Rex Martin
Rex Martin (born in Burlington, Iowa) is one of the world's virtuoso tuba players, appearing on over 70 symphony orchestra recordings.[1] He primarily studied under Edward Livingston and Arnold Jacobs, though he also took lessons with Edward Kleinhammer.
Martin is Professor of Tuba at the Bern University of the Arts in Bern, Switzerland, International Visiting Professor of Music at the Royal Academy of Music in London, and Professor of Music Emeritus at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.
He was raised in Stronghurst, Illinois and graduated from high school in Chillicothe, Illinois. He married Margreth Trümpi of Ennenda, Switzerland in 1989.
Academic career
- Professor of Tuba, Bern University of the Arts 2016–present
- International Visiting Professor of Music, Royal Academy of Music in London
- Professor of Music Emeritus, Northwestern University 2017–present
- Professor of Music, Northwestern University 1988-2017
- Received a BM in Music performance from Illinois State University, 1982
- Received an MM in music performance from Northwestern University, 1983
- Professor at DePaul University (1983-1989)
- Professor at Illinois State University (1983-1984)
- Professor at the University of Notre Dame (1987-1991)
- Instructor at Northwestern University in 1988
- Assistant Professor at Northwestern University in 1989
- Professor at University of Illinois at Chicago (1989-1995)
- Associate Professor (tenure) at Northwestern University in 1994
- Professor at the Oberlin Conservatory (1994-1996)
- Professor of Tuba and Euphonium at Northwestern University (1999-2017) - currently Professor Emeritus[2]
- Martin was on the faculty of Ticino Musica in Lugano, Switzerland from 2002-2017
Professional career
In 1979, Martin began his professional career by playing in the Circus Genoa band, under the direction of Charlie Stevenson.
- Beginning in 1998 (until 2012) Martin taught a twice yearly series of master classes in Castagneto Carducci, Italy. In these classes he worked with some of the finest professional brass players in Italy.
- In 1995, Martin was the host of the 1995 International Tuba Euphonium Conference at Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.
- As a conductor and clinician, Martin has worked with the brass sections of symphony orchestras in Mexico City, Osaka, Malmö, Sweden, Stavanger, Norway, Rome, and Copenhagen, Aarhus, Odense, Sonderborg, and Alborg, Denmark.
- Martin has presented recitals and master classes at the prestigious Blekinge International Brass Academy in Karlskrona, Sweden eight times.
- Martin has presented master classes and recitals at the Spanish Brass Festival in Valencia, Spain.
- Has presented recitals and master classes in Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Switzerland, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Australia, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Costa Rica, Mexico, and throughout the United States.
Orchestras
Orchestra (Member)
- Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra
- The Ravinia Festival Orchestra
- The Ars Viva Orchestra
- Fulcrum Point New Music Project
- Chicago Brass Ensemble
Orchestra (Performed)
- Chicago Symphony Orchestra
- St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
- Lyric Opera of Chicago
- New York Philharmonic
- Contemporary Chamber Players
- Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus
- Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
- Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
- Boston Symphony Orchestra
- North Carolina Symphony Orchestra
- OFUNAM Orchestra of Mexico City
- Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra
- Lucerne Festival Orchestra
Discography
- He has recorded many CDs with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Sir Georg Solti, Claudio Abbado, Leonard Bernstein, Naeme Järvi, Michael Tilson Thomas, Leonard Slatkin, and Daniel Barenboim.
- His playing can be heard on recordings by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Sinfonietta, Symphony II, Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra, Chicago Pro Musica, and Mannheim Steamroller.[3]
- In 2008, his solo CD "Rex Martin Live in Japan" was released on the WAKO label. It is a solo tuba CD recorded live, unedited, from a single concert on August 10, 2007, at the Osaka Philharmonic Hall.
Performances
Accompanied
Television
Martin has performed as a studio musician on over 3000 television and radio commercials.[1]
Awards
- 1998 Martin received the "Young Alumni Award" from Illinois State University.
- Outstanding Alumni Award Illinois State University[4]
Trivia
- Martin's sister Becky (Martin) Kevoian is married to Bob Kevoian of the nationally syndicated Bob and Tom Show. Some of the tuba performance heard on this show were done by Rex Martin.
References
- "PlanIt Purple: Home". Aquavite.northwestern.edu. Retrieved 2011-08-16.
- "Fanfare". Bienen School of Music, Northwestern University. Fall 2017. Retrieved 2017-11-08.
- "Rex Martin". Ticino Musica. Retrieved 2017-10-20.
- "Rex Martin | College of Fine Arts - Illinois State". finearts.illinoisstate.edu. Retrieved 2017-11-08.