Yvonne Toll-Schneider, Trumpet
The Morris Manning & Martin, LLP trumpet faculty chair
Yvonne Toll-Schneider is one of Atlanta’s premier trumpet performers and instructors. She has been in high demand as a free-lance musician since moving to the area in1988. She received her undergraduate degree from North Park College in Chicago and her Masters of Music from the Eastman School of Music, where she was awarded the prestigious Performers Certificate.
Mrs Toll-Schneider joined the Atlanta Opera in 1996 and was appointed Principal Trumpet in 1997. She can be heard several times a year performing with the Atlanta Symphony and the Atlanta Ballet as an extra musician. As well as performing symphonic and solo work, Mrs Toll-Schneider might be seen in the orchestra pit for various Broadway Shows or Musicals performed in the Atlanta area.
In addition to her performing schedule, Mrs Toll-Schneider maintains a teaching studio of students ranging in age from 8 to 83. She is currently Instructor of Trumpet at Clayton State University. While living in the Atlanta area, she has taught trumpet as a part-time or visiting instructor at Georgia State University, Columbus State University, Agnes Scott College, Georgia Perimeter College, and Emory University. Her students have achieved full time music careers as middle and high school band directors, free-lancers, business owners, managers, and recording engineers. Sept 27th of 2015 Mrs Toll-Schneider completed Ironman Chattanooga (swim 2.5 miles, bike 116, run 26.2) helping raise over $253,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. She trained with 48 other athletes through the GA Chapter of Team-In-Training.
Mrs Toll-Schneider joined the Atlanta Opera in 1996 and was appointed Principal Trumpet in 1997. She can be heard several times a year performing with the Atlanta Symphony and the Atlanta Ballet as an extra musician. As well as performing symphonic and solo work, Mrs Toll-Schneider might be seen in the orchestra pit for various Broadway Shows or Musicals performed in the Atlanta area.
In addition to her performing schedule, Mrs Toll-Schneider maintains a teaching studio of students ranging in age from 8 to 83. She is currently Instructor of Trumpet at Clayton State University. While living in the Atlanta area, she has taught trumpet as a part-time or visiting instructor at Georgia State University, Columbus State University, Agnes Scott College, Georgia Perimeter College, and Emory University. Her students have achieved full time music careers as middle and high school band directors, free-lancers, business owners, managers, and recording engineers. Sept 27th of 2015 Mrs Toll-Schneider completed Ironman Chattanooga (swim 2.5 miles, bike 116, run 26.2) helping raise over $253,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. She trained with 48 other athletes through the GA Chapter of Team-In-Training.
Mackenzie Newell, French Horn
Mackenzie Newell is a professional hornist and instructor based in Atlanta, Georgia. She holds a Bachelor of Music from Boston University and a Master of Music from the New England Conservatory of Music where she studied with Eric Ruske and Rachel Childers, respectively. Additionally, she spent time in London studying at the Royal College of Music as well as the Aspen Music Festival in Colorado.
While in Boston, Mackenzie performed often with the Boston Pops and participated in chamber music across the Northeast. Since moving to Atlanta in 2019, Mackenzie has performed frequently with the Atlanta Symphony, the Atlanta Opera, the Huntsville Symphony, and the Chattanooga Symphony. She is also the hornist of the Atlanta Brassworks quintet.
Outside of her performance career, Mackenzie is the horn professor at University of North Georgia and is an Artist Affiliate at both Reinhardt University and Oglethorpe University.
Mackenzie Newell is a professional hornist and instructor based in Atlanta, Georgia. She holds a Bachelor of Music from Boston University and a Master of Music from the New England Conservatory of Music where she studied with Eric Ruske and Rachel Childers, respectively. Additionally, she spent time in London studying at the Royal College of Music as well as the Aspen Music Festival in Colorado.
While in Boston, Mackenzie performed often with the Boston Pops and participated in chamber music across the Northeast. Since moving to Atlanta in 2019, Mackenzie has performed frequently with the Atlanta Symphony, the Atlanta Opera, the Huntsville Symphony, and the Chattanooga Symphony. She is also the hornist of the Atlanta Brassworks quintet.
Outside of her performance career, Mackenzie is the horn professor at University of North Georgia and is an Artist Affiliate at both Reinhardt University and Oglethorpe University.
Ryan Black, Trombone
The Mark & Marjorie McConnell/Mark & Ruthelen Williamson trombone faculty chair
A native of Florida, Ryan Black has continued his successful music career across the country. Often times performing on multiple instruments through multiple genres, he is sought out as one of the most diverse and hard working musicians in the area, regularly playing gigs as diverse as salsa bands to symphony orchestras. Playing tenor trombone, bass trombone, euphonium, baritone, tuba, and bass trumpet; he has become highly in demand in the area.
Within the commercial realm, he has played on many recordings including the self titled album, Pacific Mambo Orchestra, winning a Grammy for his contribution to the album in 2013. He can also be heard on various recording projects and video game soundtracks. Along with playing for such prestigious latin groups as Pacific Mambo Orchestra, Sheila E, Grupo de Karabali, and Orquesta Avance, Ryan has had the pleasure to play with artists such as: Frankie Valli, Natalie Cole, Tony Bennett, Johnny Mathis, Lady Gaga, the Temptations, the O’Jays, Wayne Newtown, Maceo Parker, Frank Sinatra Jr., Idina Menzel to name a few.
Equally at home with the classical realm as the commercial setting, Ryan has played with many orchestras here and around the world; including Orquesta Filarmonique de Jalisco, the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra, Orquesta Sinfonica UANL, San Francisco Opera Orchestra, Alabama Symphony, and many more. Ryan has also performed solo recitals in Mexico and in Bulgaria.
Ryan has played for many National Broadway musical tours in theaters in San Francisco, Sacramento, San Jose, and Birmingham. Often times playing multiple instruments. As well as working in the theatrical realm, he has been lucky enough to work with the most prestigious big bands in every area that he has lived. Some of them include the Tommy Igoe Big Band, the Fil Lorenz Orchestra, the Joe Gransden Big Band, Jazz Mafia, Electric Squeezebox Orchestra, the Marcus Shelby Big band, and the Contemporary Jazz Orchestra to name a few.
Working with young musicians has a special place in his heart, frequently teaching in area schools as a coach, clinician, and private teacher. Besides working in the schools, Ryan teaches applied trombone and overflow for the tuba/euphonium studio at University of West Georgia where he continues to teach future educators and performers. He also maintains a large private studio of students on all brass instruments ranging from 7-80 years of age.
You can find Ryan frequently playing with the Joe Gransden Big Band, the Atlanta Brass Quintet, Tallahassee Symphony, as well as other performances around the Southeast states.
Within the commercial realm, he has played on many recordings including the self titled album, Pacific Mambo Orchestra, winning a Grammy for his contribution to the album in 2013. He can also be heard on various recording projects and video game soundtracks. Along with playing for such prestigious latin groups as Pacific Mambo Orchestra, Sheila E, Grupo de Karabali, and Orquesta Avance, Ryan has had the pleasure to play with artists such as: Frankie Valli, Natalie Cole, Tony Bennett, Johnny Mathis, Lady Gaga, the Temptations, the O’Jays, Wayne Newtown, Maceo Parker, Frank Sinatra Jr., Idina Menzel to name a few.
Equally at home with the classical realm as the commercial setting, Ryan has played with many orchestras here and around the world; including Orquesta Filarmonique de Jalisco, the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra, Orquesta Sinfonica UANL, San Francisco Opera Orchestra, Alabama Symphony, and many more. Ryan has also performed solo recitals in Mexico and in Bulgaria.
Ryan has played for many National Broadway musical tours in theaters in San Francisco, Sacramento, San Jose, and Birmingham. Often times playing multiple instruments. As well as working in the theatrical realm, he has been lucky enough to work with the most prestigious big bands in every area that he has lived. Some of them include the Tommy Igoe Big Band, the Fil Lorenz Orchestra, the Joe Gransden Big Band, Jazz Mafia, Electric Squeezebox Orchestra, the Marcus Shelby Big band, and the Contemporary Jazz Orchestra to name a few.
Working with young musicians has a special place in his heart, frequently teaching in area schools as a coach, clinician, and private teacher. Besides working in the schools, Ryan teaches applied trombone and overflow for the tuba/euphonium studio at University of West Georgia where he continues to teach future educators and performers. He also maintains a large private studio of students on all brass instruments ranging from 7-80 years of age.
You can find Ryan frequently playing with the Joe Gransden Big Band, the Atlanta Brass Quintet, Tallahassee Symphony, as well as other performances around the Southeast states.
Jason Casanova, Tuba & Euphonium
The Kevin Phillips tuba faculty chair
Jason Casanova is an Artist-in-Residence, Euphonium and Tuba at Kennesaw State University, and an instructor of Euphonium and Low Brass at Jacksonville State University. He has also been on faculty at Georgia State University. He has performed with the San Antonio Symphony, Huntsville Symphony, and the LaGrange Symphony, is currently principal euphonium with the Georgia Brass Band, and is also a founding member of the Divergence Ensemble. As a freelance musician he plays euphonium with diverse groups such as the 4th Ward Afro-Klezmer Orchestra and Mercury Orkestar, gets frequent requests to perform on trombone and tuba, and is an active low brass instructor and clinician in the Greater Metropolitan Atlanta area. Jason has performed and judged competitions at the Leonard Falcone International Euphonium and Tuba Festival, International Euphonium and Tuba Festival (IET), Euphonium & Tubas of Brazil Conference (ETB), SchoolofBrass.com, various conferences sponsored by the International Tuba Euphonium Association (ITEA), and serves on the ITEA Guest Artist Grant Committee. Jason holds degrees from St. Mary’s University, Georgia State University, and is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Euphonium Performance at the University of Georgia. His primary teachers include Abel Cortinas, Dr. Adam Frey, W. Peter Kline, Lee Hipp, and Dr. Matthew Shipes. For more information, please visit www.jcasanova.com
Jason Casanova is a Besson Performing Artist/Clinician and plays exclusively on a Besson Prestige 2052 euphonium.
Jason Casanova is a Besson Performing Artist/Clinician and plays exclusively on a Besson Prestige 2052 euphonium.
*Artist-faculty are subject to change.
