New Hire: Charlie Goodman, Louisiana State University

Charlie Goodman is the new Assistant Professor of Tuba and Euphonium at Louisiana State University. He will begin serving in this role in August 2021, and his duties will include teaching private tuba and euphonium lessons to all graduate and undergraduate tuba and euphonium majors, conducting tuba/euphonium studio class, coaching brass chamber music, and performing with the LSU faculty brass quintet. Charlie previously held teaching positions at Valdosta State University and Southeastern Louisiana University. He holds degrees from the University Colorado Boulder, the University of Georgia, and Western Michigan University. As a performer, Charlie holds the principal tuba chair of Sinfonia Gulf Coast, based in Destin, Florida, and has previously held similar positions in the Valdosta and Albany (GA) Symphony Orchestras. He has also performed with the Colorado Symphony, Ann Arbor Symphony, Baton Rouge Symphony, Orquesta Filharmonica de Jalisco, the Round Top Festival Orchestra, and the New World Symphony.

New Hire: David Gonzalez, Tusculum University

David Gonzalez was recently hired as the new Director of Bands at Tusculum University in Tennessee. He began serving in this position on June 1. His duties include recruiting and starting a marching band program, concert band programs, and a jazz band program. David is originally from Des Arc, Arkansas and will be moving from his current location of Tempe, Arizona to Tusculum with his wife Erin Owens Gonzalez. Primary instrumental teachers include Christian Carichner, Kelly Thomas, Alexander Lapins, Benjamin Pierce, and Deanna Swoboda. Primary conducting teachers include Gary Hill, Jason Caslor, and Jamal Duncan.

Recent Hire: Alex Avila, Columbus State University

Alex Avila was hired as the new Lecturer of Tuba and Euphonium at Columbus State University, beginning in Fall 2019. His duties include teaching applied tuba and euphonium, in addition to music appreciation and music theory courses. Alex is one of few tuba/euphonium doublers and has distinguished himself internationally as a solo artist and chamber musician on both instruments. He was a gold medal recipient in the prestigious Falcone Festival Competition and has placed in several other regional, national, and international competitions. Alex has performed with the Austin Symphony Orchestra and the Victoria Symphony Orchestra in Texas as well as the Columbus Symphony (Georgia) Orchestra. He is a member of both the innovative FivE euphonium quartet and classically oriented Isomer Quartet. Alex’s students have earned spots in the MTNA and Falcone competitions and enjoy careers as public school music educators, adjunct university professors, and freelance musicians. Alex is a Besson performing artist and earned a bachelor's degree in Music Education from The University of Georgia and graduate performance degrees in both euphonium and tuba from The University of Texas at Austin.

Ralph Hepola Chosen as Missouri Arts Council Featured Artist

Graphic courtesy of the Missouri Arts Council