Sterling Tanner is an esteemed performer, educator, and clinician currently serving as the assistant professor of trombone at the University of Colorado Boulder. As an S.E. Shires Performing Artist, Tanner has not only showcased his talents as a soloist across the United States but has also left an indelible mark internationally with notable performances in Hong Kong and Valencia, Spain. His global recognition is further enhanced by his regular performances with esteemed orchestras, including the Boulder Philharmonic, Boulder Chamber Orchestra, Colorado Symphony, Colorado Springs Philharmonic, Richmond Symphony, and Opera Colorado. He also performs with the prestigious Professors Trombone Choir each summer at the Southeast Trombone Symposium in Columbus, Georgia.

Several prestigious accolades mark Tanner’s journey as an accomplished soloist. He was the 2016 and 2018 American Trombone Workshop Division III Bass Trombone Solo Competition winner and the 2015 Southeastern Trombone Symposium S.E. Shires Solo Competition winner. His talent was further recognized as a finalist in the 2016 International Trombone Festival's Donald Yaxley Solo Competition. Tanner has had the privilege of performing alongside renowned trombonists, including Jim Markey, Charlie Vernon, Denson Paul Pollard, George Curran, Joseph Alessi, Bill Thomas, Brian Hecht, and Gerry Pagano. From 2010 to 2014, he was part of a unique recording project at Columbus State University, which led to the Summit Records release “A Beautiful Noise,” featuring various trombone artists performing solo works with a trombone ensemble.

A native of Birmingham, Alabama, Tanner earned a bachelor’s degree in music education from Columbus State University as well as MM and DMA degrees in trombone performance from the University of Texas at Austin, where he studied under Bradley Palmer and Nathaniel Brickens. He is a member of the American Federation of Musicians, the International Trombone Association, the Colorado Music Educators Association, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and the National Association for Music Education.

Pianist Margaret McDonald, a native of Minnesota, is an Associate Professor of Collaborative Piano at the University of Colorado Boulder. She joined the College of Music keyboard faculty in the fall of 2004. She helped to develop the College’s graduate degree program in Collaborative Piano and the undergraduate collaborative curriculum. Praised for her poetic style and versatility, McDonald enjoys a very active performing career and has partnered many distinguished artists including the Takács Quartet, Kathleen Winkler, Zuill Bailey, Paula Robison, Carol Wincenc, Ben Kamins, David Shifrin, William VerMeulen, David Jolley, Ian Bousfield, Steven Mead, and Velvet Brown. McDonald received her Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees in Piano Performance from the University of Minnesota and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Collaborative Piano from the University of California.

Whether it's performing on Oscar-winning soundtracks such as "Joker," the GRAMMY award-winning album "Twelve Little Spells" with Esperanza Spalding, or recording solo and chamber music CDs, Richard Harris has crafted an eclectic musical career. As a soloist, chamber musician, orchestral performer, educator, and advocate, his performances have taken him all across North & South America, Europe, and Asia.

Richard is currently on faculty at the University of Denver and is the former Assistant Principal Trombone of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. He is a regular guest with many of the US’s top symphony orchestras, including the Seattle Symphony, Boston Symphony, The Metropolitan Opera, Colorado Symphony, Buffalo Philharmonic, and is a former member of the Radio City Music Hall Orchestra in New York City, where he also performs with many other Broadway productions. Richard recorded with pop-star Sting on his first studio album in a decade and has performed and toured alongside a diverse range of musicians, such as Puff Daddy, Snoop Dogg, Natalie Cole, Seth McFarlane, Boyz II Men, Megan Hilty, Roseanne Cash, Bryce Dessner, Chris Botti and classical music stars Luciano Pavarotti and Andrea Bocelli.

Mr. Harris is a member of ‘Decoda’, a New York City-based chamber music collective which is the first ever Affiliate Ensemble of Carnegie Hall. As a chamber musician, he has been a guest artist at Chamber Music Northwest. He has performed with The Canadian Brass, The Empire Brass, The Metropolitan Opera Brass Ensemble, The Lincoln Center Trombone Ensemble, and the Boston-based string ensemble, A Far Cry. He appeared onstage at the Park Armoury in New York with the Knights Chamber Orchestra in "The Head & The Load" directed by William Kentridge.