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Brian Kay, Biography
From playing Mahler symphonies on stage at Carnegie hall, to playing backup for Aretha Franklin, to performing on sackbut from a facsimile of Petrucci's 1501 Odhecaton, trombonist Brian Kay has had an exciting and varied musical career. Originally from Urbana, Illinois, he holds degrees from New England Conservatory, and the University of Illinois. Brian has performed with many of the areas top ensembles including the Boston Ballet, Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra, Boston Philharmonic, Rhode Island Philharmonic, Portland Symphony and Indian Hill Symphony. He has toured the country and Europe with The King's Brass and the American Waterways Wind Orchestra. On period instruments, he has performed with the Handel and Haydn Society, Boston Camerata, Boston Baroque, New York Collegium, Aston Magna, and Renaissonics. He can be heard on compact disc recordings with the Handel and Haydn Society, Music From Aston Magna, the King's Brass, and the Dave Rasmussen Jazz Orchestra.
Brian has been teaching in the Boston area since 1991, and currently teaches students from throughout the region from his home studio in Natick, Massachusetts. Mr. Kay is a former faculty member at the New England Conservatory Preparatory Division and the Longy School. He is the author of two volumes of Intermediate Trombone Methods, as well as numerous other teaching materials. He has taught sessions on various topics including Historical Performance and the Art of Teaching at area conservatories including New England Conservatory, Boston Conservatory, and the Longy School, where he taught a year-long graduate class on private lesson teaching. He has coached brass ensembles at the New England Conservatory Preparatory Division, and the Longy School Professional Studies Division. Brian is experienced and comfortable teaching a wide variety of ages, backgrounds and ability levels, from absolute beginner through highly advanced students. Adult students and students with ADD have become particular areas of success. During the summers of 1999 and 2001, Brian traveled to Haiti, where he taught trombone, trumpet, and recorder to young adults and youths, and helped to set up a school music program.
Brian Kay's students have regularly taken part in groups such as New England Conservatory's Youth Philharmonic and Youth Symphony, Greater Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras, Junior and Senior Massachusetts Youth Wind Ensemble, Junior and Senior District Orchestras, Bands, and Jazz Bands, and All-State. His students' performances have included Carnegie Hall performances, and a student guest performance with the Boston Symphony. His highest hope for his students is that their musical endeavors are enjoyable, and help them to grow and thrive in life.