Cramer Choir

Originally named the Dirty Dozen Choir, the now Cramer Choir was established by William F. Cramer as a way to help young and new trombone professors represent their college or university on a national and international level. Cramer named the choir the Dirty Dozen as it was comprised of twelve trombone professors who were working hard down in the trenches teaching young new college students. The choir has been a regular fixture at the early national trombone workshops and later the international trombone festivals. Although the size of the Cramer Choir has grown to include more than twelve players, the choir still performs at the annual International Trombone Festival. At the 2011 Festival, the Cramer Choir performed Derek Cooper’s Eternally Strong, which was dedicated to his memory. The choir was comprised of Cramer’s former students who still remain active as teachers and performers.

Born in Akron, Ohio in 1917, William Cramer graduated from Ohio State University and in 1950 attended the Florida State University to pursue an EdD in music education after serving in the United States Navy during WWII. In 1952, Cramer was appointed the first professor of trombone at FSU and remained in that position until his retirement in 1987. Over the course of his career, Cramer was recognized as an accomplished and influential pedagogue, performer, and scholar on both a national and international level. His thirty-five year performance collaboration with pianist Robert Glotzbach yielded prominent performances of new works for trombone and piano from composers from Europe and the United States. A founding member of the ITA, Cramer was instrumental in the commissioning of new works for solo trombone and piano and the trombone choir.

2017 Cramer Choir

Per Brevig, conductor

Amy Bowers
Brad Edwards
Bruce Tychinski
Chris Davis
David Gier
Felix Del Tredici
Gilles Bernard
Hana Beloglavec
Isabel Lavoie
Jaime Morales-Matos
Jeannie Little
Jen Baker
Jeremy Berkman
Jeremy Van Hoy
Jessica Butler
Jonathan Allen
Karen Marston
Keith Jackson
Martin McCain
Natalie Mannix
Nathaniel Brickens
Nick Sullivan
Sarah Paradis
Sean Reusch