Bio

Acclaimed by The Brass Bridge as having a "wonderful sense of musicianship...and virtuosic technique," Dr. Chris Combest teaches Tuba, Euphonium and Music Theory at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois and also serves as Adjunct Instructor of Tuba and Euphonium at John A. Logan College in Carterville, Illinois. He is currently on Faculty at the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in Twin Lake, Michigan and has previously taught at the University of Illinois in Champaign, Illinois.

In addition to his playing with the SIU Faculty Brass Quintet, Chris has performed with the Louisville Orchestra, The U.S. Army Field Band, the Illinois Symphony, the Danville (IL) Symphony, the Champaign-Urbana Symphony, Sinfonia da Camera, the Prairie Ensemble Chamber Orchestra, the Lexington Brass Band, Saxton's Cornet Band, the Illinois Brass Quintet, the Louisville Orchestra Brass Quintet and can also be heard on NPR, the BBC and both the Polyphonic and Mark Custom recording labels.

A winner of various concerto competitions and a past finalist for both the Leonard Falcone International Tuba Competition and the International Tuba Euphonium Conference Solo Tuba Artist Competition, Chris has appeared in Europe and North America as a chamber musician, orchestral musician, soloist and clinician. He has also performed in many of the great North American concert halls from Orchestra Hall in Chicago, Illinois to Carnegie Hall in New York City, New York.

In the spring of 2010, Dr. Combest was named as a finalist for the Clifford Bevan Excellence in Research Award by the International Tuba Euphonium Association (ITEA). This semi-annual award is given to those whose work "illustrates the highest level of artistry and scholarship" (ITEA Journal). He also recently contributed an instructional video entitled "Practice Room Strategies" to the Power Lessons with the Pros Video Series sponsored by the International Tuba Euphonium Association. He is among a very select group of individuals chosen for that project which include both internationally renowned solo artists and leading Tuba and Euphonium professionals from around the United States.

Dr. Combest received his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Illinois and holds additional degrees from the University of Louisville and Eastern Kentucky University. He is a member of the American Federation of Musicians (AFM), The College Music Society (CMS) and the International Tuba Euphonium Association to which he contributes as a new materials reviewer for the association’s journal.

Last Updated ( Friday, 27 August 2010 16:30 )