Summary
Natalie Brooke Higgins is an assistant professor of horn at the University of Nevada, Reno. Higgins received her doctorate of musical arts from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance, master of music from George Mason University and a bachelor of arts from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Higgins is an active performer, educator, administrator and entrepreneur. Based on her innovative achievements, service to her community and commitment to inspire the next generation of musicians and music educators, she was recognized as one of Georgia Trend Magazine’s 40 Under 40 honorees, a feature that celebrates the best and brightest in business, government, nonprofits, education, healthcare, banking and professional sports.
As a performer, Higgins is a founding member of the Alias Brass Company and an active solo, chamber, orchestral and wind band musician. Most recently, she toured the Midwest as a part of an Allied Concert Services tour with the Alias Brass Company, performing 13 concerts in Wisconsin, Iowa, Kansas, Colorado, Montana and North Dakota, toured the Southwest with the Rodney Marsalis Philadelphia Big Brass, was a featured artist at the International Trumpet Guild Conference in Hershey, Pennsylvania, participated as a contributing artist at the International Horn Symposium in Natal, Brazil and made her San Francisco debut in a chamber music series hosted by the San Francisco Community Music Center.
As an active soloist, Higgins is a prizewinner of the International Winds, Brass and Percussion Enkor Competition, finalist of the Music Teacher’s National Association Young Artist Brass Competition and winner of the St. Louis Artist Presentation Series. She has been featured with such ensembles as the Schwob Philharmonic, the Appleton Concert Band, Missouri Western State University Symphonic Wind Ensemble, George Mason University Symphony Orchestra and the George Mason University Wind Ensemble.
Higgins has performed with such ensembles as the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, Kansas City Symphony, South Dakota Symphony, Southwest Florida Symphony, Symphony of Southeast Texas, Macon Pops, St. Joseph Symphony, American Festival Orchestra, Banff Festival Orchestra and Columbus Symphony Orchestra. She has been a member of the award-winning Fountain City Brass Band, award-winning University of Missouri-Kansas City Graduate Fellowship Woodwind Quintet, award-winning Borderline Brass Quintet, Topeka Symphony and the University of California, Los Angeles Gluck Scholarship Woodwind and Brass Quintets.
As an educator, Higgins has instructed and adjudicated throughout North America. She frequently presents masterclasses and educational seminars as part of Alias Brass Company’s Sound Education for Resonate Learning program and spends her summers at various music festivals instructing graduate, undergraduate and high school students. Additionally, Higgins has held the positions of assistant professor of horn at the Columbus State University Schwob School of Music, adjunct professor of horn and high brass methods at Missouri Western State University and has been an active clinician and private instructor in the Atlanta, Kansas City, Missouri, Fairfax, Virginia, Los Angeles, and Elk Grove, California areas. Higgins was a featured artist at the Lamar University's 2018 Brass Festival, Southeast Missouri State’s 2015 Horn Day and has given clinics and performances at such workshops as the International Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, Missouri Music Educators Association Conference, Oklahoma Horn Day and the Western Horn Workshop. Higgins also serves as an adjudicator and board member of the International Horn Competition of America.
As an administrator and artistic innovator, Higgins co-founded and is the active managing member of the Alias Brass Company, the director of Alias Brass Company Publishing and the media coordinator for the International Horn Competition of America. She also co-founded the Schwob Summer Music Festival, the Kansas City Horn Club and has held positions as the George Mason University Symphony Orchestra and Library Manager, The Gluck Foundation Chamber Music Program Coordinator and the Gluck Foundation Music Partnership Coordinator.
She has studied and participated in masterclasses with many internationally recognized and accomplished brass performers and teachers, among them Martin Hackleman, Chris Cooper, Brian O’Connor, Pete Nowlen, Jens Lindemann and Patrick Sheridan.
Education
- Doctor of Musical Arts, horn performance, University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance, 2015
- Master of Music, horn performance, George Mason University, 2012
- Bachelor of Arts, horn performance, University of California, Los Angeles, 2011