By Jason Wesseldyk
Sports Editor
Each year, the International Trombone Festival draws hundreds of the premier trombonists from around the globe.
Plainwell Middle School student Joshua Pembrook was among the attendees at this year’s event, which took place at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City from July 12 to 15.
Pembrook, who will enter eighth grade later this month, was the youngest participant in the youth workshops.
“The ITF was the best week I have ever had in my entire life,” Joshua said. “I was around people who loved the same instrument as me. Trombone was the only thing we talked about.
“It was very weird because all of the youth workshop participants were in 11th and 12th grade. We had a dorm room and they were really nice and I literally felt like I was in college. It was very nice because the high schoolers showed me a whole bunch of music and different things to look forward to and learning in high school band.”
Getting Joshua to the ITF took some rearranging of plans on the part of his parents, Adam and Heather Pembrook.
Originally, the family was scheduled to travel to Niagara Falls for a vacation during that week. But then Joshua’s private trombone instructor, Western Michigan University trombone professor Dr. Steve Wolfinbarger, sent an email about ITF.
“Dr. Wolfinbarger stated that he knew it might be far-fetched for Joshua to go (to the ITF) due to it being so far away, but we quickly changed our plans to make it happen,” Adam Pembrook said.
At the ITF, Joshua had the opportunity to work with renowned trombonists in master classes, warm-up sessions, ensembles and clinics.
Among the notable trombonists Joshua met were: Joseph Alessi (principal trombone for the New York Philharmonic; Christopher Bill (trombone YouTuber); Sebastian Vera (Pittsburgh Opera); Nick Schwartz (New York City Ballet); Carol Jarvis (has toured with recorded artists ranging from Queen, Bon Jovi, Ellie Goulding and Taylor Swift); Myles Blakemore (U.S. Navy Band and trombone professor at Howard University); and Marshall Gilkes (plays with the band the Slide Masters).
“Joshua attending the ITF is the highlight of our parenting experience,” Adam Pembrook said. “It was an absolutely huge experience for Joshua. His attendance at the ITF, at this time of his trombone playing, has been honorable and pleasurable beyond measure.”
Given Joshua’s passion and talent for playing the trombone, you might think he’s been playing the instrument for most of his 13-year life.
But you’d be wrong.
Rather, Joshua has been playing the instrument for a little less than two years, having started with the Plainwell Middle School band at the start of his sixth-grade year.
David Hepinstall is one of Joshua’s band teachers.
“Attending the ITF was an incredible opportunity,” Hepinstall said. “This is a kid who already had the potential to play trombone professionally on the track he was on. Getting to attend the festival and be able to network and connect with the people already in the field dramatically increases his likelihood to make his living as a trombone player.
“Joshua Pembrook is on the radar now of other professional trombone players before a single class of eighth-grade band. That’s amazing.”
According to Hepinstall, Joshua began his middle school band career as a beginner like the rest of his classmates. It didn’t take long, though, to realize he had a special gift.
“Our whole trombone and low brass section had a very strong start to their year in sixth grade,” Hepinstall said. “Then Joshua and a couple of others began to stand out a bit more halfway through the year. And he really started to reach another level beyond most middle school kids at the start of seventh grade.”
It was Joshua’s attention to detail that helped him excel, according to Hepinstall.
“Joshua understands the nuances of muscle memory,” Hepinstall said. “He values doing basic exercises. Like a baseball player breaking down hitting mechanics, he understands the value of things his peers might consider boring to practice, like long tones and lip slurs.”
Midway through seventh grade, Joshua expressed an interest in starting private lessons in addition to his work at school as a way of continuing to improve.
Soon after, Hepinstall reached out to Wolfinbarger, who had been Hepinstall’s trombone professor at WMU.
“I reached out to Doc, just asking if he had a student in his college studio who might like to teach a seventh grader,” Hepinstall said.
Hepinstall also shared a video of Joshua playing the Star Spangled Banner prior to a Plainwell varsity basketball game.
After watching that video—which has received nearly 500,000 views—Wolfinbarger decided he would personally work with Joshua.
“College music professors with full studios of college students rarely offer to teach students outside of their studio unless they see exceptional potential,” Hepinstall said. “Joshua’s getting an incredible advantage at a young age getting to work with Doc and I’m thrilled he has been offered the chance. Very few people get a chance like this.”
Hepinstall is among those who can’t wait to see how far Joshua is able to take his passion for the trombone.
“He has the potential to do just about anything he wants as a professional musician,” Hepinstall said. “A lot of my students are hard workers. What sets Joshua apart is his efficiency in that same amount of practice time. And now he has the added advantage of networking. He’s in an incredible position that’s rare for his age.
“We also have to acknowledge the people he has supporting him. His parents are his biggest supporters and have clearly taught him to value hard work. All of his teachers at the middle school are a part of his network of support. His peers in his band are all part of that too. They cheer him on and love seeing how far he can go.”