Monday was overcast and damp, but the mood inside was definitely upbeat. David Vining and Don Lucas began the day with warmup sessions at 8 AM. At 9, the stars of Sunday night’s concert, Trombone Unit 2000, talked about their music and played a few pieces for an appreciative audience.

At 10:30, Kenton Hall was packed for Bill Reichenbach’s masterclass. Titled "The Trombone – For Fun and Profit: A Survival Guide," this clinic covered a lot of topics relevant to today’s working trombonist. At the same time, Tom Ashworth, trombonist in the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, presented a concert/clinic on the "Chamber Orchestra Trombonist." He discussed and performed the standard repertoire for a trombonist in this type of ensemble.

The Houston Symphony Orchestra Low Brass presented a concert/clinic at noon. Allen Barnhill, Bradley White, David Waters, and David Kirk demonstrated excellent ensemble skills while performing brilliantly. Also at 12, the Weekend Warriors gave their performance. This ensemble is a special treat for performers and audience alike. "Weekend warriors" make up a large part of the International Trombone Association. Without their support, the ITA would not be half as strong as it is. Special guest John Marcellus performed on his double bell trombone.

Monday’s light schedule, coupled with the rain and lightning, allowed many attendees to stay dry by checking out new horns, sheet music, and CDs in the numerous display areas. Unfortunately, the trek from the music building to the Murchison Center for the final concert forced many of us to get a little wet. At 2:00, the Ft. Worth Symphony Orchestra, Migel Harth-Bedoya, conductor, joined Christian Lindberg in a concert jam packed with music. It began with Christian's sparkling performance of Leopold Mozart’s Concerto for Alto Trombone. Next came Luciano Berio’s much awaited SOLO for Trombone and Orchestra, a work commissioned by the ITA. This piece featured much interplay between Lindberg and the trombone section, most notably principal Ron Wilson.

Following the intermission, Lindberg presented the ITA President’s Award to Festival Director Tony Baker. Tony did a marvelous job in running ITF2002. The concert ended with Mahler’s Symphony No. 1. The glorious finale to this work was the perfect musical capper to a wonderful week.

At the conclusion of the concert, attendees were invited to a reception in the Lyric Theatre sponsored by Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. This was the final opportunity for ITF attendees to visit with one another before they parted ways for another year.

Due to the inclement weather, the artists' party originally scheduled as a picnic was moved to the Music Building Commons. Dallas trombonist Brad Herring braved the elements to serve up some incredible barbecue. It seemed that nobody wanted this Festival to end as the music, food, and fellowship in Denton were all top notch.