Faculty

A third generation trombonist, Tom Brantley grew up in a musical household in South Louisiana surrounded by a wide variety of
musical styles -- including classical, jazz, Latin, soul, pop/rock, country, bluegrass, and Cajun.

Brantley holds degrees in trombone performance/jazz studies from the University of Southern Mississippi and the University of North
Texas. While an undergraduate, he studied with Christian Lindberg at the Umea Music Festival in Sweden, and performed an eight-
week opera orchestra engagement in Graz, Austria. While a graduate student, he recorded five CDs with the Grammy-nominated One
O’Clock Lab Band. Brantley held the lead and jazz chairs with the One O’Clock and performed throughout Portugal on tour with the
band.

Brantley is currently Professor of Trombone at the University of South Florida in Tampa, while he also serves as the trombonist for the
chamber group Rhythm & Brass. Prior to his appointment at USF, he was an adjunct instructor at the University of North Texas.

His work with Rhythm & Brass includes two recordings and a chamber music textbook series. With the group, Tom has performed in
every state in the U.S. (except Hawaii) as well as throughout the world. Recent tours have included Japan, Saudi Arabia, Canada, and
the Caribbean. In 2002, Rhythm & Brass were featured as the opening concert of the International Trombone Festival. They are also
part of the faculty at the 2004 Raphael Mendez Brass Institute in Colorado.

While teaching at USF, Brantley performs regularly with the USF Faculty Brass Quintet, the USF Faculty Chamber Players, the USF
Jazz Faculty Ensemble, the Jack Wilkins Jazz Group, and Chuck Owen's jazz orchestra - Jazz Surge. Recently, he was awarded a USF
Research Grant to fund a recording project with colleague Jay Coble. The CD of trombone/trumpet music features a new work by
Chuck Owen entitled Confluences. Other projects at USF include premiering a new work by composer and colleague Jim Lewis and
performing on Jack Wilkins Jazz Etudes project for Mel Bay Publishers.

Brantley has presented master classes and performances at many music conferences including the International Trumpet Guild, the
International Trombone Festival, the Florida Music Educators Association, and the International Association of Jazz Educators. He is
a Yamaha soloist, clinician, and recording artist. He serves as the news editor for both the International Trombone Associate Journal
and Website. He is also a founding member and officer of the Central Florida Trombone Society, a local affiliate of the International
Trombone Association.