Dr. Justin Cook

A highly sought-after performer and teacher, Justin Cook is the Assistant Professor of Trombone at the University of Oklahoma. He has held that position since 2025. Before the University of Oklahoma, Dr. Cook served as the Associate Professor of Trombone and Jazz at the University of Central Arkansas. In addition to his college teaching, Justin has been a faculty member for the Southeast Trombone Symposium and the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps, and is the Festival Manager for the International Trombone Festival. In the summer of 2022, Dr. Cook hosted the International Trombone Festival at the University of Central Arkansas.

Justin has given solo performances in Europe, South America, and all across the United States. He was recently featured as a solo performer with the OU Wind Symphony and has soloed with the University of Central Arkansas Wind Symphony and Symphonic Band, the Natural State Brass Band, and the Little Rock Winds. He has given solo performances at the 2021, 2022, 2024, and 2026 International Trombone Festivals. His first solo recording was released in 2018 and is entitled “Connections.”  As a freelancer, Dr. Cook has performed with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic, the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas, the Arkansas Symphony, the Ft. Smith Symphony, the Tulsa Symphony, and The Arkansas Repertory Theatre.  He has performed on the national tours of Mary Poppins, The Book of Mormon, Wicked, and Back to the Future.

Equally at home as an educator and performer, Dr. Cook’s students have seen tremendous success. While at UCA, the trombone studio tripled in size and featured three trombone choirs: The BearBones Trombone Choir, the Natural Slides Trombone Ensemble, and the Jazz Bones. The trombone choirs performed at the American Trombone Workshop, the 2018, 2021, and 2024 International Trombone Festivals at the University of Iowa, Columbus State University, and Texas Christian University, and were featured performers at the 2018 Midwest Clinic in Chicago, IL. The UCA Trombone Ensembles performed a featured concert as the host of the 2022 International Trombone Festival. In May of 2023, the Natural Slides Trombone Ensemble recorded their first album entitled “Sempre Avanti,” which was released in the spring of 2024. Since arriving at the University of Oklahoma, his students have continued to thrive. The Trombone Choir has performed at the 2026 Big 12 Trombone Conference and have been invited to perform the opening concert of the 2026 Fall OkMEA Conference. The OU Trombone Collective, the top trombone choir at OU, has been invited to perform at the 2027 American Trombone Workshop in Washington D.C. Dr. Cook’s students have been finalists and winners of the International Trombone Association and American Trombone Workshop Solo Competitions, the Big 12 Solo Competitions, the International Women’s Brass Conference Solo Competitions, the Southeast Trombone Symposium’s Solo Trombone Competition, and the Southwest Trombone Conference Solo Trombone Competition.  They have graduated and been accepted to some of the world’s most prestigious universities and conservatories. Cook has presented clinics and masterclasses at universities all across the United States including at the Midwest Clinic, the Arkansas Bandmasters Association, and the OkMEA Conference.

Justin Cook holds a Bachelor of Music Education and a Bachelor of Trombone Performance from Northern Arizona University, a Master of Music in Instrumental Conducting from Northern Arizona University, and a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of North Texas. He has studied with Tony Baker, David Vining, Vern Kagarice, and Peter Vivona. During the summer of 2005, Justin was a member of the Disneyland All-American College Band. In 2009, Dr. Cook was chosen as one of 18 international tenor trombonists to attend the Alessi Seminar, where he had the opportunity to work with Joseph Alessi.

Justin Cook is an S.E. Shires performing artist, a Greg Black performing artist, and a Gard Bags Performing Artist.