DEMONDRAE THURMAN
Demondrae Thurman is considered one of the stars of the formidable generation of brass soloists. His euphonium playing has been described as “awe inspiring”, and he is touted as “an amazing musician”. Demondrae has a firm international reputation as a euphonium soloist having performed in Europe, Asia and throughout North America. Many of Americas premiere colleges and universities have hosted him as a performer and teacher and he continues to be in extremely high demand. Over the last eighteen years, Demondrae has been an invited guest artist/clinician at many of the world’s prestigious low brass festivals including the International Tuba/Euphonium Conference, U.S. Army Band Tuba and Euphonium Conference and the Leonard Falcone Competition.
​
Demondrae’s conducting career began in 1999 when he co-founded the wind ensemble at Alabama State University. Since that time, he has appeared as a guest conductor with numerous wind bands, brass bands, and symphony orchestras. His symphony orchestra debut came in 2008 conducting Scheherazade by Rimsky Korsakov with the Huxford Symphony Orchestra of the University of Alabama where he also served as its conductor from 2011-2013. He is currently in his 7th season as Resident Assistant Conductor of the Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra.
​
Demondrae is also an active chamber musician. He plays first euphonium and trombone in the highly regarded Sotto Voce Quartet which tours extensively. The quartet has released four recordings; all of which have received stellar reviews. Viva Voce!: The Complete Quartets of Johns Stevens won the International Tuba/Euphonium Association award for best chamber music recording in 2006. The quartet has been featured several times on American Public Media’s, Performance Today. He also plays first baritone horn in the Brass Band of Battle Creek, a British brass band comprised of many of the world’s best brass and percussion performers.
In addition to his chamber music work, Demondrae is in high demand as a euphonium/bass trumpet specialist for symphony orchestras. He has performed with the New York Philharmonic, Atlanta Symphony, Sarasota Orchestra, North Carolina Symphony, Eastern Music Festival Orchestra, Oregon Symphony, and the Philadelphia Orchestra.
In addition to the Sotto Voce Quartet recordings, Demondrae released his first solo recording on the Summit Records label in 2005 entitled, Soliloquies. It received a 9/9 out of 10/10 from classicstoday.com and he was referred to as “having earned (his) stripes as one of the premiere euphonium players in the world”. Showing his dedication to new music, all of the music on the recording was written for him or with his playing in mind. His second album, Songs of a Wayfarer, was released in 2011. The latest recording, Snapshots: The Spirit of Collaboration, was released in March of 2014. Demondrae can also be heard on recordings with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Brass Band of Battle Creek, and the New South Jazz Orchestra.
​
Currently, Demondrae is Professor of Music at Samford University where he teaches low brass and conducting while serving as conductor of the wind ensemble and Director of Graduate Studies.
Demondrae Thurman is a Miraphone Performing Artist and plays exclusively the Miraphone 5050 Ambassador “Edition” euphonium which was designed specifically for him. He also plays the custom “Demondrae” model mouthpiece manufactured by Warburton Music Products and is a Shires Trombone Performing Artist.
For more information about Demondrae Thurman, please visit
www.facebook.com/demondraethurman
www.youtube.com/demondraethurman
​