The Joy of Sharing Music
As winner of concerto competitions, trombonist Joshua Zhang ’26 keeps classical music in the spotlight
As a shy third grader, Joshua Zhang ’26 was drawn to the trombone because it was loud. Today, he uses its booming sound to draw people to classical music—in a very public and compelling way.
As the 2024 Judith Elser Concerto Competition winner, Zhang recently soloed with Maine’s Midcoast Symphony Orchestra to showcase his extraordinary talent and love of music. The first Colby student to win the competition, he epitomized poise and confidence as he performed the first movement of Henri Tomasi’s Trombone Concerto for the mid-January concert.
The concert was designed to appeal to youth, and the orchestra couldn’t have found a better ambassador than Zhang.
“I think it’s important that we keep younger people in the classical music sphere. A lot is interesting about the world of classical music, and making it appealing for people of all ages should be important,” said the junior from Wayland, Mass. “It’s important to me.”
Not only is his passion clear, his capabilities are singular.
“He’s by far the most talented student I’ve taught and played with at Colby,” said Applied Music Instructor Sebastian Jerosch. “He’s also just a nice person. There’s not a trace of arrogance.”
In 2023, as a first-year student, Zhang won Colby’s Concerto Competition and played as the featured soloist with the Colby Symphony Orchestra. Winning both competitions was thrilling for the emerging musician, but the opportunity to play publicly is what propels him to audition.
“Even though I enjoy applying to these competitions, it’s not really about winning. I don’t think of music as a sport,” he said. “It’s just a joy for me to have the privilege to create music and share it with people.”
How to win a concerto competition
Concertos are musical pieces that feature a soloist with an orchestral accompaniment, making them ideal for competitions. The biennial Judith Elser Concerto Competition, established in 2018 to honor the longtime music teacher and cellist with the Midcoast Symphony Orchestra, is the only competition open solely to Maine college students, said Heather Linkin, the competition organizer and the orchestra’s principal violist.
“We tell the students that the piece they choose has to be performed at the highest level,” she said, adding that Zhang impressed the judges with a “smooth and resonant” sound and “pristine” technique.
Zhang, a double major in music and computer science, began preparing for the competition in the 2023 fall semester. His practice sessions can last up to 90 minutes—until his lips tire out, he said—and often start as late as 11 p.m. when he’s likely to find an open practice room in the Gordon Center for Creative and Performing Arts. Once a week, he meets with Jerosch for a private, intensive lesson.
“He came to Colby with a very high level of playing already, and my job is challenging him to get even better,” said Jerosch, who has taught at Colby for almost 25 years. Teacher and student often focus on breathing techniques and have recently concentrated on Zhang’s lower register of notes and how he attacks and articulates them.
“I keep him honest and hold him accountable for the things that aren’t, let’s say, perfected,” said Jerosch. “I try to really polish his performance and almost apply a little bit of the standard as if he was a conservatory student.”
The competition required contestants to submit a video recording for the first round of judging. Last March Zhang learned he was one of five finalists. In May he competed against a pianist, tubist, violinist, and bass trombonist in front of five judges, emerging as the winner.
“I was super proud of him when he won,” recalled Jerosch. “It was a great moment.”
Throughout last fall’s semester, as Zhang practiced for the January concert, he also had to prepare mentally. He’s fine leading up to a performance, he said. It’s when he steps onstage that the nerves take over. Fortunately, he’s equipped with tools to center and calm him.
For sweaty palms, rub them dry to make sure they don’t affect technique. For shallow breathing brought on by performance anxiety, focus on deep, controlled breaths. For overall anxiety, practice the Alexander Technique to keep the body relaxed and the shoulders free of tension.
It takes a village
The ability to be prepared, structured, and logical has been a boon to Zhang’s success. It’s partially personality, but also his studies in computer science and music that combine the strengths of right- and left-brain thinking. Zhang chose to study at Colby instead of a conservatory because of its liberal arts approach to education. Colby has allowed him to continue his musical practice while preparing for a career in the computer science industry.
Until then, he has an abundance of music to share. He is talented enough to play as principal trombonist in the Colby Symphony Orchestra—a position Jerosch typically holds but is happy to cede—and a brass ensemble is in the works for this spring. In these settings, Jerosch can continue to give Zhang pointers and mentor him.
The student gives a lot of credit to his teacher for the growth and improvement he’s experienced since arriving at Colby. Like Zhang’s high school instructor, Jerosch is attentive to his student’s personal growth beyond how he plays the trombone.
“Having teachers who genuinely care about you and want to support you in that way is important,” said Zhang. “It can also translate to having effective lessons where you want to improve.”
The trombonist also thanked his parents and sister; Jennifer Phillips, administrative assistant in the Music Department for helping record his audition; and Collaborative Pianist Christina Spurling, his accompanist and an applied music instructor. He’s aware of the resources and time so many people have contributed to his musicality.
“I’m so grateful to everyone who has supported me.”
