New Hire: Matthew Hightower

Matthew Hightower is the new Visiting Assistant Professor of Tuba/Euphonium at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. His duties there include teaching applied tuba and euphonium lessons, conducting the tuba/euphonium ensemble, and teaching the low brass methods course. Prior to accepting this position at TAMUK, Hightower was the Adjunct Instructor of Tuba and Brass Chamber Music at Murray State University. He completed a B.M. in Music Education at Murray State University, an M.M. in Tuba Performance at Indiana University, and a D.M.A. in Tuba Performance at The University of Texas at Austin. His primary tuba teachers include Ray Conklin, Daniel Perantoni, and Charles Villarrubia. Some performance highlights include appearances with Austin City Limits Brass Quintet, Bloomington Camerata Orchestra (IN), Columbus Indiana Philharmonic, Evansville Philharmonic, Victoria Symphony (TX), and David Baker’s 21st Century BeBop Band. Hightower is also an award-winning composer. In 2010 he was the recipient of the annual Kentucky Music Educators Association Collegiate Composition Contest prize. His works are published by Potenza Publishing and Cimarron Music Publishing. As a tuba soloist, he was the silver medalist in the Tuba Artist competition at the 2013 Falcone Festival.