Graduate Assistantships

Columbus State University offers Graduate Assistantships (GAs) for Master's Degree candidates in Performance and for Artist Diploma candidates. Graduate Assistantships cover in-state and out-of-state tuition and come with a stipend. In the case of the CSU Trombone Studio, the GA can include a number of significant opportunities and additional funding. One of the outstanding benefits of the Trombone GA position is that it comes with a contract to play second trombone in the LaGrange Symphony orchestra alongside Dr. Palmer for a tenor trombonist entering in the fall of 2014. This paid position is in addition to the GA stipend and provides excellent training and experience for a graduate student.  

This page is intended to provide more information for prospective Graduate students. After reading the information here, please contact Dr. Palmer to set up a visit. Please note that the deadline for auditioning is March 1 and your application must be complete before then.  The preliminary audition recording must be sent to Dr. Palmer by February 1.

The audition for the Master's Degree in Performance or Artist Diploma and the Graduate Assistantship requires 2 steps:

1. Email Dr. Palmer a recording of two contrasting etudes and 2 orchestral excerpts.  The deadline for submitting this preliminary audition recording is February 1.
2. Once an applicant has passed the preliminary audition recording phase, the live audition will involve approximately 20 minutes of playing, to include solo literature of the student's choice, plus 3-5 standard orchestral excerpts. Piano accompaniment is encouraged, but not required, and will not be provided. This audition will also serve as the audition for the LaGrange Symphony position - no additional audition is required.  Please contact Dr. Palmer if you have any questions. If you are interested in sending a recording and cannot audition in person, please contact Dr. Palmer.

There are no published dates for graduate auditions.  A typical audition for the program and the assistantship occurs in the same day as a lesson, tour, and usually a meal where there is ample time for interaction and discussion.  A mutually-convenient audition date will be set after the preliminary audition recording is approved by Dr. Palmer.

Duties of the Trombone GA add up to no more than 9 hours per week and may include:

• Work with both trombone ensembles, including performance and conducting (if desired)
• Teaching secondary trombone
• Coordinating guest artist visits
• Assisting with planning and preparation of the Southeast Trombone Symposium
• Website updating and development (no previous experience required)
• Assist with delivery of weekly studio classes for the trombone studio
• Organizational work for the trombone studio and brass area

Checklist for applying to CSU for the Master's degree for trombonists:

• Contact Dr. Palmer regarding Graduate opportunities at CSU.
• Apply to Columbus State University
• Apply to the Schwob School of Music at CSU
• Mail three letters of recommendation to Debra Tommey at:

Debra Tommey
Columbus State University Schwob School of Music
4225 University Ave.
Columbus, GA 31907

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Current Graduate Assistant Profile:

Cathy Schule is a trombonist originally from Cary, North Carolina. She currently studies with Dr. Bradley Palmer at Columbus State University and completed her undergraduate degree at the Oberlin Conservatory. Her former teachers include James DeSano, former principal trombonist of the Cleveland Orchestra, and John Ilika, principal trombonist of the North Carolina Symphony.  Cathy has attended Credo and Bay View music festivals,  and will be spending the summer of 2013 as an apprentice at Hot Springs and a fellow at Marrowstone.  She has been awarded an Arden J. Yockey scholarship at the Tuesday Musical Association's scholarship competition. In addition to university ensembles, Cathy has performed with the China Conservatory Orchestra, the Columbus Brass Ensemble, and the Columbus Symphony Orchestra. She also performed with Oberlin's Contemporary Music Ensemble at the World Financial Center's  New Sounds  festival. Cathy has played in masterclasses with Joseph Alessi, Massimo La Rosa, and Michael Powell. She can be heard on the CSU trombone ensemble's CD A Beautiful Noise on world premieres with Charlie Vernon and Joseph Alessi and on Kip Winger's recorded premiere of “Conversations with Ninjinsky” with the Oberlin Orchestra. 

If you have any questions or need help along the way, please Contact Dr. Palmer.