Bruce Collings likes to try out various ways of getting from A to B – in his car and, above all, with his trombone.
He was born in Kansas City, USA, in 1957. Collings’s leanings towards a versatile approach were reinforced by his studying with Steven Zellmer (University of Minnesota) and – even more so – the unorthodox John Swallow (New England Conservatory, Boston). Since then, one thing has been clear: a trombonist has to be prepared for anything. This conviction later preserved him from becoming exclusively a member of brass quintets or symphony orchestras - even if Collings has made his mark here as well; for example, by receiving a prize for quintet-playing at the International Competition in Narbonne (France), and obtaining a position as 1st trombonist with the Bergische Symphoniker.
As a member of the Ensemble Musikfabrik Collings now has plenty of opportunity to explore the extensive possibilities of his instrument. “Sometimes I look at a new piece and think: ‘That’s impossible to play.’ But I know that – sooner or later – it will be possible. What’s fascinating for me, and an exciting challenge, is continually developing one's technique and oneself.”
Bruce Collings is one of the core musicians in the fieldworks production THE OTHEROOM