Education

• Doctor of Musical Arts, University of Texas at Austin
• Master of Music, University of Texas at Austin
• Bachelor of Music, University of Southern Mississippi

Biography

A third-generation musician, Martin McCain’s career spans an impressive range of musical genres. As an ambassador of the bass trombone, Martin maintains a versatile performance schedule as a soloist, recording artist, chamber, orchestral, jazz/commercial musician and educator. He has been nominated for a Grammy and was featured in the Billboard magazine as an “Emerging Artist”, with performances described as "solid and masterful," (International Trombone Association Journal) with a “warm and beautiful,” tone (Glissando Magazine).

McCain’s performances include concerts at Carnegie Hall, Hollywood Bowl, Croatian National Theatre, Blue Note Tokyo, Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club and others. His performances have been broadcast on CNN, Radio Television Hong Kong and NPR's "Performance Today”.

As a recording artist, Martin has released four award winning CDs, Renew, Trombone Czar: The Extended Version, Shades, and Trombone Czar: Russian Treasures Recorded Live!. He can be heard on RCA Records, Motown Records, Atlantic Records, Summit Records and numerous filmsoundtracks including Disney’s recently released Lilo & Stitch. As a soloist, Martin has performed with the Croatian Army Wind Band, United States Army Concert Band "Pershing's Own", the United States Army Brass Quintet, Laredo Philharmonic Orchestra, Kingsville Symphony Orchestra and the Balcones Chamber Orchestra. 

McCain is a member of the Legendary Count Basie Orchestra and has performed with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra and Frank Sinatra Jr. Orchestra. In addition to being the leader of the award-winning Austin based jazz trombone ensemble, JazzBonez, he is the trombonist of the Orpheum Theatre Memphis and regularly performs for several Broadway touring shows including The Wiz, Some Like It Hot, and MJ, the Musical. Martin has collaborated with severalillustrious artists such as Earth Wind and Fire, Roberta Flack, Bel Biv Devoe, Jon Batiste, Chaka Khan, Ne-Yo, Robert Glasper, The Roots, Lenny Williams, the Temptations and the Four Tops. He can be heard on numerous R&B albums with Memphis’ Royal Studio Horns. 

As an orchestral musician, McCain is a member of the IRIS Collective, Victoria Bach Festival Orchestra, Gateways Festival Orchestra and regularly performs with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra. He has been invited to be guest bass trombone with major ensembles including the symphony orchestras of Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Toronto, Utah, and the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, among others. As a chamber musician, Martin is an associate artist with the Rodney Marsalis Philadelphia Big Brass, a founding member of the Minor 4th Trombone Quartet and regularly performs with his wife, pianist Artina McCain as the McCain Duo.

In fall 2023, Dr. McCain returned to his hometown to join the faculty at the University of Memphis Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music. He was previously Professor of Trombone and Coordinator of Brass at Texas State University in addition to holding prior teaching positions at Henderson State University and Huston-Tillotson University. Dr. McCain’s students have been extremely successful in international and national solo and ensemble competitions and are regular winners of university concerto competitions. In recognition of his teaching, Martin received the College Achievement Award in Teaching and the Presidential Distinction Award for Excellence in in both Teaching and Scholarly/Creative Activity categories. His students have been accepted into some of the nation's most prestigious graduate programs such as the Juilliard School, Eastman School of Music, Yale University, Northwestern University, Manhattan School of Music and the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and have careers as performers and educators from K-12 to the university level. In addition to his university teaching duties, Martin has spent summers on the faculty of the Sewanee Summer Music Festival, InterharmonyInternational Music Festival (Italy), the SliderAsia Music Festival (Hong Kong) and the English Brass Academy (Croatia).

McCain earned his Bachelor of Music degree with a business minor at the University of Southern Mississippi, in addition to a Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin. Martin McCain is a performing artist for S.E. Shires and plays on the "McCain" signature mouthpiece series manufactured by Pickett Brass. In his spare time, Martin is an avid BBQ pitmaster and sports enthusiast.

For more information, visit www.martinmccain.com.