King Edward III once said: "If you want to train a longbowman, start with his grandfather." This adage holds just as true for euphonium soloist David Childs who was born in 1981, to a family whose name had been synonymous with the euphonium for the last two generations. His grandfather, John was born in the Welsh Valleys and was a well-respected euphonium player who inspired his sons, Robert & Nicholas to play euphonium. Robert began teaching his son David from an early age and today David is widely regarded as one of the finest brass soloists of his generation.

He has toured extensively performing as a soloist throughout Europe, Australia, the Middle East, Japan, Hong Kong, and the United States. He is a keen advocate of new music and has premièred six concerti for euphonium, including a Royal Albert Hall radiobroadcast of Alun Hoddinott's, 'The Sunne Rising - The King Will Ride’. Back home in Wales David is Professor of Euphonium at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, and performs regularly as a principal soloist with the world famous Cory brass band. More information at David's Website.

Manfred Heidler (born 1960) joined the Bundeswehr Military Music Service in 1979 after finishing his apprenticeship as a printer. He studied at the music colleges in Düsseldorf, Detmold and Trossingen (tenor horn/trombone, instrument pedagogy and conducting). After serving as a senior non-commissioned officer in the 2nd Army Band of the Bundeswehr, he started his music officer training. From 1994 he studied musicology, psychology and educational science at the universities of Heidelberg and Düsseldorf and attained his doctorate at the Robert Schumann University in Düsseldorf in 2004.

In 2006, Captain (Army) Dr.. Manfred Heidler was head of the 2nd Air Force Band in Karlsruhe. Since September 2007, he has been working for the Military Music Section of the Armed Forces Office in Bonn, where he is responsible for special tasks.

He is also a known tenorhorn and euphonium soloist in Germany and abroad in the USA, Great Britain, Hungaria, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, Austria and works as a teacher of his instruments. Special articles about the history of the tenor brass instruments are written by him and were published in national and international Bandjournals.

Roger Behrend retired from the US Navy Band in 2009 after more than 30 years of military service. He served as the Principal Euphonium of the United States Navy Band. Prior to joining the Navy Band in 1984, Mr. Behrend was a member of the United States Coast Guard Band. He earned his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Michigan State University and a master's degree from George Mason University. He studied with Leonard Falcone. He has performed as a soloist throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia. He currently teachers at George Mason University.

Patricio Cosentino is one of the main artists of tuba in South America currently. He has an intense schedule as an educational soloist and working to help develop a new generation of professional musicians in South America. He has performed much chamber and orchestral music and currently works as tubist with the Symphony Orchestra National Argentina and as Tuba Professor at the Conservatory Superior of Music “Manuel de Falla” in Buenos Aires. In 2009, he received his diploma from the Hochschule, Germany in Weimar.

His international activities include concerts with the National Symphony Orchestra of Lima, Peru, Orchestra of camera of the Pontifical University Javeriana de Bogota, Colombia, Symphonic Band of the Pontifical University Javeriana de Bogota, Colombia, Symphonic Band of the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters of the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Symphony orchestra of Bahia Blanca, Argentina, Symphony orchestra of Salta, Argentina, Symphonic Band of the summer course of Brasilia, Brazil, Symphony orchestra of Campiñas, Brazil and with the Symphonic Band of Cordoba, Argentina.

Charae Kruger, Cellist

A native of New Orleans, Louisiana, Martin Cochran is currently Assistant Professor of Instrumental Music Education and Low Brass at the University of Montevallo. Martin comes to Montevallo from the University of West Georgia, were he served as Instructor of Tuba and Euphonium. Martin holds degrees in Music Education and Wind Conducting from Louisiana State University and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and a Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance from the University of Alabama. Martin has been successful in a variety of competitions, both as a soloist and chamber musician. He was the winner of the 2002 Leonard Falcone International Euphonium Competition and the 2002 International Tuba Euphonium Conference Solo Competition and Mock Service Band Audition. At ITEC 2002, he was also a member of the Alabama Tuba Quartet, who took first place in the quartet competition.

Martin has appeared as a soloist with several professional, university, and high school ensembles throughout the southeastern United States and the British Isles. He was a featured artist at the 2002 U.S. Army Band Tuba-Euphonium Conference and the 2003 Southeast Regional Tuba-Euphonium Conference. Martin is frequently in demand as a clinician/guest artist, having recently presented masterclasses at several universities and high schools throughout the southeast. He has also served as assistant conductor of the University of Alabama Wind Ensemble, and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Symphony Band and Youth Wind Ensemble Program. Martin is also the conductor of the Montevallo Community Band.