Brass
Faculty
The Brass Studies Area prepares students for advanced academic study or a professional career in music, focusing on the horn, trombone, trumpet, or tuba. Students benefit from working with some of the nation's best artists and teachers, all of whom are active symphonic musicians. Students receive close mentorship and guidance from OU's world-renowned faculty/artists in weekly master classes, brass repertory classes, and private music lessons.
Performance is a vital component of music education in the Brass Studies Area, and students in the program participate in nationally acclaimed large ensembles, as well as a variety of faculty-mentored chamber ensembles. Professional performance experience available to OU students include orchestral, theater, jazz, commercial, and recording industry venues. Students also regularly participate in competitions and workshops throughout the country, where they have garnered numerous awards for their outstanding performances and musicianship.
Graduates of the Brass Studies Area at the School of Music have had great success in the performance and education fields. Many of our graduates are active symphonic performers and are on music faculties at many universities across the United States. Our education majors also have distinguished themselves in the public schools, having been recognized as leaders in the profession and operating award-winning music programs.
Brass students have also been accepted into the most prestigious music academies and graduate programs throughout the country.
Brian Dobbins
Associate Professor of Music (Tuba/Euphonium)
Email: bdobbins@ou.edu
Professor Brian Dobbins began performing professionally in 1996 at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, VA. He graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1999 with a Bachelors degree in Music Education, and then began performing with the New Mexico Brass Quintet while working on his Masters degree in Music Performance at the University of New Mexico. In 2000, he won the principal tuba position with the Santa Fe Symphony where he continues to perform today. After receiving his Masters in the summer of 2002, Mr. Dobbins had the opportunity to spend the summer performing with the Santa Fe Opera. Later that summer he took a one-year position in Xalapa, Veracruz – Mexico, where he performed with the Xalapa Symphony Orchestra and taught tuba at the University of Veracruz. The following year Professor Dobbins accepted the Visiting Professor of Tuba and Euphonium position at the University of Oklahoma, and after three years of establishing strong high school and university studios, he accepted the Assistant Professor position at the University of Oklahoma.
- MM - University of New Mexico
- BM - Virginia Commonwealth University
Dr. Matthew Reynolds
Assistant Professor of Music (Horn)
Office: Catlett Music Center 215
Matthew Reynolds is the Assistant Professor of Horn at the University of Oklahoma. His teachers were Jeffrey Powers (retired) at Baylor University, Dr. Nicholas Smith (retired) at Wichita State University, and Dr. Kristy Morrell at the University of Southern California. Before his teaching position at OU, he has taught freelance private lessons for 10 years to students of all ages in Waco, Texas; Wichita, Kansas; and Los Angeles, California. He is currently the 4th horn of the Oklahoma City Philharmonic starting back in September of 2019. He has played with many other professional orchestras such as 2nd horn of the Wichita Symphony from 2014-2016, and subbing with the Waco Symphony, Wichita Grand Opera, Downey Symphony, and many other regional orchestras in the areas he has lived in.
- University of Southern California - DMA (Horn Performance)
- Wichita State University - MM (Horn Performance)
- Baylor University - BM (Horn Performance)
Dr. Douglas Lindsey
Assistant Professor of Music (Trumpet)
Office: Catlett Music Center 217
Dr. Douglas Lindsey joined the faculty at the University of Oklahoma in the Fall of 2023. Prior to his time at OU, Dr. Lindsey was the Associate Professor of trumpet and brass area coordinator at Kennesaw State University.
As a soloist, he has performed many times each at the International Trumpet Guild conference, at the Atlanta Trumpet Festival, at the Trumpet Festival of the Southeast, in numerous faculty and guest soloist recitals across the country, and with many high school, community and college bands across the country. Recently, in collaboration with pianist Kristy Olefsky, Dr. Lindsey released his first solo album, Impressions of France. Alongside pianist Judy Cole, he has performed solo recitals all over the Southeast as a founding member of Duo Trompiano.
As an orchestral musician, he has performed as principal trumpet of the Memphis Symphony, as section trumpet with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, as principal trumpet of the Georgia Symphony Orchestra, as section trumpet with the Macon Symphony, and spent two summers as an orchestral fellowship winner at the Aspen Music Festival.
His love of building community through music is highlighted by his leadership role in the Georgia Brass Band where he served as President and Principal Cornet for many years. This work culminated in the Georgia Brass Band earning their highest ever placement at NABBA. Recently in 2023 he was tapped to play principal cornet for the award-winning Fountain City Brass Band. In addition to a large variety of concerts in the United States, the band will also travel to England to compete alongside some of the world's finest bands. In addition to brass bands, Dr. Lindsey has spent time on tour in the award-winning University of Wisconsin Brass Quintet and as a member of the Mirari Brass Quintet.
Previous to earning his DMA at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Dr. Lindsey studied with Allan Dean at Yale, earning his Master of Music with the distinction of winning the John Swallow excellence in brass prize. Prior to Yale he studied with Ray Mase, Louis Ranger, Kevin Cobb, Scott Moore and Richard Rulli. Dr. Lindsey received his music performance and music education degrees magna cum laude from the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville. Dr. Lindsey is a Mercer and Barker mouthpiece and Schilke trumpet artist.
Dr. Irvin Wagner is a founding member of the Oklahoma Brass Quintet, and has been named as a David Ross Boyd Professor. Wagner conducts the popular OU Trombone Choir. He is a member of the Oklahoma City Philharmonic and the conductor for many of that orchestra's pops concerts. Wagner's compositions and arrangements are in demand by many major symphony orchestras and trombone choirs.
- DMA (Trombone performance and pedagogy) - Eastman School of Music, 1968
- MM (Trombone) - Eastman School of Music, 1961
- BS (Music Education and Trombone) - McPherson College, 1959
