Brass
Faculty
The Brass Studies Area prepares students for advanced academic study or a professional career in music, focusing on the horn, trombone, trumpet, or tuba. Students benefit from working with some of the nation's best artists and teachers, all of whom are active symphonic musicians. Students receive close mentorship and guidance from OU's world-renowned faculty/artists in weekly master classes, brass repertory classes, and private music lessons.
Performance is a vital component of music education in the Brass Studies Area, and students in the program participate in nationally acclaimed large ensembles, as well as a variety of faculty-mentored chamber ensembles. Professional performance experience available to OU students include orchestral, theater, jazz, commercial, and recording industry venues. Students also regularly participate in competitions and workshops throughout the country, where they have garnered numerous awards for their outstanding performances and musicianship.
Graduates of the Brass Studies Area at the School of Music have had great success in the performance and education fields. Many of our graduates are active symphonic performers and are on music faculties at many universities across the United States. Our education majors also have distinguished themselves in the public schools, having been recognized as leaders in the profession and operating award-winning music programs.
Brass students have also been accepted into the most prestigious music academies and graduate programs throughout the country.
Prof. Brian Dobbins
Associate Professor of Music (Tuba/Euphonium)
Email: bdobbins@ou.edu
Tuba Studio Links
Professor Brian Dobbins began performing professionally in 1996 at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, VA. He graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1999 with a Bachelors degree in Music Education, and then began performing with the New Mexico Brass Quintet while working on his Masters degree in Music Performance at the University of New Mexico. In 2000, he won the principal tuba position with the Santa Fe Symphony where he continues to perform today. After receiving his Masters in the summer of 2002, Mr. Dobbins had the opportunity to spend the summer performing with the Santa Fe Opera. Later that summer he took a one-year position in Xalapa, Veracruz – Mexico, where he performed with the Xalapa Symphony Orchestra and taught tuba at the University of Veracruz. The following year Professor Dobbins accepted the Visiting Professor of Tuba and Euphonium position at the University of Oklahoma, and after three years of establishing strong high school and university studios, he accepted the Assistant Professor position at the University of Oklahoma.
- MM - University of New Mexico
- BM - Virginia Commonwealth University
In 2024, we will begin a new annual event for trombones, tubas, and euphoniums:
Saturday, December 21, 2024 - Annual Low Brass Holiday Spectacular
TubaFOUr Quartet
Euphoniums
Candice Neel - Sophomore Education Major from Moore, Oklahoma
Isaiah Crawford - Sophomore Music Education Major from Blanchard, Oklahoma
Evan Dommer - Senior Music Performance from Edmond, Oklahoma
Fernando Cardenas - Senior Music Performance from Moore, Oklahoma
Prof. William Lang
Interim Instructor of Trombone
Office: Catlett Music Center 213
Personal Website: williamlang.org
Loadbang Website: loadbangmusic.com
Originally from Long Island, Trombonist William Lang is an active performer and improviser in New York and Boston. The New York Times has called his playing “fiercely, virtuosic”, and he has been hailed for his “superb performance” by the Boston Globe, William is dedicated to the art of playing trombone and moving the art form forward while still honoring tradition. To date he has premiered around 1400 pieces involving trombone alongside numerous historic transcriptions from every era and works from the trombone canon.
He has performed solo recitals around the USA as well as Europe, with a special attention being paid to some ofNew York City's premiere concert venues, such as Bargemusic, the Dimenna Center, the Stone, and Spectrum, among many others. He has also appeared as a concerto soloist with the Janacek Philharmonia in an acclaimed performance of Iannis Xenakis' trombone concerto: Trookh, and with the Ostrava New Orchestra in both Prague and Ostrava, with the Fredonia Wind Ensemble on a tour of New York State; the Brooklyn Community Orchestra, and the Broadway Bach Ensemble. He has been a featured guest soloist with the Brentano String Quartet, Talujon Percussion, Ekmeles, Ensemble Pi, Mivos String Quartet, and the Rhythm Method. He has also been a featured guest at the International Trombone Festival both as a soloist and chamber musician multiple times.
As a chamber musician William is a founding member of: loadbang, the groundbreaking ensemble consisting of Baritone Voice, Bass Clarinet, Trumpet, and Trombone, hailed as “inventive” by the New York Times and “cultivated” by the New Yorker. William is a member of the SEM Ensemble, Ostravska Banda, TILT Brass, the Argento Chamber Ensemble, So Wrong It's Right, and the Boston Microtonal Society’s premier ensemble: Notariotous, where he works alongside like minded composers and performers on the definition of pitch. He has also appeared as a guest artist with the Art Ensemble of Chicago, Signal, Wet Ink, TACTUS, Ensemble Echappe, Sound Icon, and Talea. William also was a founding member of two now defunct groups, the Guidonian Hand, a trombone quartet hailed by the New York Times for their "expertly played, with meaty low brass textures" performance, and Occasional Noise, a trio of Trombone, Piano, and Percussion, which were active in commissioning original and exciting works for their instrumental combinations by many leading composers.
As a recording and commercial musician William has appeared on albums with such luminaries as David Byrne and St. Vincent (their album Love This Giant,) and Jonsi (from Sigur Ros,) on his solo album Go. You can also hear him on Bryce Dessner, Sufjan Stevens, and Nico Muhly’s collaboration Planetarium. He can also be heard on many classical releases, such as TILT Brass' debut recording, to TILT vol. 1 and as a recording soloist for John Cage's Ryoanji with the Avant Media Festival. He has also recorded commercial music for Philip Glass, the TV Show Lois & Clark, and also the soundtrack for a Matthew Barny film, the River Fundament. In addition to recording credits, William has been heard as the house trombonist for Rockefeller Center's Christmas Music Spectacular, featuring the Rockettes!, as well as on numerous on and off-Broadway shows.
Mr. Lang is also an accomplished Orchestral and Opera musician as well, appearing with many ensembles throughout New York, such as the American Ballet Theatre, the Orchestra Now!, Dicapo Opera, Musicra Sacra, the Little Orchestra Society, and the Manhattan Chamber Symphony. In addition he has played with the Orchestra of the SEM Ensemble, the Janacek Philharmonic, the Western New York Chamber Orchestra, and the Eroica Ensemble.
William has also performed in such venues as the Guggenheim Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Carnegie’s Isaac Stern and Zankel Halls, le Poisson Rouge, Radio City Music Hall, the Winter Garden, St. Paul’s Church in Boston, St John the Divine’s in New York City, Paul Hall, Lincoln Center’s Rose Theatre, Issue Project Room, and St. Peter’s in New York City. As a curator alongside trumpeter Andrew Kozar, William founded and ran a weekly concert series, "Power Concerts", at Manhattan School of Music. Featuring guest performers every week and a dedication to new music, Will and Andy hosted 42 concerts, which built up a steady following and featured the premieres of over 50 new works during their tenure, and which continues to exist at Manhattan School of Music to this day.
William received his Masters Degree from Manhattan School of Music, and his Bachelors Degree from SUNY Fredonia. He is also a frequent teaching artist for the New York Philharmonic's Very Young Composers program and has also given masterclasses and lectures at over 45 different Universities and Colleges throughout the United States.
William is the Interim Instructor of Trombone at the University of Oklahoma, and also on faculty at the Longy School of Music in Boston, where he teaches lessons in trombone and the nature of being a 21st century musician. He is also an artist both for Stephens Horns, who made his instrument, and Long Island Brass Co. which created his unique mouthpiece.
Dr. Douglas Lindsey
Assistant Professor of Music (Trumpet)
Office: Catlett Music Center 217
Dr. Douglas Lindsey joined the faculty at the University of Oklahoma in the Fall of 2023. Prior to his time at OU, Dr. Lindsey was the Associate Professor of trumpet and brass area coordinator at Kennesaw State University.
As a soloist, he has performed many times each at the International Trumpet Guild conference, at the Atlanta Trumpet Festival, at the Trumpet Festival of the Southeast, in numerous faculty and guest soloist recitals across the country, and with many high school, community and college bands across the country. Recently, in collaboration with pianist Kristy Olefsky, Dr. Lindsey released his first solo album, Impressions of France. Alongside pianist Judy Cole, he has performed solo recitals all over the Southeast as a founding member of Duo Trompiano.
As an orchestral musician, he has performed as principal trumpet of the Memphis Symphony, as section trumpet with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, as principal trumpet of the Georgia Symphony Orchestra, as section trumpet with the Macon Symphony, and spent two summers as an orchestral fellowship winner at the Aspen Music Festival.
His love of building community through music is highlighted by his leadership role in the Georgia Brass Band where he served as President and Principal Cornet for many years. This work culminated in the Georgia Brass Band earning their highest ever placement at NABBA. Recently in 2023 he was tapped to play principal cornet for the award-winning Fountain City Brass Band. In addition to a large variety of concerts in the United States, the band will also travel to England to compete alongside some of the world's finest bands. In addition to brass bands, Dr. Lindsey has spent time on tour in the award-winning University of Wisconsin Brass Quintet and as a member of the Mirari Brass Quintet.
Previous to earning his DMA at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Dr. Lindsey studied with Allan Dean at Yale, earning his Master of Music with the distinction of winning the John Swallow excellence in brass prize. Prior to Yale he studied with Ray Mase, Louis Ranger, Kevin Cobb, Scott Moore and Richard Rulli. Dr. Lindsey received his music performance and music education degrees magna cum laude from the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville. Dr. Lindsey is a Mercer and Barker mouthpiece and Schilke trumpet artist.
Dr. Matthew Reynolds
Assistant Professor of Music (Horn)
Office: Catlett Music Center 215
Matthew Reynolds is the Assistant Professor of Horn at the University of Oklahoma. His teachers were Jeffrey Powers (retired) at Baylor University, Dr. Nicholas Smith (retired) at Wichita State University, and Dr. Kristy Morrell at the University of Southern California.
Before his teaching position at OU, he taught private lessons to students of all ages for 10 years, and continues to do so in his free time. During his time at OU so far, he has been a featured soloist with the Symphony Band at OU, was invited as a guest artist at the 2024 Midsouth Horn Conference and 2024 Internation Horn Symposium, and has also been invited to perform and give masterclasses at several universities such as the University of Louisiana-Monroe and University of Arkansas.
He is currently the 4th horn of the Oklahoma City Philharmonic and has played with many other professional orchestras such as the Tulsa Symphony, Wichita Symphony, Waco Symphony, Wichita Grand Opera, Downey Symphony, Los Angeles Doctors Symphony, and more. He also continues to be a freelance musician, performing in smaller groups such as church services, recording projects, pop gigs, and more.
Along with his teaching and performance achievements, he is the director of the Young Artists Competition at OU and is an active member in several committees such as the Council for Culture and Belonging, Undergraduate Studies Committee, and the Undergraduate Task Force.
- University of Southern California - DMA (Horn Performance)
- Wichita State University - MM (Horn Performance)
- Baylor University - BM (Horn Performance)
