Previous Winners

Robert Marsteller (1919-1975) was a master trombone player and teacher. He enjoyed an illustrious career both academically and professionally, beginning with his studies at the Eastman School of Music as a student of Emory Remington. Marsteller performed with many legendary groups and conductors, including the National Symphony and the Stokowski All American Orchestra. He served twenty-five years as principal trombonist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. Marsteller was in high demand as a recording artist and premiered many major works such as the Paul Creston Fantasy for Trombone and Orchestra (commissioned for him and first performed in 1948) and Sonata by Halsey Stevens (1967). Much of this was accomplished during his tenure as professor of trombone at the University of Southern California.

In 1984, the ITA Board acted on a suggestion to honor the tenth anniversary (1985) of Robert Marsteller's death by establishing a memorial scholarship. The Marsteller Scholarship was established for trombonists aged nineteen to twenty-two to provide tuition and board at the yearly Workshop. The October, 1984 issue of the ITA Journal announced the Robert L. Marsteller Memorial Scholarship. "Attention all former students of Robert L. Marsteller. Help establish a lasting memorial to the memory of our beloved friend and teacher." The article explained that the scholarship would provide the opportunity for a young trombonist to attend the annual Workshop. The article detailed instructions for sending donations with a deadline of May 27, 1985. The scholarship was not mentioned again in official ITA writings until the announcement of the first winner in the Fall 1986 issue of the Journal. The first Robert Marsteller Memorial Scholarship was awarded to Brian Foote, a student of John Drew at Florida State University at the 1986 Workshop.