mulcahy
CloseChicago Symphony Trombonist Michael Mulcahy has appeared as a soloist and teacher in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Holland, Italy, Sweden, Denmark, Russia, Japan, China, Argentina New Zealand and Australia.
He has appeared as a soloist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Pierre Boulez in music of Elliot Carter, and most recently with Daniel Barenboim in Leopold Mozart’s Concerto for Alto Trombone. Other solo appearances include the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Hilversum Radio Symphony Orchestra, and on tour with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. In October 2016, Michael gave the world premiere of Five Hallucinations by Carl Vine, a solo concerto co-commissioned by the Chicago Symphony and the Sydney Symphony. In 2018 he will be featured as soloist in the world premiere of the Low Brass Concerto of Jennifer Higdon with the Chicago Symphony and Riccardo Muti.
Michael is the winner of several international competitions, among them the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Instrumental Competition, the ARD International Music Competition in Munich, the Viotti International Competition in Italy and the International Instrumental Competition in Markneukirchen, in the former East Germany.
Sir Georg Solti appointed Michael Mulcahy to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 1989. He is Principal Trombone with Chicago’s Music of the Baroque and the Grand Teton Music Festival. His orchestral career began in 1976 as Principal Trombone of the Tasmanian Symphony. A year later he attained the same chair with the Melbourne Symphony. Michael left Australia in 1981 to pursue his career in Europe where he became Solo Trombone with the Cologne Radio Symphony Orchestra. He is currently Principal Trombone of the Australian World Orchestra under Mehta, Rattle, and Briger.
Michael Mulcahy’s interest in conducting was sparked by an invitation from Westdeutscher Rundfunk to direct a concert of music of Arvo Pärt. He serves as Director of the CSO BRASS, as well conducting regularly for the Grand Teton Music Festival and guest appearances for the Sydney Symphony, Tasmanian Symphony, New World Symphony and the Royal Danish Orchestra. He has also served as Music Director for National Music Camp in Australia.
He was named Senior Lecturer of the Canberra School of Music at the Australian National University in 1987. In 1999 he was appointed to lead the trombone studio at the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University. Michael is Visiting Artist at the Australian National Academy of Music in Melbourne. He has also been an Artist in Residence at Indiana University, and Wiley Housewright Scholar at Florida State University. He has taught and conducted at Daniel Barenboim’s East West Divan workshop for young Arab and Israeli musicians in Seville. Every July Michael leads his Summer Trombone Performance Master Class at Northwestern University.
Michael Mulcahy
CloseChicago Symphony Trombonist Michael Mulcahy has appeared as a soloist and teacher in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Holland, Italy, Sweden, Denmark, Russia, Japan, China, Argentina New Zealand and Australia.
He has appeared as a soloist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Pierre Boulez in music of Elliot Carter, and most recently with Daniel Barenboim in Leopold Mozart’s Concerto for Alto Trombone. Other solo appearances include the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Hilversum Radio Symphony Orchestra, and on tour with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. In October 2016, Michael gave the world premiere of Five Hallucinations by Carl Vine, a solo concerto co-commissioned by the Chicago Symphony and the Sydney Symphony. In 2018 he will be featured as soloist in the world premiere of the Low Brass Concerto of Jennifer Higdon with the Chicago Symphony and Riccardo Muti.
Michael is the winner of several international competitions, among them the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Instrumental Competition, the ARD International Music Competition in Munich, the Viotti International Competition in Italy and the International Instrumental Competition in Markneukirchen, in the former East Germany.
Sir Georg Solti appointed Michael Mulcahy to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 1989. He is Principal Trombone with Chicago’s Music of the Baroque and the Grand Teton Music Festival. His orchestral career began in 1976 as Principal Trombone of the Tasmanian Symphony. A year later he attained the same chair with the Melbourne Symphony. Michael left Australia in 1981 to pursue his career in Europe where he became Solo Trombone with the Cologne Radio Symphony Orchestra. He is currently Principal Trombone of the Australian World Orchestra under Mehta, Rattle, and Briger.
Michael Mulcahy’s interest in conducting was sparked by an invitation from Westdeutscher Rundfunk to direct a concert of music of Arvo Pärt. He serves as Director of the CSO BRASS, as well conducting regularly for the Grand Teton Music Festival and guest appearances for the Sydney Symphony, Tasmanian Symphony, New World Symphony and the Royal Danish Orchestra. He has also served as Music Director for National Music Camp in Australia.
He was named Senior Lecturer of the Canberra School of Music at the Australian National University in 1987. In 1999 he was appointed to lead the trombone studio at the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University. Michael is Visiting Artist at the Australian National Academy of Music in Melbourne. He has also been an Artist in Residence at Indiana University, and Wiley Housewright Scholar at Florida State University. He has taught and conducted at Daniel Barenboim’s East West Divan workshop for young Arab and Israeli musicians in Seville. Every July Michael leads his Summer Trombone Performance Master Class at Northwestern University.