Student Success
Acceptances to
Juilliard School
Eastman School of Music
Northwestern University
Yale University
San Francisco Conservatory
Indiana University
Manhattan School of Music
Select Student Competition Success
1st Prize – National Tenor Trombone Solo Competition
1st Prize – National Bass Trombone Solo Competition
1st Prize – National Jazz Trombone Ensemble Competition
2nd Prize – International Jazz Trombone Ensemble Competition
Prize-winner – International Larry Wiehe Competition
Prize-winner – International Robert Marsteller Competition
Prize-winner - International Edward Kleinhammer Competition
Prize-winner - Big 12 Trombone Conference Solo Competition
Winner – Texas State University Concerto Competition
Notable Ensemble Performances
Boston Pops
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
Houston Symphony Orchestra
Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra
U.S. Army Jazz Ambassadors
What students say . . .
"Dr. McCain’s most important quality . . . is his rapport with his students. Dr. McCain continually strives for no less than the absolute best from each and every one of his students. This attitude, coupled with genuine care and support for his students’ undertakings, is one of the main reasons that the vast majority of his students have seen much success. I know that I have personally benefited far more than I could have imagined with the help of Dr. McCain. My personal successes thanks to Dr. McCain include acceptance to the DMA program at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY with two graduate assistantships and winning the Division III Tenor Trombone National Solo Competition."
“In lessons, Dr. McCain was constantly challenging and inspiring me with his knowledge and mastery of the trombone repertoire. He had a prescriptive solution for any technical problem that I might be having, and would always send me away with a new path to follow in my practice. I could always leave a lesson with new studies to practice, new insights into how to practice what I was already working on, and new recommendations on what players and performances to listen to for inspiration.”
“More importantly than everything he taught me about the trombone, about becoming a good member of the musical community, or running a program, Dr. McCain has been there for me for whatever I needed. I remember coming to him after a major family crisis I was going through and when he answered the door, instead of shying away, he invited me into the office and listened to me. Instead of demanding for me to get my life together and to get over it, he was understanding and helped me through the situation. I don’t know if he remembers that day, but it has pushed me since then to create a stronger relationship with my students that let them know that I’m not just here for brass coaching, I genuinely care for them.”