Founders
Dr. Matthew Kundler is a performer and educator based in Central Texas, serving as the Adjunct Professor of Tuba, Euphonium, and Brass Chamber Music at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. As a soloist, Matthew has been awarded prizes and recognition in the Leonard Falcone International Tuba and Euphonium Competition, the International Tuba and Euphonium Conference, the University of Alabama's Concerto Competition, Northwestern University's Concerto Competition, the Concours Prestige Internationale, the University of Texas's Concerto Competition, and the Army Band's National Collegiate Solo Competition.
Matthew has performed with the International Contemporary Ensemble, Chicago Brass Band, the BackBurner! Tuba Ensemble (the only professional tuba ensemble in the U.S.), the Georgia Brass Band, and the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, as well as performing as a featured soloist with the Brass Band of Huntsville, Mt. Prospect Wind Ensemble, the Kealing Middle School Band, the University of Alabama Brass Ensemble, the Wheaton Municipal Band, and Northwestern University’s Symphonic Wind Ensemble. As a member of the International Tuba and Euphonium Association, Matthew performed recitals as an invited guest artist at the Midwest Regional Tuba and Euphonium Conference, the Southeast Regional Tuba and Euphonium Conference, and the International Tuba and Euphonium Conference..
An advocate for new music, Matthew has performed the premieres of solo works for euphonium by Steve Snowden, Jose Flores, Derek Holden, Matthew Jackfert, Frank Guilino, and Paul McGhee. As a member of euphonium quartet !ncite, Matthew has commissioned works for this growing genre of euphonium chamber music from composers Dan Kramer, Ian McCollum, and Doug Bristol. Matthew also serves as the group's primary arranger, focusing on transcriptions of Romantic art songs and contemporary string quartets.
Matthew received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Alabama, his Master’s degree from Northwestern University, and his Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of Texas at Austin. His primary teachers include Rex Martin, Demondrae Thurman, Jeremy Crawford, Martin Cochran, and Charles Villarrubia.
Juan Enrique Alonso is currently a candidate for the Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the Eastman School of Music with a Performer's Certificate, where he is the Teaching Assistant for the tuba studio. He holds a Master of Music degree from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) and a Bachelor of Music from Texas Christian University (TCU).
Alonso has performed with the Buffalo Philharmonic, Cordancia Chamber Orchestra, Cincinnati SoundBox Orchestra, New Texas Symphony, Round Top Festival, Miami Music Festival, Wagner Institute Opera, and is additionally a substitute with the New World Symphony, Symphoria, and the Schenectady Symphony. He has shared the stage with Canadian Brass as well as the Dallas Wind Symphony.
Recently, he has been a semifinalist for the U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Army Field Band, U.S. Air Force Ceremonial Brass, U.S. Air Force Band of the West, the Solo Artist Division of the Leonard Falcone International Tuba Euphonium Competition, and a finalist in the Mock Band, Mock Orchestra, and Solo Artist divisions of the Northeast, Midwest, Great Plains, and South East regional tuba conferences. He was the first place winner of the national 2021 Stars and Shipes Competition, judged by members of the U.S. "President's Own" Marine Band, the U.S. Army Band "Pershing's Own," and the U.S. Air Force Ceremonial Brass.
His mentors include Don Harry (Buffalo
Philharmonic), Andrew Dougherty (U.S. Army Band "Pershing's Own"), Tim Northcut (U.S. Army Field Band), Chris Olka (Cincinnati Symphony), Richard Murrow (U.S. Naval Academy), and Alex Cauthen (Dallas Wind Symphony).
Nick Beltchev is a tuba performer and teacher based out of Austin, Texas. Nick is a member of the Dallas Winds. Prior to this, Nick held the position of Principal Tuba in the Macon Symphony Orchestra in Macon, Georgia.
Nick is currently a doctoral student at the University of Texas at Austin. He is an alumnus of the University of Georgia (MM) and the University of Michigan (BM).
He has studied with Charles Villarrubia, David Zerkel, Fritz Kaenzig, Dr. Roy Couch, and Don Little.