Musician, Educator, Suzuki Teacher

Who is James Markey

James Markey joined the Boston Symphony Orchestra as Bass Trombone in Fall 2012  following tenures in the New York Philharmonic (1997-2012) and the Pittsburgh Symphony  Orchestra (1995-1997). 

Mr. Markey is an active soloist, appearing with ensembles such as the Boston  Pops and the United States Army Band, “Pershing’s Own.” He is a founding member of the  National Brass Ensemble. A sought-after educator, Mr. Markey has been a regular featured artist and clinician at the International Trombone Festival, the American (formerly Eastern) Trombone Workshop, and music educator conferences in New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts among other states. He has presented as a guest recitalist and clinician at major educational institutions around the country.  

Mr. Markey currently serves as bass trombone faculty at the New England Conservatory in Boston. In addition to his collegiate teaching, Mr. Markey is at the forefront of the Suzuki Brass movement, and is one of a small handful of registered Suzuki trombone instructors in the world.  A passionate believer in early childhood education in brass playing, he is founder of the Suzuki Brass program at New England Conservatory’s Preparatory Division. 

Upcoming Events

Featured
Berlioz Roméo et Juliett
May 2
Berlioz Roméo et Juliett
Domaine Forget 2024 Trombone Summer Program
Jun 6
Domaine Forget 2024 Trombone Summer Program
Blekinge International Brass Academy (BIBA)
Jun 24
Blekinge International Brass Academy (BIBA)

Media

LIVE at the Glen Gould School, Toronto, Ontario, Friday March 25, 2022.  James Markey, bass trombone, and Victor Cheng, piano. Canadian premiere of Kevin Day’s Fantasia IV.  Many thanks to the Glen Gould School, Victor Cheng, and Kevin Day.

  • “In nearly every academic field, the question of “why” is essential to understanding the field: law, medicine, information technologies, and so many others require inquisitiveness and a desire for understanding. Yet in the music industry, we tend to shy away from that very question for fear of looking stupid — or worse, we view it as questioning authority. As responsible musicians, we owe it to both ourselves and our students to seek the answers to the question “why”: why do we breathe a certain way, or phrase a certain way, or make certain musical decisions. When we know the answers to these questions, we understand how and why we do what we do, and can more effectively both teach and perform.”

  • “Rhythm, intonation, and timbre are the pillars that support the canopy of great musicianship. Though truly great musicians possess them, striving for them alone, just for the sake of having them, defeats their purpose to support something much greater.”

  • “Mr. Markey currently serves as bass trombone faculty at the New England Conservatory in Boston. In addition to his collegiate teaching, Mr. Markey is at the forefront of the Suzuki Brass movement, and is one of eight registered Suzuki trombone instructors in the world. A passionate believer in early childhood education in brass playing, he is founder of the Suzuki Brass program at New England Conservatory’s Preparatory Division. He has past served on the faculties of the Juilliard School, Mannes College: the New School for Music, New York University, Purchase College (SUNY), Longy School of Music, Montclair State University, Sarah Lawrence College, and the Juilliard School’s Pre-College Division.”

Suzuki Teacher

“All Japanese children can speak Japanese!”  This was Dr. Shinishi Suzuki’s light-bulb moment, and it formed the basis of his approach to music education:  just as the majority of children grow up comprehending and speaking the language of their environment, so children who grow up in a sufficiently rich musical environment can learn to understand and “speak the language” of music.