Biography

A native of Manchester, New Hampshire, Donald Bruce began his musical studies in the 3rd grade with the violin, joining the elementary school band in the 5th grade on the alto saxophone. At the end of middle school Mr. Bruce joined the brass section on the trombone, before eventually finding the euphonium his junior year in high school. Mr. Bruce earned placement in the New Hampshire All-State band (2yrs), All New-England Band (2yrs), New Hampshire Youth Wind Symphony (2yrs), and performed with the University of New Hampshire Symphonic band as a senior in high school.

In 2003 Mr. Bruce moved to the DFW area to study at the University of North Texas with world renowned euphonium performer and pedagogue, Dr. Brian Bowman. He graduated with his bachelor’s degrees in music education and euphonium performance in 2009, a master’s degree in 2015 and will finish his doctorate in euphonium performance this Fall. Mr. Bruce has performed with the UNT Green Brigade Marching Band, UNT Tuba-Euphonium Ensemble, UNT Concert Band, UNT Brass Band, UNT Symphonic band, and the University of North Texas Wind Symphony under the direction of Eugene Corporon.

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In 2009 Mr. Bruce accepted a position as a band director in Frisco ISD. Mr. Bruce served as an assistant director at Stafford and Griffin middle schools for one year before joining the staff at Fowler middle school from 2010-2013. Mr. Bruce’s concert and jazz bands have earned numerous accolades including UIL sweepstakes, band of the day, and placement at regional jazz festivals. Beginner students have gone on to study music at the high school and college levels with some of them starting their own careers as music educators recently. Bruce has experience teaching beginner brass and woodwind classes, concert bands, and jazz bands at the middle and high school levels. In addition to teaching band in the public schools, Mr. Bruce has served as a teaching fellow at the University of North Texas where he taught the brass methods course sequence for four years and has served as the professor of euphonium at the University of Texas at Arlington for the past five years. In addition to his college work, Mr. Bruce has maintained a private low brass studio between 40-70 students each week and has taught low brass lessons at schools throughout the DFW area.

Mr. Bruce has performed as a euphonium soloist and section member throughout the United States and Europe. Currently Mr. Bruce performs with the Lone Star Wind Orchestra under the baton of Eugene Corporon and is a member of the Dallas Winds under the direction of Jerry Junkin. Bruce has been a semi-finalist or finalist in the artist division at many of the most prestigious euphonium solo competitions in the world including, The Leonard Falcone Festival, The International Tuba-Euphonium Conference, The Potomac Festival, The Tubonium Regional ITEC, The Southwest Regional ITEC, and the University of North Texas Concerto Competition. Mr. Bruce has been featured as a soloist with numerous high school, middle school, and community bands and has performed solos with the UNT concert band, Symphonic Band, and recently, with the Dallas Winds. Mr. Bruce has also been an invitee and finalist for several military band auditions including The United States Army Field Band and the United States Air Force Band.