Dr. Lauren Rudzinskas
Dr. Lauren Rudzinskas is the General Manager of the International Women’s Brass Conference and a founding member of Calypsus Brass, a non-profit professional chamber ensemble performing new works, giving masterclasses, and creating high-level professional recordings for underrepresented composers. In addition, Rudzinskas is the Executive Director and Founder of the Virtual Trombone Workshop and VTW@ESM 2021. She was the part time professor of trombone and euphonium at Mansfield University in Pennsylvania until Fall 2020. Dr. Rudzinskas earned a doctorate of musical arts in Trombone Performance and Literature with a minor in Pedagogy and an Advanced Certificate in College Teaching at the Eastman School of Music where she also earned a Performer's Certificate and was nominated for the prestigious Artist's Diploma. An advocate for diversity and inclusion initiatives, Rudzinskas serves on the advisory board for the Chromatic Brass Collective, is President of the Board for the Future in Music Program, and is the Vice President of Operations for Calypsus Brass. Rudzinskas was invited to perform with Calypsus Brass as well as to premiere a solo for trombone at the 2022 International Women's Brass Conference where she will also be performing chamber music on multiple guest artist recitals. Rudzinskas is a member of the Athena Brass Band, substitute in Symphoria (formerly the Syracuse Symphony), and was invited to perform as a member of the inaugural International Women’s Trombone Choir at the 2021 International Trombone Festival where she also gave two presentations on recruitment and arts management.
As a strong advocate for music education, Rudzinskas was the 2016 recipient for the Jack L. Frank Award for Excellence in Teaching and the 2016 Frank Faculty Development Research Grant. She taught tenor trombone, bass trombone, and euphonium at the Eastman Community Music School. She has published articles, written two pedagogical books, received grants, and released a CD. Rudzinskas recently gave a co-presentation on diverse chamber music featuring her arrangements at the New York State School Music Association Conference and was invited to present again on adaptable teaching in 2021. She has given masterclasses at Drake University, Hamilton College, Youngstown State University, Ithaca College, and others. In the past year with Calypsus Brass, Rudzinskas was in residency at McNeese State University where she gave masterclasses, a recital, a pedagogical lecture, and coached chamber music. Calypsus has also performed a featured recital as the Ensemble in Residence for Rising Tide Music Press as well as a Benefit Concert for the Lift Music Fund. In 2023 Calypsus will be in residency at Eastern Illinois University and the University of Northern Iowa. Lauren was recently a finalist for the Assistant Professor of Trombone and Euphonium position at the University of Denver and Professor of Trombone at SUNY Potsdam.
At Eastman, Lauren served as the departmental assistant for the trombone studio and a teaching assistant for Eastman and the University of Rochester. She has served as Assistant Director for the ECMS Trombone Choir and was a finalist for Eastman’s Teaching Assistant Prize and Lecture Recital Prize. Rudzinskas earned her Master’s degree in Trombone Performance and Literature from the Eastman School of Music studying with Larry Zalkind. Rudzinskas served as teaching assistant for the Eastman trombone choir, trombone studio, and as an Eastman Institute for Music Leadership Assistant. She earned her bachelor’s degree in jazz performance from Youngstown State University, where she was selected for the Dean’s Award in the College of Creative Arts and Communication as well as the university-wide Senior Academic Award for Outstanding Student Scholarship. Recent competition awards include third place in the 2017 International Women’s Brass Conference solo competition, 2015 Youngstown Music Teachers Association Solo Competition, the 2015 Wright State Festival Solo Competition, the 2014 Dana Young Artist Competition, first trombone placement in the JECO Intercollegiate Jazz Ensemble, and the Dorothy Schwers Honorary Scholarship Solo Competition.
Lauren’s performance credits include playing with IWBC’s Holiday Brass and the Diva Jazz Orchestra in the Cleveland Playhouse production of Maurice Hines is Tappin’ Thru Life. She is a member of the SPH Jazz Orchestra and will appear on the August 2021 tour and CD recording of "Smash!". Lauren has held positions as principal trombonist with the Greenville Symphony Orchestra, Rochester Women’s Philharmonic, and Youngstown Scoring Stage, and performed as lead trombonist in the First Class Big Band. Lauren has performed in master classes with Joseph Alessi, William VerMeulen, Eric Ewazen, David Murray, Rebecca Cherian, Shachar Israel, Nico and Martin Schippers, Bruce Saunders, Dan Wilson, and Jim Snidero. After receiving a research grant from Youngstown State University, Lauren produced and performed in Aspire, a recording of original music including several of her own compositions. She has also premiered and commissioned numerous works and is sponsored by music software company, Blackbinder. Dr. Rudzinskas' primary teachers include Larry Zalkind, Mark Kellogg, Michael Crist, John Olsson, Sam Blakeslee, and Jeff Bush.
Dr. Rudzinskas is the guest soloist with the Ashtabula Brass Band for the 2022 Winds at the Winery Community Band Festival.