Dan Cherry , Associate Professor of Music at Western Carolina University, teaches the trombone and euphonium studio, conducts the Trombone Ensemble, and is a member of the busy and popular Smoky Mountain Brass Quintet, the faculty quintet in residence at WCU. He has also taught courses in Conducting, Applied Tuba, Brass Methods, Aural Skills, Music Appreciation and Basic Skills for Elementary Education majors, and conducted the Symphonic Band and the Tuba/Euphonium Ensemble. He is a member of the International Trombone Association, the International Tuba and Euphonium Association, the International Women’s Brass Conference, and the North Carolina Music Educators’ Association.

Dan joined the WCU faculty in August 2002. He received his Bachelor of Music degree in Trombone and Voice Performance from Capital University in Columbus, Ohio, where he studied trombone with Joel Pugh and Scott Moore and voice with William Florescu. He went on to receive both his Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees in Trombone from the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music. While at CCM, he studied trombone with Tony Chipurn and David Vining and conducting with Terrence Milligan.

Before coming to North Carolina, Dan was the Principal Trombonist of the Huntington Symphony Orchestra (WV). He also served on the faculty of Morehead State University in Morehead, KY, where he was a Lecturer of Music in 2001-2002. Dan has performed with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (OH), the Dayton Philharmonic (OH), the Lexington Philharmonic (KY), the West Virginia Symphony, the Asheville Symphony Orchestra (NC), the Brevard Chamber Orchestra (NC), the Hendersonville Symphony Orchestra (NC) and the Spartanburg Philharmonic Orchestra (SC). He is also an active chamber musician, performing regularly with the Balaton Chamber Brass (trumpet/trombone duo) and the Palmetto Posaunen, a large professional trombone ensemble.

In addition to his classical music endeavors, Dan is also an advocate and performer of jazz – America’s music. From his early days as a high school student playing lead trombone in Pennsylvania’s All-State Jazz Ensemble to his current collaborations with WCU jazz faculty in combo settings, jazz has remained an important part of Dan’s musical life. He encourages all of his students to explore jazz style, join WCU’s jazz ensemble and combos, and have fun improvising, and he thoroughly enjoys his Studio Class “Improv Day” and coaching sessions with students performing in jazz combos.

Dan was born and raised in Drexel Hill, PA (just outside Philadelphia) and remains an avid fan of all the great Philly sports teams. From 1998 to 2000, Dan was a member of the Royal Brass, the quartet in residence at the Ohio Renaissance Festival; it was there that he met his wife, trumpeter Amy Cherry. They now live in Cullowhee, NC with their two daughters, Meghan and Kristen.