Dr. Joseph Brown is an active educator and trombonist currently living in Boone, NC.  He is currently Assistant Professor of Trombone in the Hayes School of Music at Appalachian State University, a position he has held since Fall 2020. He previously was Visiting Assistant Professor at ASU for the 2019-2020 school year.

As a chamber musician, Joe is currently involved with 3Basso, a low brass trio originally formes at Ohio University, as well as the Ohio Trombone Quartet, a chamber group comprised of trombone professionals from the Central/Southeastern Ohio area.  3Basso recently performed a recital at the 2021 International Trombone Festival in Columbus, Georgia, and performed a recital at the International Tuba Euphonium Conference at the University of Iowa in May 2019. Also, 3Basso was recently featured as guest soloists at the 2019 Ohio Music Education Association (OMEA) Professional Development Conference with the Ohio University Wind Symphony, performing the world premiere of a new piece for Low Brass Trio and Wind Symphony by Robert McClure entitled “Sounding Field: The Deep”. 3Basso has also presented a session titled “Low Brass - High Standards: A Creative Approach to Chamber Music” at the West Virginia (2018), North Carolina (2017), and Ohio (2017) Music Education Association conventions. In July 2019, Ohio Trombone Quartet performed at the International Trombone Festival at Ball State University. OTQ has also completed several tours in the last few years, performing at universities in Ohio and Pennsylvania, as well as a featured recital performance at the 2018 Ohio Music Education Association (OMEA) Professional Development Conference in Columbus, OH.

In 2012, Joe completed his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Trombone Performance at the University of Texas-Austin, where he studied with Dr. Nathaniel Brickens and was also the teaching assistant for the trombone studio.  At UT, Joe performed with the Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, New Music Ensemble, Trombone Choir, and as a member of City Limits Brass, UT’s graduate brass quintet.  He was also a finalist in the 2009-10 UT Concerto Competition. He received a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education in 2001 and dual Master's Degrees in Trombone Performance and Music Education in 2004 from Appalachian State University in Boone, NC where he studied trombone with Dr. Harold McKinney. He was the winner of the ASU Concerto-Aria competition in 2003, and was featured as a soloist with the ASU Wind Ensemble performing Derek Bourgeois' Trombone Concerto.  Joe was chosen from an international pool of applicants to be a member of the Fellow class at the 2013 Alessi Seminar, an event hosted by Joseph Alessi, principal trombone of the New York Philharmonic.  At the Alessi Seminar, Joe was fortunate to work with Professor Peter Ellefson from Indiana University as well as Mr. Alessi. From 2014-2020, Joe was adjunct faculty at Ohio University, as well as Alamance Community College in Graham, NC.  From 2012-2014 he served as adjunct faculty at Western Illinois University, where he taught courses in American Popular Music, as well as Monmouth College, where he directed the Monmouth College Concert Band.  He was also the bass trombonist of the Quincy (IL) Symphony Orchestra. From 2007-2009 Joe was an adjunct faculty member of the Hayes School of Music at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC where he taught applied trombone, euphonium, trombone choir, and low brass methods. He has also served as the trombone instructor for ASU’s Cannon Music Camp, a summer music experience for high school students. During this period, Joe was also the Bass Trombonist for the Symphony of the Mountains, Kingsport, TN from 2007-2009.  Joe began his professional career as band director of W.P. Grier Middle School, Gastonia, NC where he taught from 2003-2007, leading a program with approximately 225-250 students in symphonic band and jazz band courses. He was also a North Carolina Teaching Fellow. 

Joe has performed with the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, West Virginia Symphony, River Cities Symphony, Notre Dame Festival Orchestra, Victoria Bach Festival Orchestra, Dallas Brass, the Peoria Symphony Orchestra, Round Rock Symphony, Western Piedmont Symphony, Salisbury Symphony, the Carolinas Wind Orchestra, the Cab Calloway Orchestra, the Legends of Beach, Drei Bones trombone trio, High Country Brass, King Street Brass, the Piedmont Jazz Collective, the Palmetto Posaunen, and aboard the Regent Seven Seas Navigator. He has performed at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago, IL, International Trombone Festivals in Austin, TX, Nashville, TN, and Paris, France, the American Bandmasters Association Convention, and the Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC.  Joe has shared the stage with artists such as: Joseph Alessi, James Markey, Ben van Dijk, Allen Vizutti, Eddie Daniels, Chris Vidala, Rick Simerly, and Wycliffe Gordon. He is a member of the International Trombone Association, National Association for Music Education, North Carolina Music Educators Association, College Music Society, Pi Kappa Lambda, and a former member of MENC, OMEA, and TMEA. Joe is also proud to be an honorary member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Rho Tau chapter.  Joe lives in Boone, NC with his wife Dr. Laura Brown, Lecturer of Music Therapy at Appalachian State University, and their amazing and wonderful daughters Morgan (8) and Caroline (4).