• The Frank Rosolino Memorial Scholarship/Jazz Trombone
  
      (announcement from the ITA Newsletter, Vol. VI, No.3, April 1979)
  
  The International Trombone Association announces the Frank Rosolino Memorial Jazz Scholarship in memory of the great jazz trombopnist, Frank Rosolino.   The Scholarship is to the International Trombone Workshop, to be held May 28-June1, 1979 in Nashville, Tennessee.  The scholarship will be awarded to the top student who applies for the award.
  
  Applications are available from Mr. Vernon Forbes at the School of Music, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588. Donations may be made in Frank Rosolino’s name, c/o Stan Adams, Treasurer,  the International Trombone Association, School of Music, University of Arizona, Tucson, AS 85721.
  
  Frank Rosolino, an alumnus of the Gene Krupa, Stan Kenton bands and many small groups had been active in the west coast studios and as an educational clinician for the Conn Corp.  Rosolino, one of the most important be-bop trombonists and beloved musicians, died in Los Angeles last November.
  
  And so, with the awarding of the Frank Rosolino Memorial Scholarship to student Nils Wogram of Germany at the 1996 ITF in Feldkirch;, Austria it will mark the completion and celebration of our 17th year (1979-1996).  There have been 16 awards during this period since no award was made at the 1992 ITW when it was held in Germany.                                                    
  
  Attempts to put the scholarship and its history into a responible format over the past few years by identifying those proposing, supporting and voting it into the ITA’s program have for the most part been unsuccessful. We have excellent reporting on the 1978 ITW in Nashville where Rosolino appeared for the first time and was co-featured with Bill Watrous.  Frank also had appeared for the first time that year at the Eastern Trombone Workshop and again was featured along with Watrous and in April prior to the ITW, Tom Everett, Harvard University Jazz Band, had as guest soloists Jimmy Knepper and Frank Rosolino.  In exploring all of these potential sources it has been been made very clear to me that there was overwhelming agreement in favor of establishing a scholarship and that after a few telephone exchanges between the various members of the executive committee the deed was done.  As one who has had the honor of serving as co-sponsor these many years I can only say thank you to those unknown ITA members for their commitment  and desire  to  strengthen  the ITA’s overall scholarship program. Unfortunately many years of bare minimum monetary support would pass before the ITA would arrange to endow the scholarship in 1993 and early in 1994 this was followed by the establishment of the Frank Rosolino Memorial Fund,Inc.by Conrad Herwig, New York free-lance trombonist and Professor Emeritus Eugene Grissom, University of Florida.The purpose of the fund was to provide additional monetary assistance for such things as travel, etc. Additinal changes are  currently in the works as to how scholarships are to be handled and supported by the  ITA in the future. Suggestions and membership comments are most certainly welcome.
  
  The Frank Rosolino Memorial Scholarsip/Jazz Trombone has produced a remarkable series of exceptional young trombonists as winners.  They have without a doubt given the Rosolino Scholarship its outstanding reputation and  has in effect lived up to in every way  a condition that Frank Rosolino would have us believe  would be “the  way to go”.  A listing of the credits amassed by the winners would take several pages of type and so apologies to all those that have responded to this request for an update.  It is hoped that this informational article will in some way help to draw  quality applications for the 1997 ITF to be held at the University of Illinois.
  
  (1979) Conrad Herwig the first Rosolino Scholarship winner and currently New York’s hottest freelance continues to lead the way with a series of CD’s   featuring his own duo’s, trios,quartets, quintets and as guest soloist with a wide variety of groups and varied instrumentations.  Big band CD’s include Toshiko Akiyoshi, Eddie Palmieri/Latin Jazz, Grover Mitchell, Harry Connick,jr, Bill Warfield, Frank Sinatra. Festivals and clinics, private lessons throughout the U,S. and Europe, Asia, Japan and South Åmerica. The latest CD just released to the market features Conrad with Dave Liebman, Richie Beirach, Rufus Reid and Adam Nussbaum - titled “New York Breed” Double Time Records DTRCD-108.
  
  (1980)  Chris Seiter Followed Herwig to New York and recorded and soloed on
  two of Toshiko records.  Chris has also put in some time with the Woody Herman, and Bob Mintzer tours and served as backup for Ella, Tony Bennett, Nancy Wilson,Liza M. and Ray Charles.  He earned an NEA Study Grant with Bob Brookmeyer and an NEA Jazz Demonstration Grant.  He is currently employed as a Documentation Manager for Compaq Computer Corp.and is still a freelance in the Dallas area.  Jazz Times latest review of the Dave Zoller Sextet (Snug Harbor DPZ Jazz 306) lists solos by Chris as a major contribution to the success and high quality of this sextet performance.
  
  (1981)  Scott Bliege - Bliege spent time with the Maynard Ferguson orchestra, he has performed with the Marvin Stamm and his quintet, and played in the Chicago area with the big bands of Buddy Childers and Bill Partin.  This past summer he taught at the Yellow Stone Park Jazz Camp and at the University of Wisconsin Jazz Camp with Steve Wiest and Paul McKee.  He is planning a move to Orlando, Florida this year.
  
  (1982)  Paul McKee - Mckee, a regular member of the Woody Herman Orchestra, toured the U.S. and Europe this summer, performed in a concert in Carnegie Hall and recorded a new CD with Woody in New York.  He was a member of the trombone section in Frank Montooth’s Big Band (Chicago) and also arranged one of his own compositions (The Messenger) for the Mantooth CD -”Sophisticated Lady” -,Seabreeze Records SB 2074.  McKee will have his own CD coming out in the fall.  It will be a collection of his own compositions and arrangements showcasing Carl Fontana and Bobby Shew.
  
   (1983)  Tom Kordus  Earlier work with Clark Terry, Buddy Childers, Jimmy Dorsey and Les Elgart but I get current information from others in Chicago that Tom is now more frequently working on classical assignments. Update?
  
  (1984)  Rob Boone  Early on Rob was on the west coast picking up credits with George Robert’s Bones West, Dave Well’s Trombone City, Hoyt Bohannon’s Garage  and the Los Angeles Jazz Workshop Band. He is currently a member of the Tucson Jazz Orchestra, Rob Boone Trio, Tucson Pops Orchestra, and  Orquesta Del Sol (salsa band). He is currently on the music staff at the University of Arizona  and active as a composer/arranger having arranged and produced George Robert’s recording, “ I’ll Play For You” and last but certainly not least he now is serving as jazz editor for the ITA Journal.
  
  (1985)  Jim Martin  One of the busiest of the scholarship winners with credits: Louis Bellson,Clark Terry, Rob McConnell, Harry Connick,Jr.,Rob Partin’s Jazz Tech Big Band,City Musick of Chicago, The American Wind Symphony, Grand Rapids, Lansing and Traverse City Symphony Orchestras. He is a commissioned composer and an active composer/arranger for Rob Partin Jazz Tech Big Band - Seabreeze Records.  He is co-founder of the Martin Piano Studio and now a Regional Director for Excel Communications, Inc.
  
  
  (1986)  Joel Adams   Joel was employed early on at the American Hawaii Cruises, and had a short tour with Woody Herman. He now resides in Madison, Wisconsin  and most recently appeared with the Barry Harris Big Band and the Jimmy Heath Festsival Orchestra.
  
  (1987)  John Moak  Following his MM in performance with Rich Matteson at the University of North Florida/Jacksonville he  accepted a position  at the University as instructor of lower brass.  He was featured soloist with the River City Brass Band and Jazz Band and when he returned to the Oklahoma City area he resumed his teaching at a local college. He also finds ample time to continue his guest solo gigs and is employed by an engineering firm during the daytime hours.
  
  (1988)   Mike Christianson - Christianson completed two international tours with the Ray Charles Show and two years with teh Ray Charless Orch.  At present he is free lancing in New York,including playing Broadway Shows (Crazy for You and Showboat), playing with the Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orch.,
  Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, and has performed in a recial at Carnegie Hall with the Brass Arts Colective.  The B.A.C.  CD is titled “Skating on the Highway”, (Hacksound Records HSR 0100 CD).  In his most recent update, Christianson was also listed as a low brass instructor at Jersey City State College.
  
   (1989)  Eric Felten  Eric has his own Repertory Big Band (swing era) in Washington, D.C.  He is a clinician for Virtu Instruments, Inc. and is listed in the Penguin Guide to Jazz.  His second CD has recently been released - “Gratitude” with Felten’s trombone featured along with the tenor of Joe Lovano and Randy Becker.  His first CD was notable in the trombone world due to the shared solo space with Jimmy Knepper,  (“T-Bop”  Soul Note 121196-2)
  
  (1990)  Matt Soule  (current data unavailable)   
  
  (1991)  David Gibson  David has recently completed his Performance degree at Eastman School of Music with John Marcellus and is currently freelancing in New York City. (current updated listings unavailable at this time).
  
  
• A recent 2003 update for David Gibson includes the summer of 2000 playing with Slide Hampton and the World of Trombones, went to Graz, Austria for the Sommer Jazz Fest, in the fall of 2000 begin  playing with Jon  Faddis and the Dizzy Gillespie Alulmni All Star Big Band.  1999-present perform Wednesdays at Smoke, 106th and B;way in Manhaten, with the Hot Pants Funk Sextet + 1.    1999 to present performing regularly with own small group,  His debut recording  as a leadeer, Maya, was released  in April  2002 on Nagel-Heyer.
  
  (1992)  ITW in Germany - (no scholarship awarded)
  
  (1993)  Robert Stone  Rob was the first Canadian to win the Rosolino Scholarship and is currently a Lecturer in Trombone Education at University of Western Ontario, London and a private teacher in Victoria, BC, Thunder Bay, ON and London, ON. He has symphonic performance experience with the Orchestra London, Victoria Symphony, National Youth Orchestra of Canada, Victoria Opera Orchestra and the Thunder Bay Symphony BVrass Quintet.  Jazz and variety experince includes:  Rob McConnell and the Boss Brass, The Nelson Riddle Alumni Orchestra, The Capp-Bierce Juggernaut, The Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra and Ian McDougall groups.
  
  (1994)  Elliot Mason  Elliot (England)is currently in his second year on a full tuition scholarship at Berklee College of Music in Boston and is commuting to New York to play with his brother(trumpet) in a quartet/quintet format.  He has performed with the All-Star Big Band in Boston,Herb Pomeroy’s Ensemble, the Thelonious Monk Ensemble at the IAJE conference in L.A. (‘95),  Represented Berklee College of Music (trombone) on a tour of Minneapolis, Virginia, Philadelphia, Florida and Los Angeles and in England peformed at Ronnie Scott’s Club for weeks residency in March of “94 and “95.  He was the winner of the Slide Hampton award and of ETW’s under twenty-nine jazz trombone competition in March of 1995.
  
  (1995) Guergen Neudert  Guergen (Germany) has been a student at the Musikhochscshule in Koln, Germany and a member and soloist with the German National Youth Jazz Orchestra (Bujazzo) and frequent guest soloist with the Berlin Radio Big Band conducted by Peter Herbolzheimer.(current updated material not available at this time).
  
  (1996)  Nils Wogram  - Wogram is from Cologne, Germany and has been a student at the Musikhochschule in Koln.  He spent two years in New York City on a scholarsip at the “New School” and lists as teachers, Steve Turre, Kenny Werner, Richie Beirach, Conrad Herwig, and Slide Hampton.  A CD entitled “New York Conversations” (Mons LCD 6458) was the resultof the New Yorkk experience and features Nils Wogram and Kenny Werner.  The German government awarded Nils a grant to complete his latest CD for ENJA Records.  It is entitled “Round Trip” and is scheduled for release in October. In November he will present a program of his own compositions with the Noth German Radio Big Band.  Festival performances include: Varna Jazzfestival (Bulgaria), Jazz Baltica, Theatherhaustage Stuttgart. Wogram is a student of Jiggs Whigham.
  
  (1997) Michael Busbee - Pitsburg, California - His teachers include: Conrad  Herwig, Steve Turre, Robin Eubanks, John Gore, Hall Goff, and Van Hughes.  Prior to winning the Rosolino Memorial Scholarship Mr Busbee had been selected as best jazz soloist at the Walt Disney All-American Music Festival (1992) and the Los Medanos College Festival (1993).    In 1994 he received a  $1000 jazz scholarships to attend California State Universiy-Hoyward, and in 1995 he begin attending William Paterson College in New Jersey.
  
  (1998) Antti Rissanen - Kotka, Finland - Prior to winning the F.R. Memorial Scholarship  Mr. Risanen had graduated from the Music Academy Classical Piano Depart. and a Jazz Program in Sibelius, Academy o Music in Helsinki, Finland. He recently graduated Summa Com Laude from the Hans Eisler Hochschule Fur Music in Berlin.  During his studies in Germany he was a member of the All State Orchestra (Bujzzo), Berlin RAdio Rias Big Band, Unied Jazz Band Berlin, and in Finlandm Radio UMO Jazz Orchestra.   He was awarded two  Honor-stipendiuim from the Finish Culturall Åssociation and nominated Best Player of the Imatra Big Band Festival(1995). His own Quintet called Mr Fonebone completed its first CD this p[ast year. He is currently working as a free-lance trombonist/arrangerin Germany and Finland.
  
  (1999) Jeffrey Bush - Apollo, Ohio -  Prior  to winning the Rosolino Memorial Scholarship Mr. Bush received Citations for Outstanding Musicianship at the Tri-City Jazz Festival and was the May 1998 Downbeat  Magazine “Jazz On Campus” selection.  He was selected to the All-Ohio Intercollegiate  Jazz Ensemble and was  lead and solo trombone, and arranger for the Youngstown State University Jazz Ensemble.  From January through May this year he was on a World Cruise with the Galzy Orchestra onboard the Chystal Symphony.
  
  (2000) Marius Dicpetris - St Petersburg, Florida  - His teachers were Frank T. Williams, Dr. David Manson, Tim Connor, Paul Wiekle. Selected lead trombonist and jazz soloist for the 1998 International Association of Jazz Educator All-Star Junior Collegiate Jazz Ensemble in New York City. University of North Florida American Music Scholarship Recipient.  Third Place winner in the 1999 Eastern Trombone Workshop Jazz Competition.             
  Second place winner  in the International Trombone Assoc. 1999 Frank Rosolino Memorial  Jazz Competition.. Recipient of the 1999 Donald Beyer Incentive Award.
  
  (2001) Roland J. Barber - Nashville, Tennessee - Private study directed by Wycliffe Gordon, Steve Turre, Professor M.Dee Stewart.  Winner of the Outstanding Soloist Trombone Award, presented by Slide Hampton, for the Jazz at the Lincoln Center Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition and Festival.  Fame Festival Winner of the Slide Hampton Scholarshi Award funded by the New York Conference for Brass.  Winner of the 25th International Assoc. of Jazz Éducators’ Don Beyer Trombone Incentive Award.  Recipient of the Indiana University Dean of the School of Music Scholarship.
  
  The winners of the Frank Rosolino Memorial Scholarshop for 1994 through 2001
  were all recipients of special assistaance awards drawn on the Frank Rosolino Memorial Fund, Inc. This “Fund” was established in March of 1994 by Conrad Herwig, New York free lance trombonist, and Professor Emeritus Eugene E. Grissom, and according to the corporation articles “shall provide a funding  mechanism for the promotion of and assistance to the performance of jazz trombone, to provide educational opportunities for the study of jazz trombone, and to encourage participationn in jazz trombone performance.”
  
  Eugene E. Grissom / Professor Emeritus / University of Florid
  (Executive Director / Frank Rosolino Memorial Fund, Inc.1996 issue)