American Music for Bass Trombone

Charles Vernon joined the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 1986 as bass trombonist, coming from the Philadelphia Orchestra, where he had served in that same position since 1981. Prior to that he held identical posts with the Baltimore Symphony (1971 to 1980) and the San Francisco Symphony (1980-1981). A native of Asheville, North Carolina, Mr. Vernon attended Brevard College and Georgia State University. His principal teachers were Edward Kleinhammer (bass trombone) and Arnold Jacobs (tuba), both former members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. He has served on the faculties of Catholic University (1972-1980) and the Brevard Music center (1972-1981), he also taught at the Philadelphia College of the Performing Arts and the Curtis Institute of Music. He is currently on the faculties of DePaul, Northwestern and Roosevelt Universities. A clinician for the Selmer Instrument Company and a frequent guest artist for the International Trombone Association, Mr. Vernon has made numerous appearances as a soloist throughout the world. He performs on a New York Bach 50 bass trombone. In April 1991, with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under Daniel Barenboim, he gave the world premiere of Ellen Taaffe Zwilich's Concerto for Bass Trombone, which was commissioned by the Orchestra for its centennial.