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Ticket Option Description:
• $60 Premium Admission – Includes masterclass, group activities, full session access, and a solo performance opportunity on stage with personalized feedback from our guest artists–12 spots only (6 per each session).
• $40 General Admission – Includes masterclass, group activities, and full session access.
Please select your preferred session and number of tickets below, then click the red “Get Tickets” button to proceed!
Join us on Saturday, September 20, 2025, for a full day of inspiration, learning, and performance at the Texas All-State Slide Summit, designed exclusively for tenor and bass trombonists.
Led by world-class artists Sebastian Vera and Brian Hecht, this immersive event will feature two focused sessions:
• Tenor Trombone Session (9:00 AM – 12:00 PM) with Sebastian Vera
• Bass Trombone Session (1:00 PM – 4:00 PM) with Brian Hecht
• Lunch will be available for purchase on-site between sessions
Highlights include:
• Masterclasses covering aspects of technique, sound, and musicianship, especially focused on performance of the 2025-2026 TMEA etudes
• Performance demonstrations by our guest artists, showcasing their virtuosity and interpretation
• All-State audition preparation tips that go beyond just the music
• Group performance opportunities for all attendees to play along with our guest artists
• Individual solo performance opportunities on stage with personalized feedback from our guest artists for premium admission holders
• Instrument, mouthpiece, and other trial opportunities and resources provided by Houghton Horns
John Sebastian Vera, a native of Texas, became the principal trombonist of the Pittsburgh Opera in 2010 and joined the River City Brass as principal trombone in 2015. He is a founder of the Third Coast Trombone Retreat and also professor of trombone at Duquesne University and faculty member at the Cleveland Institute of Music where he teaches a course on Music Entrepreneurship and Digital Media as well as coach chamber music.
In addition to the Pittsburgh Opera, Mr. Vera has played with the symphonies of Dallas, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Buffalo, Kennedy Center Opera House, Malaysian Philharmonic, New York City Ballet, Vermont, Harrisburg, Charleston, American Ballet Theatre, and Orquesta Sinaloa de las Artes in Mexico amongst others.
He began his studies with Jon Bohls in Texas and continued his education at Southern Methodist University where he studied with John Kitzman of the Dallas Symphony. He then spent a year studying with Ed Zadrozny as a graduate assistant at the University of Akron, and finished his graduate work in New York City at the Mannes College of Music studying with David Finlayson and James Markey of the New York Philharmonic.
In 2011, he spent the summer in Haiti volunteer teaching and performing in the Orchestre Philharmonique Sainte Trinite as well as the Ecole de Musique Dessaix Baptiste which became one of the more profound experiences of his life.
A dedicated chamber musician, he also was a founding member of the critically acclaimed Guidonian Hand Trombone Quartet in which he played from 2008–2014. With the quartet, John performed over 100 concerts and gave master classes all over the country. Heralded by the New York Times for their “expertly played performances” they have been recipients of numerous national grants which have enabled them to commission countless composers to create new and innovative works for four trombones. In 2014 was the premiere of River of Fundament, a movie by film artist Matthew Barney, in which John recorded for and acted in along with the quartet.
Mr. Vera can also be heard on the HBO documentary The Words that Built America as well as on euphonium in the PBS documentary Abraham and Mary Lincoln, A House Divided as well as many commercial and video game soundtracks as well as James Markey’s solo release, “On Base”.
Sebastian is an artist for Thein Instruments, has a signature JSV mouthpiece line he developed with Houghton Horns and resides in Pittsburgh. His favorite musicians include Sigur Ros, Radiohead, the Books, and Efterklang. When he can get away from the trombone he most enjoys basketball, traveling and reading about psychology, and social science. Check out his podcast he hosts with Nick Schwartz called the Trombone Retreat available everywhere you download your podcasts. Follow him on Instagram @js.vera.
Brian Hecht is an internationally renowned soloist, orchestral musician, and educator who has captivated audiences all across the world. His playing has been described as “Stunning” by the San Diego Magazine and the Blanco Performing Arts Center hails him as “One of the foremost trombonists of his generation” chronicling his performances as “Sonic Brilliance” and “Remarkable Artistry”. With a sound that can whisper secrets and ignite emotion, Brian is a soloist who transcends borders. His artistry, a captivating blend of rich overtones, technical brilliance, emotional depth, and innovative spirit has resonated with audiences across Asia, Europe, North and South America. Whether exploring the grand canvases of the classical repertoire or venturing into the uncharted territories of contemporary music, Brian consistently delivers performances that are both exhilarating and profoundly moving. He is a true storyteller on the trombone who can transport his listener from any venue into his imagination through his music.
His solo engagements have included professional ensembles such as The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, The United States Navy Band, The United States “Pershing’s Own” Army Band and Orchestra as well as countless professional chamber ensembles all across the globe from Thailand, Spain, China and Hungary to all over the United States.
He is a tenured member of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra who has previously held tenured positions with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and the United States Navy Band in Washington, D.C. He is a highly regarded and sought after orchestral musician being called upon to perform with other notable ensembles including the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Seattle Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Alabama Symphony Orchestra, Naples Philharmonic, Washington National Opera, Lyric Opera of Baltimore, and the Kennedy Center Ballet.
Recent solo engagements include being a Featured Artist at the Numskull Brass Festival in Caudete, Spain, the Thailand International Trombone Festival in Bangkok, Thailand, Texas Christian University’s Trombone Summit along with several performances at the International Trombone Festival in May 2024. Brian is in constant demand as a Guest at Universities all across the US including recent residencies at The University of Texas at Austin, Louisiana State University, Texas Tech University, and San Diego State University.
Brian received his Master of Music degree from Northwestern University and his Bachelor of Music degree from The University of Texas at Austin. He passes along the insights from his illustrious career through an online platform he co-founded, Slide School.
He plays the Thein Brass “Brian Hecht” model and Griego “Hecht” Mouthpieces exclusively.
