The LATEX Trombone Quartet

The LATEX Trombone Quartet was originally comprised of university professors teaching trombone and low brass in Louisiana (LA) and Texas (TEX). Although members of the ensemble now live in Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Ohio, the name "LATEX" has been retained to point back to the group's origins. Members of the LATEX Trombone Quartet have frequently performed together during the past thirteen years in the orchestras in Louisiana and Texas, including the Shreveport Symphony, the Lake Charles Symphony, the Longview Symphony, and the Rapides Symphony. The quartet was formed to allow each member to participate in a rewarding chamber ensemble and to simply have some "fun" with respected colleagues. The LATEX Trombone Quartet has been featured at the Texas Music Educators Association Convention/Clinic, the New York Brass Conference, and the International Trombone Festival. Their first compact disc "LATEX Trombones" was released in December 2002.

Michael Davidson is Assistant Professor of Music at Northwestern Oklahoma State University, with responsibilities for jazz studies, music education methods, and applied low brass. He holds degrees from the University of Florida and Centenary College of Louisiana, and is pursuing a DMA from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. He is principal trombonist in the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra, and has performed with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, the Tulsa Philharmonic Orchestra, the South Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, and the Spoleto Festival Orchestra USA. Commercial music credits include performances with the Four Tops, Ray Charles, Connie Francis, Kathy Mattea, Ben Vereen, Michael Martin Murphey, the Nelson Riddle Orchestra, Emmylou Harris, Marvin Hamlisch, Johnny Mathis, Don McLean, and others in their Shreveport/Little Rock tour engagements. Before his appointment at NWOSU, he served as director of bands and instructor of music at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, on the adjunct music faculty of Centenary College of Louisiana, and as director of bands at Airline High School, Bossier City, LA. Davidson writes music and book reviews for the National Association of College Wind and Percussion Instructors Journal, and the International Trombone Association Journal.

William B. Mathis is Associate Professor of Trombone at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, OH. Prior to his appointment at BGSU, he served on the faculty of Northwestern State University of Louisiana for 13 years, where he taught applied low brass. A native of Wichita, Kansas, Mathis holds a bachelor's of music education from The Wichita State University and a master's and doctorate from The University of Michigan in trombone performance. His principal teachers include H. Dennis Smith, Russell Widener, Larry Zalkind, Johann Doms, and Harvey Phillips. He has performed as soloist at the Festival at Sandpoint, Mississippi Music Teachers Association State Convention and the Ann Arbor Chamber Orchestra, and in solo recitals at several universities and colleges throughout the Southern and Midwestern States. From 1989-2000 he was member of Shreveport Symphony and has performed with the Toledo, Utah, Wichita, Longview (TX) and Rapides Symphonies (LA). In 1997 he was principal trombonist with the Eisenstadt Summer Festival Orchestra in performances in Austria and Hungary. Other appearances include the Second International Brassfest, International Trombone Festival, the Festival at Sandpoint, Keystone and Rafael Mendez Brass Institutes, New York Brass Conference, and with the Canadian Brass. He is a contributing writer of recording and literature reviews for the International Trombone Association Journal and has received grants for research and implementation in music technology.

William G. Rose is presently Associate Professor of Music in the Department of Music at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, LA. He teaches the low brass studio and music theory, as well as holding the position of Coordinator of the Computer Music Lab. He holds degrees from the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee and Michigan State University. He has served as principal trombonist/ euphonium with the Milwaukee Civic Orchestra, and has performed with the Milwaukee Symphony, the Greater Lansing Symphony, and the Detroit Chamber Winds among others. He has performed with many distinguished musicians including Les Elgart, Slide Hampton, and Skitch Henderson. He currently serves as principal trombonist with the Lake Charles Symphony and the Rapides Symphony, bass trombonist with the Chorale Acadiene and plays lead trombone with the Lake Charles Jazz Band. He is also Music Director at St. Luke-Simpson United Methodist Church in Lake Charles. As a composer and arranger, his catalog includes works for band, orchestra, jazz ensemble, choir, and brass ensembles. He is the current holder of the Henry Alexander Endowed Professorship in Music, and is a Yamaha Performing Artist.

J. Mark Thompson is in his third year at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, LA, serving as Professor of Music (Trombone and Low Brass). He previously held a similar position at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX, for eight years. He holds degrees from Murray State University, the University of Southern California, and The University of Iowa, and his primary teachers include Ray Conklin, Dr. John Hill, George Krem, Charles Vernon, and Arnold Jacobs. A charter life member of the International Trombone Association, Dr. Thompson has been a member of its Publications and Literature Committee since 1989, and his writings have appeared in the International Trombone Association Journal. Editor and co-author of French Music for Low Brass Instruments, published by Indiana University Press, Dr. Thompson is editor and co-author of the second edition of Solos for the Student Trombonist. He was a featured artist/clinician at the 1997 International Trombone Festival in Champaign, IL, and he performed at the 1995 International Brassfest in Bloomington, IN. Formerly Bass Trombone of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, he is currently Principal Bass Trombone of the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra and Principal Trombone of the Longview Symphony Orchestra. Dr. Thompson is an extra/substitute player for the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra.