New Hire: Matt Hightower, University of Kentucky

Matt Hightower has recently accepted the position of Assistant Professor of Tuba/Euphonium at the University of Kentucky. He will begin teaching there in Fall 2018, and his primary duties will be teaching applied tuba/euphonium, conducting the tuba/euphonium ensemble, teaching tuba/euphonium methods, and performing with the faculty brass quintet. Hightower is currently on the faculty of Texas A&M University-Kingsville. Prior to his appointment at TAMUK, he held positions at Murray State University and The University of Texas at Austin. As a professional tubist, Hightower’s performance experience covers a wide range of chamber, orchestral, and solo music that spans three continents and nine countries. Recent solo recitals include Baylor University, the University of Louisiana at Monroe, the 2017 & 2018 South Central Regional Tuba/Euphonium Conferences, and The United States Army Band Tuba/Euphonium Workshop in Arlington, VA. He is the tubist with the Corpus Christi Brass Quintet and a founding member of the Atlas tuba quartet. Hightower has also performed with the Bloomington Camerata Orchestra, The Columbus (IN) Symphony, The Evansville Philharmonic, The Iceland Symphony Orchestra, The Jackson Symphony, and David Baker’s 20th Century BeBop Band. In addition to performing, Hightower is an award-winning composer. In 2010 he was named the winner of the KMEA Intercollegiate Composition Contest. Many of his arrangements and original works are published through Potenza Music and Absolute Brass Publishing. Hightower earned a B.M. in Music Education from Murray State University, and an M.M. in Tuba Performance from Indiana University, and a D.M.A. in Tuba Performance from the University of Texas at Austin. His primary instructors were Ray Conklin, Daniel Perantoni, and Charles Villarrubia. Hightower is a B&S Performing Artist.

New Hire: Matthew Shipes, Angelo State University

Dr. Matthew Shipes has been appointed to the position of Assistant Professor of Music at Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas as of August 2017. His main duties include serving as the applied instructor for tuba, euphonium, and trombone majors, teaching weekly studio classes, coaching brass chamber groups, as well as teaching sections of Brass Methods and Introduction to Music. Matthew was previously a euphoniumist with The United States Air Force Band in Washington, DC, where he had the opportunity to perform for President Obama, several foreign leaders, and for hundreds of ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery. In addition to winning and being a finalist for several international and national competitions on euphonium, tuba, and trombone, he has appeared as a guest artist and given world-premiere performances at events like the US Army Band’s Tuba-Euphonium Workshop, and both regional and international ITEA conferences. Matthew received his D.M.A. from The University of Georgia in December 2014.

New Hire: Fletcher Mitchell, Queensland Conservatorium

Fletcher Mitchell is the new Lecturer in Euphonium at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music - Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia. He began serving in this position in February 2018. Fletcher is an Australian-based euphonium soloist and low brass educator. He has given recitals, master classes, and workshops at international brass festivals and conferences as well as performed as a guest soloist with wind ensembles, brass bands, and orchestras across the U.S., Europe, Asia, and Australia. He has been a full time euphonium player with the Royal Australian Navy Band for 11 years and is currently undertaking a PhD at the University of Southern Queensland researching Australian euphonium works. Fletcher is a Yamaha Performing Artist and Clinician.