Brad Edwards is Professor of trombone at Arizona State University and is the Principal Trombonist of the South Carolina Philharmonic. Previously, he taught at the University of South Carolina, the University of Northern Iowa and played Principal Trombone with Symphony Orchestra Augusta and the Waterloo/Cedar Falls Symphony, having appeared as a soloist with both ensembles. He has served with the United States Air Force Concert Band in Washington D.C., where he was twice featured as a soloist. Other solo credits include concertos with the U.S. Army Band at the American Trombone Workshop, public radio broadcasts, presentations of new music, guest recitals in the United States and Europe, and concertos with orchestras and wind ensembles. He has recorded two CD’s. The first, “Trombone And…” features concert duets for trombone and other instruments. The second, “24 Concert Pieces” features his own compositions.
He has performed with such ensembles as the Summit Brass, Phoenix Symphony, Charleston Symphony, Charlotte Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, Hartford Symphony, National Symphony, Kennedy Center Opera Orchestra and the Baltimore Opera Orchestra. He has shared the stage with such diverse artists as Ray Charles, Dave Brubeck, Olivia Newton John, Wynona Judd, the Gatlin Brothers, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and Roger Daltry. In 2007, he was selected to be a participant at the prestigious Alessi Seminar in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Dr. Edwards has written a number of books, including First Habits, 60 Vignettes, 100 Sight Reading Melodies in Tenor Clef, 100 Sight Reading Melodies in Alto Clef, The Intermediate Trombonist, Patterns and Snippets the Trombone Craft books (Bass Trombone Craft and Trombone Craft Complete), the Lip Slur books (Lip Slurs and Lip Slur Melodies), the Simply Singing for Winds books and Tuning Drone Melodies. He has also written a book of clef studies subtitled, Before Blazhevich. All these books are available through the TromboneZone.org website.
In 2018, Dr Edwards composed 24 Concert Pieces for trombone and piano (also available for bass trombone, tuba and horn). Recordings of all 24 pieces are available either as a CD or through download. Also available are recordings with just the piano part. These pieces, along with other works, are available through his website, TromboneZone.org. Other solo trombone compositions include Blue Wolf and 4 Impromptus for Low Bone Alone, both available through the ITA Press (Warwick Music). A newer piece, Three Calls for Unaccompanied Trombone was selected for the 2021 American Trombone Workshop national solo competition (Division III).
Another project was the creation of 176 one-minute audition solos for all woodwinds and brass. All these pieces are available for free download from the website: AuditionSolos.com.
Dr. Edwards holds degrees from the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and the Hartt School of Music. His primary teachers have been James Olin, Tony Chipurn, Ronald Borror and Henry Schmidt. He has also studied with Joseph Alessi, Arnold Jacobs, David Fedderly and Milton Stevens.
Brad Edwards is a Greenhoe Artist (Model: GB4-1G)