Evan Clifton

Evan Clifton is an accomplished trombonist, reputable educator, and multifaceted musician based in Nashville, Tennessee, holding positions as the newly appointed Adjunct Professor of Trombone at Tennessee State University, Bass Trombonist of the Chattanooga Symphony, and acting Bass Trombonist of the Huntsville Symphony. Born and raised in Michigan, he has become a highly sought after bass trombonist throughout the country, performing with The Cleveland Orchestra, Nashville Symphony, Alabama Symphony, and Grand Rapids Symphony, to name a few, as well as being a former member of the West Michigan, Lansing, and Battle Creek Symphonies. Clifton has performed and recorded with bands such as The Who and Evanescence and can be heard playing tenor, bass, and contrabass trombones, euphonium, and tuba on movie, video game, and tv soundtracks including John Wick 4, Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie, American Underdog, Lost In Space, and the Call of Duty, Spiderman, and Destiny 2 franchises. 

 

Over the years, Clifton has become increasingly committed to new music, commissioning and performing pieces from living composers, including, but not limited to, Christopher Evan Hass, Tyler S. Grant, and Nicole Piunno. Most recently, Clifton was a consortium member for the commissioning of "Dormi amore... dormi" a Sonata for Bass Trombone and Piano by the late Juraj Filas and "Songs of the Forest" for solo Bass Trombone and Trombone Choir by Frank Gulino. He has made solo appearances with the Ball State University Wind Ensemble, Western Michigan University Symphony Orchestra, and Michigan State University Wind Symphony. Clifton has been named a finalist in many competitions, including those sponsored by the Eastern Trombone Workshop (now American Trombone Workshop), and the International Trombone Festival. Clifton is also a regular guest artist at educational institutions and has given performances and masterclasses at Vanderbilt University, East Tennessee State University, and Murray State University, among others. He also performed at the 2022 International Trombone Festival on a Performing Artist Recital and as a featured guest with the East Tennessee State University Trombone Choir. 

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A devoted music educator, Clifton is currently the Adjunct Professor of Trombone at Tennessee State University, as well as teaching privately at several schools across Middle Tennessee including middle and high schools for Wilson County Schools, Rutherford County Schools, and Metro Nashville Public Schools. He has also held a faculty position at Western Michigan University’s summer music program, SEMINAR, where he coached high school students in their chamber music ensembles and taught group trombone lessons. His teaching is focused on helping students play their instruments in the most healthy and efficient ways, based on his own experience with physical fitness, meditation and the techniques he learned while recovering from Task Specific Focal Dystonia. Several of his high school students have gone on to study music at major universities around the country. 

 

Clifton completed a Bachelor of Music degree at Western Michigan University and a Master of Music degree at Michigan State University as a University Distinguished Fellow. His teachers have included Randy Hawes, Jan Kagarice, Ava Ordman, and Dr. Steve Wolfinbarger.

 

Clifton is a performing artist and clinician for Edwards Instrument Company and Denis Wick, performing exclusively on Edwards trombones and Denis Wick mouthpieces and mutes. He is also the Trombone Specialist for Edwards House Southeast, a regional sales branch of Edwards Instrument Company.