Helene Dauerty, Bass Bone

Hometown: Constantia, NY

Education: IU Bloomington (Doctoral Studies), Northwestern University (Master of Music), Guilford College (BS in Physics and Music).

Playing Experience: I play with ths South Bend Symphony and other orchestras in the area.  I also play opera and musicals for Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s College.  I have played for the Spoleto Festival and Ohio Light Opera.

Career Highlights: Music has been so rich and wonderful to me, it is hard to choose.  A jazz highlight: I spent two weeks in Monaco playing with the likes of Louie Bellson, Dave Brubeck, Betty Carter, John Faddis and Jimmy Heath while with the Spera band from IU Bloomington.  Belson and Brubeck were particularly generous to the backup bands.

Why do I play in Truth in Jazz: Dave asked.  I like to play in big band, so I said “yes” to jazz.

Bart Roberts, Trombone

Hometown: Elkhart, Indiana

Education: Bachelor of Science in Music Education and Masters of Music in Conducting and Trombone from Ball State University. I am currently the band director at Dickinson Intermediate Fine Arts Academy in the South Bend Community School Corporation.

Playing Experience: Ball State University Wind Ensemble, Marching Band, Jazz Ensemble, Trombone Choir, Tuba and Euphonium Ensemble and Symphony Orchestra. Member of the Elkhart Municipal Band. Have also performed with the Glassmen Drum and Bugle Corps, Indianapolis Brass Choir, Muncie Symphony, Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Marion Philharmonic, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Houston Symphony, The Woodlands Symphony Orchestra (Texas), Houston Symphonic Band and The Texas Music Festival Jazz Project.

Career Highlights: Leading the Klein Forest HS Jazz Ensemble in a featured performance at the 2006 National School Board Association Conference in Chicago, Illinois in front of 14,000 people. Performing as an extra trombonist on numerous occasions with the Houston Symphony Orchestra. Touring Italy this past summer with the Warren Central HS Honors Band (Indianapolis, Indiana) as a guest soloist. Sharing the stage at Ball State with Jazz Artists and Trombonists: Bill Watrous, Wycliffe Gordon, Conrad Herwig, Jeff Hamilton, Byron Stripling, Pete Christleib, Bobby Shew, Chris Vadala, Abbie Conant, M. Dee Stewart. Have studied Trombone with: John Seidel (Ball State University), Steve Wolfinbarger (Western Michigan University), Arnold Jacobs (Chicago Symphony), Alan Barnhill (Houston Symphony), David Waters (Houston Symphony), Ron Wilkins (San Antonio, Texas), and Freddie Mendoza (Texas State University).

Why I Play With TIJ: It’s a wonderful opportunity to keep playing my instrument and I enjoy working with such a great group of people!

Dean Ferguson - Trombone

Hometown: Wakarusa; Moved to Los Angeles, CA.

Education: BA & BM: Undergraduate work was at Northrop Institute of Technology in LA, and during that time I freelanced some in LA, including a national hookup radio program from Manhattan Beach, CA.

Playing Experience: Following HS, I traveled 3 years with the Spurrlows. Following undergrad, I went back on the road another year, now sponsored by Chrysler Corp doing approximately 730 shows in 9 months, for nearly 1 million people.

Career Highlights: My personal highlight probably is playing the Seattle Worlds Fair in 1962. I have played in the Elkhart Municipal Band 27 years as well.

Why I Play With TIJ:

Jordan Williams - Trombone

Hometown: Currently live in Elkhart, IN; Grew up in Valparaiso, IN

Education: BA & BM – Undergrad; DePauw University, Law School: Valparaiso University; Work at Sanders-Pianowski, LLP, as an attorney

Playing Experience: DePauw University Band, Orchestra, Jazz Band; Valparaiso University Band and Jazz Band.

Career Highlights: Touring Europe in 1991 and 1997 with a concert band and a chamber orchestra

Why I Play With TIJ: One of the few opportunities for playing big band literature in the area.