Category: Bass Trombone

Brett Page

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Australian Hometown:
Education:

PROGESSIONAL BIOGRAPHY
Perth born Brett Page is one of Australia’s leading bass trombonists. He has performed with most Australian orchestras, extensively touring Australia, Europe and Asia. Brett held the position of Principal Bass Trombone with the Opera Australia Orchestra for twelve years and regularly performs with Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Brett has featured as guest artist with the Australian Brass Quintet and performed with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.

Brett has a passion for early music, performing on both the Sackbut and Classical trombone. This has lead to period performances and recordings with the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, Australian Baroque Brass, Australian Chamber Orchestra, and the more recently formed,  Australian Romantic and Classical Orchestra (ARCO).

Last updated 2021

Donna Parkes

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Australian Hometown: Canberra
Education: Canberra School of Music, Australian National Academy of Music

PROFESSIONAL BIOGRAPHY

Australian trombonist Donna Parkes has been Principal Trombone of the Louisville Orchestra since 2008 and has been Principal Trombone of the Colorado Music Festival since 2009. Prior to this year, she played the 2012-13 season with the Utah Symphony and the 2007-8 season with the San Francisco Symphony. Parkes was a member of the Virginia Symphony from 2001-2007 and was a member of the New World Symphony under Michael Tilson Thomas for two years. She has performed with many orchestras including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, London Symphony, San Diego Symphony, Oregon Symphony, National Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, Singapore Symphony, Sydney Symphony, and the Australian Chamber Orchestra. Parkes has performed at the Arizona Musicfest, the Marlboro Festival, and the Grand Tetons Festival and in 2016 toured with the Australian World Orchestra. Solo competition successes include winning the Australian National Trombone Competition, the Brisbane International Brass Competition, and finalist in the Jeju Brass Competition in Korea. She has appeared as a soloist or clinician at the International Women’s Brass Conference, International Trombone Festival and the Melbourne International Festival of Brass. Parkes received her Masters Degree studying under Charles Vernon at DePaul University and other primary teachers include Michael Mulcahy and Ron Prussing.

Last updated 2018

Shannon Pittaway holding bass trombone

Shannon Pittaway

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Australian Hometown: Perth
Education: Victorian College of the Arts; Northwestern University, Illinois, USA

PROFESSIONAL BIOGRAPHY

Shannon began playing the cornet at the age of six with guidance from his father Wayne Pittaway and grew up playing in Salvation Army brass bands. He holds a Bachelor of Music Performance from the Victorian College of the Arts and a Master of Music from Northwestern University in Chicago. 

Following his studies he was a fellow of the Pacific Music Festival Orchestra in Japan and later with the Pacific Music Festival Alumni Orchestra which celebrated the 20th anniversary of the the inaugural concert that Leonard Bernstein conducted at the festival.

Shannon is a founding member of the Australian Brass Quintet and the Australian World Orchestra. He has received numerous awards and grants including an honorary fellowship “in recognition for his contribution and achievements in orchestral world music” from Melbourne University. While in Singapore, he was on the faculty of the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music and tutor for the Singapore National Youth Orchestra.
Shannon Pittaway joined the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra in 2015 as Principal Bass Trombone after 10 years with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra.

Teaching is an important part of his career having been on the faculty of Singapore’s Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of music and now Head of Wind and Brass at the New Zealand School of Music. Shannon is a founding member of theAustralian Brass Quintet and has been awarded grants and fellowships from the Australian Elizabethan Theatre trust and the Federation for Young Australians

Last updated 2023