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The International Trombone Ensemble (ITE) was originally formed by 22 professional trombone players who all came to study the trombone in the Rotterdam Conservatoire Trombone Class in the Netherlands from all over the world in the years 2000 - 2004. During their study period, they had their weekly trombone ensemble rehearsals, where with hardworking and in serious atmosphere they learned many important elements to become professional players, under direction by their professors from the conservatoire – George Wiegel, Pierre Volders, Jorgen van Rijen and Ben van Dijk – and established their own approach and attitudes to play in ensembles and unique ensemble sound.
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The locations that they have played in are various. Starting from playing in mass in the St. Laurens Church in the center of the city Rotterdam, the world famous Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, De Doelen Rotterdam and many other locations, they have played their own concerts and performances in music festivals, with different size of the ensemble from small groups to a trombone choir, with solo music, organ, electric instruments and other brass instruments. Their activities made some composers around them write new special pieces and good arrangements. |
While playing many concerts and projects in the Netherlands, they developed and discovered new repertoire for this genre, always explore technical and musical possibilities and trained their ability of organization as a group.
Through their activities their motivation of the members rapidly grew and applied for the Emory Remington Trombone Choir Competition, which is organized by the biggest trombone organization in the world, the International Trombone Association.
Among many entries from world famous conservatories and music high schools they got to be announced as the winner of this competition. In May 2005, they were invited to the International Trombone Festival in New Orleans (USA) to perform a concert as guest musicians. |
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Many of the members won and/or got prizes at many international competitions, such as ITA Trombone Quartet Competition (2006), ARD Munich International Trombone Competition (2007) and many more.
Currently they play in major orchestras, wind orchestras, opera houses and musical productions in the Netherlands and many other European countries, such as The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam, Radio Philharmonic Orchestra Holland, Radio Chamber Philharmonic, Brabant Orchestra, Marine Band of the Royal Netherlands Navy, State Opera Berlin Unter Den Linden, SWR (South-West German Radio) Symphony Orchestra Baden-Baden and Freiburg, Vienna Waltz Orchestra, Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra, Greek Ballet Orchestra, Santiago Philharmonic Orchestra, etc.
Recently their activities became more international. In July 2008 the ITE made a big two-week tour in Japan. Besides giving master classes of solo and ensemble playing, they played many sold-out concerts in the famous concert halls in such major big cities as Hiroshima, Nagoya, Tokyo and Sapporo.
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They also played some concerts in special occasions in Japan, such as a professional baseball game in the Hiroshima Baseball Stadium, music classes in schools and concerts in Japanese traditional Sake factories. During the tour more than thirty-thousand people listened to the ITE in total.
In summer 2008 they also released their first CD “6.35” including many well-written original and arranged works specifically for this genre. This CD shows their unimaginable future possibilities.
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