VSU Student Trombone Player Wins National Award

Valdosta State University junior Christopher Crenshaw, competing against some of best trombone players in the United States, has been named the 2004 Eastern Trombone Workshop's National Jazz Solo Winner. Crenshaw, who is from Thomson, Georgia, is pursuing a Bachelor of Music Performance Degree with jazz emphasis from VSU.

Christopher CrenshawCrenshaw's honor came after he sent in an audition tape for the competition earlier in the year. The contest was open to anyone up to the age of 29. Crenshaw was screened as one of three finalists to compete March 18 at the Ft. Myer, Virginia Community Center. The other two finalists were from the Julliard School of Music and the Manhattan School of Music.

When Crenshaw won the March 18 event he was awarded a new trombone of his choice.

?The prize was soloing on the Neal Hefti tune ?Splanky? with the Army Blues Jazz Ensemble and legend Jiggs Whigham the next night,? said Crenshaw. He later was asked to play a gig with trombonist Harry Watters at an exquisite Virginia restaurant.

Crenshaw said he started playing trombone at age 11 when he entered middle school. He also attended the Governors Honors Program as a sophomore in 1999 as a Jazz major. He graduated from Thomson High School in 2001.

During his college years at VSU, Crenshaw has participated in the Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Combo, Latin Jazz Ensemble, Valdosta Symphony Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Student Brass Quintet, Trombone Choir, Brass Ensemble, and VSU Mass Choir.