Edwardsburg seniors Rory Haney and Franklin Brown have been accepted into the trombone studios at Butler University and Western Michigan University respectively.

There is no easy path to be accepted into a music studio at a major university.

Both Haney and Franklin had to be accepted into the school first before they could audition for a spot.

That included being tested, having to do a sight-reading and being interviewed.

“It was kind of a big deal,” Haney said of the experience. “I had gone to three schools to audition and Butler was the first one I auditioned at. I got to perform in the new Schrott Center for the Arts, which was a wonderful opportunity because it is a great performance space. I had a prepared solo that I performed, as well as scales. And I did a sight-reading piece.”

Haney said she performed for the brass faculty, which included the trombone
instructor, the tuba instructor, the horn professor and the baritone professor, who is also the director of the university bands.

“At that time, the trombone professor told me that he would like to accept me into his studio,” Haney said. “That was very exciting.”

She was also accepted at Western Michigan University and Bowling Green State University, but selected Butler.

To appreciate just how difficult it is to get accepted into a studio, Haney had been working on her prepared solo for almost a year.

“There is the added pressure of walking into a room and there are people there whose job it is to judge you,” Haney said. “And then put a monetary value on all the work you have done.”

Haney will study instrumental music education in hopes of becoming a professor at a university.

Brown went through a similar process at Western Michigan.

“I had to audition for the school of music and the trombone studio,” he said. “I had to take placement tests for music theory and oral skills. About a month later I got a letter saying I was accepted.”

Brown also played a prepared solo, scales and did a sight-reading.

Haney and Brown both studied under WMU Professor of Trombone Dr. Steve Wolfinbarger.

Because he had studied with Wolfinbarger, the process was much smoother.

“I was very familiar with him, so it wasn’t very stressful at all,” Brown said. “So I just kind of walked in and played.”

The process was made a bit easier because Wolfinbarger had told Brown that he wanted him in his studio.

“I just had to show up and audition,” he said. “It was almost like being pre-accepted.”

Brown will be working toward a degree in trombone performance, which will allow him to become a professional musician and play in an orchestra or a chamber ensemble.

“This is a much higher playing level than the Bronco marching band,” Brown said.

Brown grew up with music as his father also played trombone and it inspired him to pursue music.

“Everybody wants to grow up and be like their dad,” he said.