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Mary Thornton, D.M.A. B.M., Rice University Mary Thornton is an Assistant Professor of Music at Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi where she teaches trumpet, jazz history, and directs the Islander Jazz Band. She holds a B. Mus. degree from the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University, a M. Mus. degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music, where she was awarded the 1993 Bernard Adelstein Prize in Trumpet, and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. A former member of the Green Bay Symphony Orchestra for thirteen seasons, Dr. Thornton currently performs with the Corpus Christi Symphony, the Victoria Symphony, and the Mid-Texas Symphony. She has appeared with numerous ensembles including the San Antonio Symphony, the Madison Symphony, the East Texas Symphony, the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, the Ohio Light Opera, the Charleston (SC) Symphony, and the Orchestra of the State of Mexico (Toluca, Mexico). Her teachers include Michael Sachs, John Aley, David Bilger, Chris Gekker, and James Wilt. Prior to her appointment at TAMUCC, Dr. Thornton served on the faculty and, most recently, as chair of the music department at Del Mar College. Active as a chamber musician, Dr. Thornton was a member of Quantum Brass, participants in Chamber Music America's Rural Residency Program. An avid promoter of new music, Dr. Thornton presented the world premiere of Lauren Bernofsky's Concerto for Trumpet and subsequently commissioned and premiered Bernofsky's Trio for Brass. Neil Flory wrote Four Pieces for Trumpet and Percussion for Dr. Thornton and the Del Mar College Percussion Ensemble. Dr. Flory is currently working on a piece for trumpet and electroacoustic soundscape for Dr. Thornton. A frequent contributor to the International Trumpet Guild Journal, Dr. Thornton has written articles about the history of the Cleveland Orchestra trumpet section, the Concerto for Trumpet by John Williams, the music of Lauren Bernofsky, and the International Women's Brass Conference. Recent events for Dr. Thornton include the presentation of a session entitled, Overcoming the Fear Factor: Controlling Performance Anxiety Through Neurotechnology, at the 2006 Texas Music Educator's Association convention in San Antonio, TX, and a performance of Neil Flory's Four Pieces for Trumpet and Percussion at the 2006 International Trumpet Guild Conference at Rowan University. Professional affiliations include the Texas Music Educator's Association, the International Trumpet Guild, and the American Federation of Musicians. |
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Assistant Professor of Music |