Gardner-Webb Distinguished Artist Series Presents Carolina Crown’s Matt Harloff on Jan. 13

Known as a Drum Corps International Legend, Brass Artist to Conduct Masterclass

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C.—Matt Harloff, senior brass instructor for Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps, will give a masterclass at Gardner-Webb University as part of the Distinguished Artist Series. The program will be on Thursday, Jan. 13, from 7 to 9:30 p.m. in Blanton Auditorium. A former student of GWU Professor Tim Hudson, Harloff has built CrownBRASS into one of the elite programs in the country. The Carolina Crown Brass Section has been awarded the Jim Ott Memorial Award for Excellence in Brass several times, and Carolina Crown is a consistent Drum Corps International (DCI) World Class Finalist.

“Harloff is a DCI legend and Yamaha Artist,” noted Hudson. “Nearly every high school band director in America knows Matt, due to his tremendous success with Carolina Crown.”

Based in Fort Mill, S.C., Carolina Crown has partnered with Gardner-Webb since 2007 for practice and rehearsal space prior to its national tours. Harloff and Carolina Crown celebrated their first ever DCI World Class World Championship in the summer of 2013.

As a music student, Harloff was a performing member of the DCI World Champion Star of Indiana Drum and Bugle Corps from 1989-1995 and was drum major in 1993. After graduating from Indiana University in 1996 with a bachelor’s degree in music education, Harloff was appointed the assistant band director at Avon High School in Avon, Ind. He earned a master’s degree in education from the University of Indianapolis in 2001.

He co-conducts all five concert bands at Avon High. The Avon Wind Symphony has had the honor of performing at the Indiana Music Educators Association Conference, as well as Indiana State Concert Band Championships where they have been named Indiana State Concert Band Champions numerous times. Harloff is the conductor of the Avon Brass Choir, which has performed throughout the Midwest and shared concerts with various collegiate brass choirs including the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music Brass Ensemble. The Avon Brass Choir was honored to be a performing ensemble at the 2015 Midwest Band & Orchestra Clinic.

Harloff also serves as one of the directors for the Avon Marching Black & Gold—a group that has won numerous Indiana State Marching Band Championships, been a consistent Bands of America Grand National Finalist, including being named Grand National Champion several times, and has also performed in the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade.

A native of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, Harloff is very proud of his musical family. His father, Bill, is a retired band director and his brother, Ben, is a band director in Minnesota.

Tickets are $10 for the general public; free with ID for all schools, students, and their directors; and free with ID for Gardner-Webb faculty, staff, and students. Continuing Education (CE) credits will be available.

Auxiliary aids will be made available to persons with disabilities upon request 10 days prior to the event. Please call (704) 406-2155 or email [email protected] with your request.

Gardner-Webb University is North Carolina’s recognized leader in private, Christian higher education. A Carnegie-Classified Doctoral/Professional University, GWU is home to six professional schools, 14 academic departments, more than 80 undergraduate and graduate majors, and a world-class faculty. Located on a beautiful 225-acre campus in Boiling Springs, N.C., Gardner-Webb prepares graduates to impact their chosen professions, equips them with the skills to advance the frontiers of knowledge, and inspires them to make a positive and lasting difference in the lives of others. Ignite your future at Gardner-Webb.edu.