Career Summary
Dr. Corwell has worked diligently during his 41 years as a professional musician to gain recognition for the euphonium as a solo instrument. As part of this effort, he has presented over 1,100 solo euphonium recitals, and has appeared at hundreds of regional, national and international music conferences, to include over a dozen featured artist performances at ITEA-sponsored ITECs (International Tuba Euphonium Conferences). He has also presented hundreds of brass demonstration concerts in public schools in an effort to introduce students to the beauty and technical capability of the euphonium and other brass instruments. (Please check out the “Soloist/Clinician” link for more information about these presentations.) In addition to his performance-related activities, Dr. Corwell has recorded several CDs featuring his arrangements and original works, and nearly 100 of his creations have been published, most of them solos for euphonium and other brass instruments. (for more details, consult the several music listings found under the “Music available for purchase” link)
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Retired Master Sergeant Neal Corwell first served with "Pershing's Own", The US Army Band in Washington, DC, from 1981 to 1989 as a euphoniumist with the Concert Band. During those years, he was one of the Concert Band’s most popular soloists and was featured at many prestigious events and venues to include the Lincoln Center in NYC and the Kennedy Center in Washington DC. After briefly serving as principal euphonium with the 257th Army National Guard Band (Washington, D.C.) during 2001, Neal rejoined Pershing’s Own in 2002, and served there as euphonium section leader of the Ceremonial Band. For several years he was also NCOIC for the Ceremonial Band’s Tuba-Euphonium Quartet, and, while serving as their leader, created several new compositions and arrangements for the ensemble. He retired from the band in 2016.
During his 12-plus years as a civilian, from 1989 to 2001, Dr. Corwell taught at Shepherd and Frostburg State Universities, earned a Doctoral Degree in euphonium performance and pedagogy from the University of Maryland under the tutelage of Dr. Brian Bowman, and served on the executive committee of the International Tuba Euphonium Association. He also served on the board of the Women’s Brass Conference. During the mid-1990s he was chosen to be a founding member of “Symphonia”, a tuba-euphonium ensemble chosen from among the nation’s finest low brass performers and directed by R. Winston Morris. During that same time period, he also made numerous appearances as principal euphonium for the River City Brass Band in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and as trombonist with the Maryland Symphony. Since 1990 he has been trombonist with the St. James Brass Quintet.
In 2007 the definitive sourcebook for the euphonium, titled Guide to the Euphonium Repertoire, was published by Indiana University Press. Dr. Corwell was tasked with writing two chapters for the book (one on all the current literature available for unaccompanied euphonium, and the other on current literature for euphonium with electronic media). In addition, he authored an article about “recording the euphonium” which was also included in the volume.
Dr. Corwell has authored over seventy musical compositions and arrangements. For more information on his writing career, please read his composer biography.
career and education summary timeline
Current positions:
• 1981 to present: freelance soloist, composer, adjudicator and recording artist.
• 1990 to present: trombonist with St. James Brass Quintet
• 2000 to present: featured artist in the Maryland "Artist-in-Education" program, which entails traveling across the state performing solo recitals in Maryland's public schools.
Past Positions:
• 1981 to 1989 - euphonium performer, tuba quartet member, and frequent featured soloist with concert band of “Pershing’s Own” The United States Army Band in Washington D.C.
• 1989 to 1996: instructor of low brass and electronic music at Shepherd College, in Shepherdstown, West Virginia.
• 1990 to 1995: low brass instructor at Frostburg State University, in Frostburg, Maryland.
• 2001 to 2002: euphonium section leader and principal euphonium with the 257th Army Band (Army National Guard) in Washington, D.C.
• 2007 to 2013: NCOIC of tuba-euphonium quartet with Ceremonial Band of “Pershing’s Own” The United States Army Band in Washington D.C.
• 2002 to 2016: bass trumpet with US Army Herald Trumpets and euphonium with Ceremonial Band of “Pershing’s Own” The United States Army Band in Washington D.C.
• 2004 and 2005: logistics coordinator for TUSABTEC (The US Army Band Tuba Euphonium Conference), an annual event sponsored by The US Army Band since 1983. (Neal performed in the first one!)
• 2004 to 2016: tuba section leader and then euphonium section leader of Ceremonial Band of “Pershing’s Own” The United States Army Band in Washington D.C.
Education:
1977-1981: Bachelor of Science degree in music performance from Frostburg State University, Frostburg, Maryland (magna cum laude)
1982-1985: Master of Arts degree in euphonium performance from George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia (perfect 4.0 grade point average)
1989-1997: Doctor of Musical Arts degree in euphonium performance and pedagogy from University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland (perfect 4.0 grade point average.)
Teachers:
Dr. Brian Bowman
David McCollum
John Fignar Jr.
Noel T. Kunkle