Published: October 26, 2007 01:16 pm            

Trombonist strikes a chord with Johnstown symphony

As principal trombonist for Johnstown Symphony Orchestra, Christian Dickinson can’t just slide into the right note.

Trombone players, like those who play stringed instruments, must find the right note each time they put down their fingers, he said.

“There is only one right place to put the note,” Dickinson said.

“To be good at it takes a lot of hard work.”

Anyone who can play a tune on a slide whistle – a wind instrument that uses a slide to vary the pitch – probably could play a trombone, he said.

“Anyone who plays a slide whistle uses their ear to identify pitches,” Dickinson said.

“If you can do that, you can play the trombone. It’s easy.”

But that is the same thing that makes a trombone difficult to play – there’s not an exact place for the note, he added.

Dickinson came to the Johnstown symphony in 1985 and has been principal trombonist since he started. He has performed three times as soloist for the symphony.

“I don’t know what I’d do if not for Johnstown symphony,” Dickinson said. “Pittsburgh symphony is fairly closed to those outside of Pittsburgh, and I don’t want to drive to Altoona. It’s a hard trip to Johnstown (from my home in Indiana), but it’s worthwhile. I’m glad we have the orchestra.”

The Johnstown symphony has performed in Indiana.

A Jacksonville, Fla., native, Dickinson came to Pennsylvania after receiving his master’s degree in trombone performance.

“There was an ad posted at the school of music for a temporary position at IUP,” Dickinson said. “There weren’t a lot of trombone teaching jobs.”

Before moving to Pennsylvania, he had served as assistant band director at Thomasville (Ga.) High School and adjunct instructor at Valdosta (Ga.) State College.

Dickinson’s temporary status at IUP lasted until 1991, when he became an assistant professor.

“Then I was teaching trombone and music theory,” he said. “Now I also conduct and teach brass instruments to music education majors.”

During his temp days, fellow faculty members who played in the Johnstown symphony told Dickinson he would be contacted by the music director, Maestro Istvan Jaray, for an audition.

“After my audition, Maestro offered me principal trombone,” Dickinson said. “There are three trombone players in the symphony.”

Patricia Hofscher, the symphony’s executive director, said orchestra members often provide information about potential players.

“At the time (Dickinson started), we had a strong working relationship with the faculty at IUP, and we still do,” Hofscher said.

“We use some players on a regular basis and some as needed – and not only principals. We get a lot of referrals from other players, and we’re very pleased.”

Dickinson has paid back the favor by referring some of his students to the symphony.

“When Chris refers one of his students, we know that person will be able to play the part,” Hofscher said.

Dickinson worked closely with Jaray when he conducted the symphony’s youth orchestra from 1992 to 1995.

“When he conducted the youth orchestra, he came in every Saturday,” Jaray said. “He is very devoted and committed.”

Even with the distance he has to travel from Indiana, Dickinson rarely misses a rehearsal or performance.

“He’s always very professional with me,” Jaray said. “If he can’t do something, he discusses it with me. He arranges his time in such a way he hardly misses.”

As a principal player, Dickinson has a responsibility to take care of his section.

“He’s very conscientious,” Jaray said. “He will do rehearsals with them.”

Jaray also considers Dickinson an outstanding teacher who always puts his job at IUP first.

“I’ve been involved with judging competitions at IUP, and I’ve experienced how talented his students are. When we need extra players, we turn to him.”

Jaray described Dickinson as a truly outstanding artist.

“To work with him has been nothing short of a delight,” Jaray said.

“He’s one of our very, very, important members. Music is close to his heart.”

Coming from a family of singers, Dickinson always has been surrounded by music.

“I remember listening to my mother singing in the Lutheran church, where I heard a lot of Bach choral preludes and German hymns,” he said. “I’ve always had a great love for music.”

He has been playing trombone since age 13, although he would rather have been playing the drums.

“They told me drums were filled up and they needed trombones,” Dickinson said. “It’s difficult when you play trombone. You’re in the back, and you have no solos. You’re not featured much, especially in junior high.

“It wasn’t until high school that I was able to get professional performance opportunities,” he said. “I knew early in high school that this is what I wanted to do.”

Dickinson played professionally in the Jacksonville area at age 17 and was a member of the Jacksonville symphony at age 19.

He has performed as soloist with the IUP Orchestra and Armstrong Concert Band and as soloist and conductor with the North Pittsburgh Philharmonic.

Dickinson served as guest clinician for the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association District 2 regional band in 2003 and performed with the IUP wind ensemble at the PMEA state convention in Hershey the same year.

Dickinson also is principal trombonist for Keystone Wind Ensemble, conductor of the IUP trombone choir and a member of the IUP brass quintet. With the trombone choir, he has performed with the IUP wind ensemble and UPJ concert band at Pitt-Johnstown. He also gave a lecture and performed with the choir for the PMEA District 2 regional festival at UPJ in 2003.

With the IUP brass quintet, also known as the Hoodlebug Brass, Dickinson performed with the Johnstown symphony for its holiday concert in 2004 and has toured Pennsylvania public schools each semester since 2002.

He is a member of the Music Educators National Conference and the International Trombone Association.

When not playing trombone, Dickinson enjoys attending his children’s sporting events.

        

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