Martin McCain, Trombone
Fast Facts
Faculty at the University of Memphis, TN
Featured at Carnegie Hall, Hollywood Bowl and NPR’s Performance Today
Performs with symphony orchestras of Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Toronto, Utah, and more
A third-generation musician, Martin McCain’s career spans an impressive range of musical genres. As an ambassador of the bass trombone, Martin maintains a versatile performance schedule as a soloist, recording artist, chamber, orchestral, jazz/commercial musician and educator. He is a four-time winner of the Global Music Awards and was featured as their “Emerging Artist” in Billboard magazine, with performances described as "solid and masterful," (International Trombone Association Journal) with a “warm and beautiful,” tone (Glissando Magazine).
McCain’s performances include concerts at Carnegie Hall, Hollywood Bowl, Croatian National Theatre and others. His performances have been broadcast on CNN’s Juneteenth: A Global Celebration of Freedom, Radio Television Hong Kong and NPR's "Performance Today”.
As a recording artist, Martin has released four CDs, Renew (2021), Trombone Czar: The Extended Version (2015), Shades (2014), and Trombone Czar: Russian Treasures Recorded Live! (2012). He can be heard on RCA Records, Motown Records, Atlantic Records, Summit Records and numerous film and video game soundtracks. As a soloist, Martin has performed with the Croatian Army Wind Band, United States Army Concert Band "Pershing's Own", the United States Army Brass Quintet, Laredo Philharmonic Orchestra, Kingsville Symphony Orchestra and the Balcones Chamber Orchestra.
As an orchestral musician, McCain is a member of the IRIS Collective, Victoria Bach Festival Orchestra, Gateways Festival Orchestra and regularly performs with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra. He has been invited to be guest bass trombone with major ensembles including the symphony orchestras of Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Toronto, Utah, and the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, among others. As a chamber musician, Martin is an associate artist with the Rodney Marsalis Philadelphia Big Brass, a founding member of the Minor 4th Trombone Quartet and regularly performs with his wife, pianist Artina McCain as the McCain Duo.
As a jazz/commercial musician, McCain is the leader of the award-winning Austin based jazz trombone ensemble, JazzBonez. He has been invited to perform with the legendary Count Basie Orchestra, Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, Frank Sinatra Jr. Orchestra and several Broadway shows including recent tours of Mrs. Doubtfire, Company, Funny Girl, Ain't Too Proud, and Tina. Martin has collaborated with a number of illustrious artists such as Earth Wind and Fire, Roberta Flack, Bel Biv Devoe, Jon Batiste, Chaka Khan, Ne-Yo, Robert Glasper, The Roots, Lenny Williams, the Temptations and the Four Tops. He can be heard on numerous R&B albums with Memphis’ Royal Studio Horns.
In fall 2023, Dr. McCain returned to his hometown to join the faculty at the University of Memphis Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music. He was previously Professor of Trombone at Texas State University in addition to holding teaching positions at Henderson State University and Huston-Tillotson University. Dr. McCain’s students have been extremely successful in international and national solo and ensemble competitions and are regular winners of university concerto competitions. In recognition of his teaching, Martin received the College Achievement Award in Teaching and the Presidential Distinction Award for Excellence in in both Teaching and Scholarly/Creative Activity categories. His students have been accepted into some of the nation's most prestigious graduate programs such as the Juilliard School, Eastman School of Music, Yale University, Northwestern University, Manhattan School of Music and the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and have careers as performers and educators from K-12 to the university level. In addition to his university teaching duties, Martin has spent summers on the faculty of the Sewanee Summer Music Festival, Interharmony International Music Festival (Italy), the SliderAsia Music Festival (Hong Kong) and the English Brass Academy (Croatia).
McCain earned his Bachelor of Music degree with a business minor at the University of Southern Mississippi, in addition to a Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin. Martin McCain is a performing artist for S.E. Shires and plays on the "McCain" signature mouthpiece series manufactured by Pickett Brass. In his spare time, Martin is an avid BBQ pitmaster and sports enthusiast.