SHORT BIO:

Dr. Louis Setzer is a native of Collegeville, Pennsylvania. He earned his BM in Music Education from Mansfield University of Pennsylvania, his MM in Trombone Performance from The Pennsylvania State University, where he served as the Graduate Teaching Assistant for Mark Lusk, and his DMA from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM). His primary teachers were Stephen McEuen, Mark Lusk, Timothy Anderson, and Peter Norton.

Louis is the Brass Area Coordinator and Lecturer of Low Brass at Northern Kentucky University. His teaching duties at NKU consist of applied low brass lessons, directing the brass choir, brass methods, aural skills and music theory. Prior to his time at NKU he was music faculty at Marian University. At Marian University he served as the Instructor of Low Brass, Director of the Marian University Pep Band and Brass Staff for the Concert and Marching Bands. He previously worked as music faculty for Northern Kentucky University, Rend Lake College, and taught additional courses at both the Pennsylvania State University and CCM. He maintains a private low brass studio, and has worked extensively as a music instructor for school districts in the Cincinnati and Indianapolis area.

LONG BIO:

Dr. Louis Setzer is a native of Collegeville, Pennsylvania. He received his Bachelor of Music in Music Education (’11) from Mansfield University of Pennsylvania, where he studied trombone with Stephen McEuen. He next attained his Master of Music in Trombone Performance (’13) from The Pennsylvania State University, where he served as the Trombone Graduate Teaching Assistant for Mark Lusk. His duties included teaching the trombone methods course and leading rehearsals as the assistant conductor of the trombone choir. He graduated with his Doctor of Musical Arts (’17) from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), where he studied with Timothy Anderson (principal trombone - Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra) and Peter Norton (bass trombone - Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra).

Louis is the author of Solo Literature for Trombone and Harp – An Annotated Bibliography. This is the only resource available on this topic, containing information on over 200 solos, transcriptions, trios, quartets and chamber works featuring the trombone and harp. He is an advocate for new music, and has commissioned and recorded several works for trombone and harp as a direct result of this book. In 2017, he and harpist Joseph Rebman formed the JOLO (Joe Lou) Duo. Their mission is to raise awareness for this genre of music through performance, and collaboration of new works. JOLO Duo released their debut album in February 2020, JOLO Duo: The Bounds of Spring. It features eight previously unrecorded works for trombone and harp. They maintain an active schedule, and have been invited to perform at international festivals and universities throughout the country.

Louis has been afforded frequent opportunities to teach at the university level. Currently he is the Brass Area Coordinator and Lecturer of Low Brass at Northern Kentucky University. Prior to his time at NKU, he served as the Instructor of Low Brass at Marian University, where he taught private lessons, music theory, aural skills, and served as brass staff with the Marian University concert and marching bands. In fall of 2019, he was appointed Director of the Marian University Pep Band. In 2018 he was the Instructor of Low Brass at Rend Lake College. He has also served as Music Faculty at the Northern Kentucky University, and has taught additional courses at CCM and The Pennsylvania State University. He was privileged to work with the trombone choir at CCM, conducting them in a performance at the American Trombone Workshop in March of 2016.

Louis has had several notable playing opportunities in the US and abroad. He performed his own arrangement of Four Songs from Dichterliebe on the Guest Artist Recital at the 2020 American Trombone Workshop. Other solo engagements from 2019 include: Taylor Roland’s The Bounds of Spring (for trombone and harp) on the Faculty Showcase Recital at the International Trombone Festival, Joseph Turrin’s Fandango for Solo Trombone, Trumpet and Wind Ensemble with the Marian University Concert Band, and David Stout’s Al Circo for Trombone and Harp at the American Trombone Workshop. In June 2018 he performed Frank Gulino's Capriccio for Solo Trombone and Wind Ensemble with the Indiana Wind Symphony. He was a featured soloist of the Penn State alumni trombone choir on their concert tour of Santiago Cuba in May of 2017.

Louis is an active freelancer in the midwest region, and has performed with the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra (OH), Louisville Masterchorale (KY), Richmond Symphony (IN), Blue Ash Montgomery Symphony Orchestra (OH), Queen City Opera (OH), Concert:nova (OH), Battle Creek Symphony Orchestra (MI), Columbus Indiana Philharmonic (IN), Springfield Symphony Orchestra (OH), Anderson Symphony Orchestra (IN), Kentucky Symphony Orchestra (KY), Middletown Symphony Orchestra (OH), Southwest Ohio Philharmonic (OH), Williamsport Symphony Orchestra (PA), Altoona Symphony (PA), Nittany Valley Symphony (PA), State College Choral Society (PA), and the Pennsylvania Centre Chamber Orchestra (PA). He has also participated in several summer festivals and workshops, including the Pierre Monteux School, Atlantic Music Festival, Music at Penn's Woods Music Festival, Summer Trombone Workshop in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the Cleveland Trombone Seminar.