George Curran - Bass Trombone (Atlanta Symphony Orchestra)

George has been the bass trombonist of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra since 2006. He also teaches at Kennesaw State University, Emory University, and maintains a small private studio. He comes to Atlanta from the New World Symphony, where he has played since 2004. A native of Farmington Hills, Michigan, he received his bachelor’s degree in music education from Central Michigan University and a master’s degree in music from the Cincinnati College­Conservatory of Music. His principal teachers have been John Rojak and Peter Norton.

Mr. Curran has performed extensively throughout the U.S., including appearances with the  
Cincinnati, North Carolina, West Virginia and New Haven Symphonies, the Chicago Civic and  
Louisville Orchestras, and the Dayton Philharmonic. He was also a member of the Kentucky  
Symphony Orchestra. The recipient of several awards, Mr. Curran won the Eastern Trombone  
Workshop Solo Competition in 2003 and was finalist in the Yaxley Solo Competition. 

Dr. Ken Shifrin - Alto and Tenor Trombone (UK Soloist and Recitalist, Artist Director of Posaune Voce Trio, former Principal Trombonist of England's City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra)

Few trombonists are as eminently qualified as Ken Shifrin in both the professional and academic fields. A native of Washington, D.C., his playing was described by the Vienna Kurier as "brilliant, with almost unbelievable beauty of tone, artistry and elegance".

In 1982 he was appointed Principal Trombonist of Great Britain's City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra by Chief Conductor Sir Simon Rattle who declared him "not only one of the most able trombonists in my experience but also an intelligent and wide-ranging musician". Prior to coming to Britain he held the position of Principal Trombonist with both the Radio Stuttgart Orchestra and the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra. Since 1994 he has been the artistic director of the international touring ensemble, Posaune Voce Trio, which specializes in the performance of newly discovered baroque works featuring the alto trombone in a solo role with voice. In the U.S.A. he was a member of the popular rock band the Atlantics, performing for such artistes as Michael Jackson, Olivia Newton-John, Natalie Cole, Paul Anka, the Drifters, Pearl Bailey and Andy Williams. He is much in demand as a guest soloist, having appeared with the U.S. Navy Band, the U.S. Army band, at the Smetana International Music Festival, the Malta International Arts Festival, the Dvorak Summer Festival, the Edinburgh Festival and the London Barbican, as well as presenting recitals and master classes in Vienna, Prague, Budapest, Krakow, Bratislava, Kiev, Cardiff, Oxford and Washington D.C. Dr Shifrin has premiered a number of works, including the first American and British performances of the Leopold Mozart "Concerto for Alto Trombone". With a PhD in musicology from Oxford University, Ken Shifrin was a British Exchange Scholar for the Czech Academy of Science in Prague from 2000-2005. Dr Shifrin is listed in the International Who's Who of Music. In 2005 the Lord Chancellor of Great Britain appointed Ken Shifrin a Magistrate for England and Wales.

Robert Challinor - Piano

One of the UK's top accompanists, Mr Challinor is a graduate of the Birmingham Conservatoire. He works as répétiteur with such companies as Mid-Wales Opera, City of Birmingham Symphony Choruses and Opera Mint in repertoire that extends from Monteverdi to Honneger. In this capacity he recenly played Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel, Berg's Wozzeck with Birmingham's Opera Company and an extended tour of Puccini's Madame Butterfly. As a recitalist Rob has played for many singers and instrumentalists including concerts in San Francisco with "Two Divas Go Mad...", a vocal ensemble he formed with English mezzo Claire Bartram and American soprano Kamala Stroup. Robert is regularly featured as a soloist in Posaune Voce Trio's programmes playing works of Handel, "Jelly Roll" Morton, Skriabin, Chopin and others.

Andrew Adams - Piano

Dr. Andrew Adams is the Director of the Keyboard Area at Western Carolina University. He earned the Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from the Kansas City Conservatory of Music where he was a student of Joanne Baker.  His Master of Music in Vocal Coaching and Accompanying is from the University of Illinois. While there, he studied with John Wustman, the accompanist of such internationally acclaimed singers as Luciano Pavarotti, Birgit Nilsson, and Carlo Bergonzi. Andrew also coached the renowned soprano Susan Dunn, assisting in her preparation of Simon Boccanegra, Don Carlos, Giovanna d'Arco, and Aida. An accompanist at the 1990 Tanglewood Music Festival, he played in the master classes of soprano Phyllis Curtin and cellist Yo Yo Ma. 

From 2003 to 2006 Dr. Adams served as Vocal Coach and Director of Collaborative Piano at Iowa State University. In addition to his active coaching and accompanying schedule, he taught diction for singers, served as co-director of the Opera Studio Program, and was the official accompanist of the Upper Midwest Region Metropolitan Opera auditions. In August 2005 he accompanied a chamber recital in Kaliningrad, Russia as a part of the 750th anniversary of the founding of that city. To date, he has published four articles in The Journal of Singing, the official publication of the National Association of Teachers of Singing.