Jay Crone: trombone, department head

Jay Crone, associate professor and head of the Department of Music, is in his eighteenth year as professor of music and low brass at Virginia Tech. Mr. Crone has performed as a trombonist and euphoniumist with many symphony orchestras and bands throughout the United States, including the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra and the Fresno (CA) Philharmonic Orchestra. He is currently the Principal Trombone of the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra, Opera Roanoke, and the Wintergreen Festival Orchestra, the orchestra in residence at the Wintergreen Performing Arts Festival. He also performs with the Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival Orchestra in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

As a trombone and euphonium soloist Crone has appeared with bands from California, Virginia and other states, in addition to many performances as a featured soloist in concerts in the United Kingdom. In 2011 he will perform in Bristol, England in recitals featuring the music of Philip Wilby and he will also present the world premier of a new work for trombone and organ by James Sochinski. A frequent collaborator with his Virginia Tech composition colleagues, Crone performed Ico Bukvic’s Derelicts of Time for trombone and multimedia at the 2010 MusicAcoustica Festival in Beijing, China in addition to contemporary music festivals in New York City, New York, Cincinnati, Ohio, and Kansas City, Kansas in 2008 and 2009. In 2006 he premiered James Sochinski's Fantasie-Variations on a Dowland Ayre for trombone and band with the CSU Fresno Alumni Wind Ensemble during their tour of England under the direction of Dr. Lawrence Sutherland. Crone is also a regular chamber music performer and has been featured at many conferences and festivals, including the Eastern Trombone Workshop, Southeast Regional Horn Workshop, Wintergreen Performing Arts Festival, and the Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival. He has performed as a trombone and euphonium soloist and collaborative pianist in recitals in California, Virginia, West Virginia, South Carolina, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, among others.

A unique aspect of Mr. Crone's musical career has been his dual role as both a trombonist/euphoniumist and pianist. He has been a collaborative pianist in voice and instrumental recitals throughout the United States, most recently performing with Ronald Barron, former principal trombone of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Harold Van Schaik, bass trombone of the Florida Orchestra, Wallace Easter, principal horn of the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra, Brian Kiser, principal tuba of the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra, and Donna Parkes, principal trombone of the Louisville Orchestra.

Originally from California, Crone received degrees from the University of Southern California, Yale University, and California State University at Fresno. As a trombonist, he has studied with Terry Cravens, John Swallow, Larry Sutherland, Byron Peebles, Ralph Sauer, and David Taylor. His piano teachers included Kevin FitzGerald, Elizabeth Sawyer-Parisot, and the late Philip Lorenz. Before coming to Virginia Tech Crone was a visiting assistant professor of music at Humboldt State University in Arcata, California.

Available Recordings:

• “Ruach: Breath of God” - Philip Wilby (b. 1949), Jay Crone, trombone, James Bryant, organ
  
  
  
• “Fantasie-Variations on a Dowland Ayre” - James Sochinski, Jay Crone, trombone, CSU Fresno Alumni Wind Ensemble, Lawrence Sutherland, conductor
  
  
  
• “Come Sweet Death” - J.S. Bach, trans. Sharp, Virginia Tech Trombone Ensemble
  
  
  
• “Ave Maria” - Anton Bruckner, arr. Sabourin, VTubas