Andrew Trachsel

Courses taught, syllabi and curriculum vitae

Andrew Trachsel serves as Professor of Wind Studies and Chair of the Division of Conducting and Ensembles at the University of North Texas College of Music. He is the conductor of the Wind Orchestra and teaches courses in graduate and undergraduate conducting as well as the history and repertoire of the wind band.

Trachsel has collaborated with and received critical acclaim from many leading performers and composers including Tony Baker, Barcelona Clarinet Players, Mason Bates, Denée Benton, David Biedenbender, Bruce Broughton, Canadian Brass, Jung Choi, Viet Cuong, James David, Paul Dooley, Mark Ford, Nancy Galbraith, Julie Giroux, Saül Gómez Soler, Dave Hall, Haven Trio, Sungji Hong, Jennifer Jolley, Lindsay Kesselman, Joseph Klein, Libby Larsen, John Mackey, Dave Malloy, Michael Markowski, Manuel Martínez, Quinn Mason, Stacie Mickens, Robert Moran, Mark Phillips, Joel Puckett, Paul Rennick, Jake Runestad, Raquel Samayoa, Drew Schnurr, Seraph Brass, James Stephenson, Third Coast Percussion, Omar Thomas, Zhou Tian, Bramwell Tovey, Noriko Tsukagoshi, Jess Langston Turner, Dana Wilson, Christoph Wünsch, Chen Yi, Gregory Youtz, and Larry Zalkind. An advocate for new music, Dr. Trachsel has premiered, commissioned, or co-commissioned more than 100 new works over the past two decades. He is interested in developing innovative programming through interdisciplinarity, culminating in the establishment of the Ampersand festival to explore new opportunities for authentic collaboration between the contemporary wind band and other musical genres (including jazz, rock, and electronica), other arts (including dance, film, theater, and visual art), and other disciplines.

In 2019 Trachsel was named series editor of GIA Publications’ landmark Teaching Music through Performance in Band series after serving for fifteen years as the coordinator of research associates and as a contributor to eleven volumes. With Eugene Migliaro Corporon, he is the co-creator of the Teaching Music through Performance in Band Video Rehearsal Series. His transcription of Robert Moran’s Points of Departure is published by Charlotte Benson Music and his critical edition of Gordon Jacob’s William Byrd Suite was recorded by the North Texas Wind Symphony and released on the album Altered States. Trachsel is active internationally as a guest conductor, clinician, advocate, and recording producer, and holds professional or honorary memberships in the Recording Academy (formerly NARAS), National Association for Music Education, Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Music Fraternity of America, Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society, Sigma Alpha Iota International Music Fraternity, Tau Beta Sigma National Honorary Band Sorority, and the College Band Directors National Association, for whom he serves as president of the Southwestern Division. He was appointed Assistant Conductor for the inaugural season of the Lone Star Wind Orchestra and now serves as the music director and conductor of the Lone Star Youth Winds.

Prior to this appointment, Trachsel served as Director of Bands and Associate Professor of Conducting at Ohio University for eleven years. He was the conductor of the Wind Symphony, music director for the “Under the Elms” Summer Concert Series, Division Chair of Conducting and Ensembles, and Assistant Director for Recruitment for the School of Music. Under his artistic direction, the Ohio University Wind Symphony performed at numerous music conferences and venues, including the CBDNA North Central Division, Ireland, Rome, and New York City’s famed Carnegie Hall. The Ohio University Wind Symphony released three commercial albums on the Mark Masters label, with multiple appearances on national syndicated radio and the Grammy Entry List. Trachsel also taught in the Hugh Hodgson School of Music at the University of Georgia as an assistant director of bands and postdoctoral fellow, and for four years served as a public high school band director in central Iowa. 

A native of Iowa, Trachsel received a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Drake University, a Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts, both in conducting, from the University of North Texas, where he studied with Eugene Migliaro Corporon and Dennis Fisher.