Western Illinois University College of Fine Arts and Communication

John Mindeman

John Mindeman is Assistant Professor of Trombone and Euphonium at Western Illinois University. In addition to teaching the trombone and euphonium studio, he teaches low brass techniques, coaches chamber music, and conducts the WIU Trombone Ensemble and brass choir. He performs with the Lamoine Brass Quintet and gives solo recitals at WIU, and at other schools, churches, and universities throughout the region.

Before coming to Western, Mr. Mindeman worked as a free-lance musician in Chicago, where he performed with groups such as the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Music of the Baroque, the Ravinia Festival Orchestra, the Grant Park Orchestra, Chicago Opera Theater, the Chicago Brass Quintet, and the Millar Brass Ensemble. He has also performed with many well known popular artists such as Joni Mitchell, The Three Tenors (Pavarotti, Domingo, Carreras), Andrea Boccelli, Charlotte Church, Nanci Griffith, The Moody Blues, Marvin Hamlisch, and Garrison Keillor. He is a former trombonist of two orchestras overseas, the Filarmonica de Santiago (Chile) and the Orquesta Sinfonica Nacional (Costa Rica).

Each summer John teaches and performs at the Birch Creek Music Performance Center in Door County, Wisconsin. His previous teaching experience includes five years at Northern Illinois University and four years at Roosevelt University.

John’s recordings include five discs with the Millar Brass Ensemble on the Delos and Spring Hill labels, one with the Chicago Brass Quintet on the Centaur label, and two solo recordings: the “Colloquy for Trombone and Band” by William Goldstein, (with the NIU Wind Ensemble), and the premiere recording of the “Trombone Concerto” by Dexter Morrill (with the NIU Philharmonic). He is also an avid arranger, having crafted pieces for brass, orchestra, wind ensemble, and chorus. Some of his arrangements have been recorded by the Millar Brass Ensemble on the CD Brass Surround (Delos), and by tenor David Phelps on the CD Joy (Spring Hill).

Mr. Mindeman received a Bachelor’s degree from Wheaton College (Illinois), and a Master’s degree from the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago. His trombone teachers include Edward Kocher, George Krem, Edward Kleinhammer, Arnold Jacobs, and Charles Vernon.

Office Location: A Browne Hall
Office Phone: 309/298-1672
Email: JS-Mindeman@wiu.edu

[ Music ] [ College of Fine Arts and Communication ] [ Western Illinois University ] School of Music | 1 University Circle | Macomb, IL 61455 E-mail: music@wiu.edu | Phone: 309/298-1544 | Fax: 309-298-1968 Last updated: August 26, 2007