Brendan Hartz

Brendan Hartz started playing his father’s trombone when he was a 9-year-old student in the Pennsbury School District. After receiving a number of honors and awards consistent with aspiring high school instrumentalists, he attended The Juilliard School, receiving Bachelor of Music and Master of Music Degrees. He subsequently earned a Master of Education Degree from The College of New Jersey.

From 1985 to 2010, he taught Instrumental Music and General/Vocal Music in the Bordentown, NJ Regional School District. By the time he retired from Bordentown, he had taught Instrumental and/or General/Vocal Music, at various times, in virtually every grade level in the district. Mr. Hartz the joined staff at Arcadia University as Adjunct Professor of Trombone/Tuba in September, 2012, and was appointed to a similar position at Bucks County Community College at the beginning of the Spring, 2013 semester.  He also teaches at The Lawrenceville School and The George School. Mr. Hartz became an “Affiliated Artist” staff member at Cairn University’s Music Department in January, 2017. For several seasons, Mr. Hartz has been a staff member with the Youth Orchestra of Bucks County’s “Students in Concert” program, focusing on the development of middle school students.

Mr. Hartz spent three summers as an orchestral musician with the Spoleto Festivals in Charleston, SC and Spoleto, Italy. He has also performed as a substitute/extra musician with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. He was Principal Trombonist of the Shreveport, La. Symphony during the 1981-1982 season. For many years, was Principal Trombonist of the Delaware Valley Philharmonic Orchestra, through the end of its existence. He continues as Principal Trombonist of the Orchestra Society of Philadelphia and the Bryn Athyn Orchestra. For many seasons, he was also a member of the Princeton Symphony Orchestra and the Greater Trenton Symphony Orchestra.  He is a charter member of the Capital Philharmonic of New Jersey, based in Trenton. He has also been active in performances by the VoxAmadeus Ensemble, performing in Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center.

In more “popular music” idioms, Mr. Hartz has performed with the  Art Martin Orchestra, and the Vincent Lopez Jr. Orchestra. He has made occasional appearances with the “Monday Blues Jazz Orchestra”. He appears regularly with a number of brass quintets in the region, as well such diverse groups as the Garden State Tuba Ensemble and the Philadelphia German Brass Band.

Mr. Hartz has played supporting instrumental roles behind pop stars and celebrities such as Ferrante & Teicher, Marni Nixon, Melissa Manchester, Bob Hope, Frankie Avalon, The Temptations, Ben E. King, Chris Brubeck, Kansas, and John Lithgow.