Will Kimball is Professor of Trombone at Brigham Young University. He has been a guest soloist or clinician at more than two dozen of the most prestigious universities and conservatories, including Juilliard, Cincinnati Conservatory, Queensland Conservatory (Australia), University of Stavanger (Norway), University of Michigan, Yale, Indiana University, University of North Texas, San Francisco Conservatory, Arizona State University, Boston University, and University of Iowa. His solo album, “Collage,” which features both trombone standards and noteworthy premieres, is produced by Tantara Records. In addition, his research on alto trombone, trombone history, and breathing for musicians has led to a number of clinics and scholarly articles.
In the orchestral field, Kimball was principal trombonist with Ballet West Orchestra for 12 seasons and won additional principal trombone positions with the Cedar Rapids Symphony Orchestra (now Orchestra Iowa) and Arkansas Symphony Orchestra. Other orchestras he has performed with include the Utah Symphony (more than 250 performances), Phoenix Symphony, Utah Chamber Artists, Shreveport Symphony, Utah Festival Opera (4 seasons), Orchestra at Temple Square, and New England Philharmonic. He performed several works with the Utah Symphony trombone section for their clinic at the International Trombone Festival in 2008.
His jazz experience includes performances at jazz festivals in France, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and the United States; membership in Pittsburgh’s Balcony Big Band, performance on the jazz and pop portions of the nationally-released motion picture, “The Sandlot,” and two albums with the traditional jazz group, the New Hot 5. His students have won positions with Airmen of Note and University of North Texas One O’Clock Band (lead trombone), in addition to Master’s in Jazz Studies Programs at Juilliard, University of North Texas, New England Conservatory, and Louisiana State University.
Kimball’s recording credits have included music for ESPN, the Discovery Channel, and Disney, as well as soundtracks for motion pictures such as “The Sandlot,” “Mountain of the Lord,” and “Forever Strong.” Other recordings include music for the Nauvoo Pageant, the album “Love is Spoken Here” with the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, and Copland’s “Lincoln Portrait” for the Clinton Presidential Library (Little Rock, AR).
Kimball has performed chamber music with members of Boston Brass, Atlantic Brass, Pittsburgh Symphony, Boston Symphony, Chicago Symphony, Utah Symphony, and Phoenix Symphony. His current chamber affiliations include Brassworks (BYU’s faculty brass quintet), Utah Trombone Authority (a trombone quartet with the trombone section of the Utah Symphony), and the Mutchler-Kimball duo, which recently performed and presented a series of masterclasses in Amman, Jordan. His album with Utah Trombone Authority is produced by Tantara Records, and his album with Brassworks, produced by MSR Classics in 2022, features the music of composer Kevin McKee. Kimball was also a frequent alto trombonist with Utah’s Ultimate Trombone Ensemble, a professional trombone choir that performed at the 2008 International Trombone Festival.
Kimball’s students have been accepted at many of the nation’s most prestigious institutions, including Juilliard, Curtis, New England Conservatory, Indiana University, Yale University, San Francisco Conservatory, University of Michigan, University of North Texas, Temple University, UCLA, and Arizona State University. His students have also been winners or finalists at numerous international competitions, including the International Trombone Association Van Haney Competition, Eastern Trombone Workshop Solo Competition, National Association of Negro Musicians Concerto Competition, Leonard Falcone Euphonium Competition, MTNA Solo Competition, MTNA Chamber Music Competition, and Southwest Trombone Conference Solo Competition.
Kimball is active in the International Trombone Association, where he has been an adjudicator of quartet competitions and currently serves on the Research Committee.
Kimball received his Bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, from Brigham Young University, where he studied with Daniel Bachelder. He also studied with Larry Zalkind of the Utah Symphony (now professor at Eastman School of Music). He obtained his Master’s degree at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, where he studied trombone with Murray Crewe and euphonium with Brian Bowman. He subsequently began work toward his doctorate at Boston University, where he studied with Scott Hartman, and completed his DMA at Arizona State University, where he studied with Gail Wilson.
_______________
Album Sound Clips: Visit this page for sound clips of Collage and Utah Trombone Authority.
Contact: To contact Will Kimball with comments or to request a performance or clinic.