Academy DMSO at Home Family Concert: All Brass

Bret Seebeck Principal Horn

Bret Seebeck is Principal Horn with the Des Moines Symphony. He also performs in Eastern Iowa with Orchestra Iowa as third horn. Additional professional activities include the Des Moines Symphony Wind and Brass Quintets and Polaris Wind Quintet.

Formerly, Mr. Seebeck was a member of the Waterloo/Cedar Falls Symphony, Des Moines Metro Opera Orchestra, Dubuque Symphony, and The Southeastern Iowa Orchestra. During his tenure in the Des Moines Symphony, he has also regularly played in the pit for many Civic Center productions. Mr. Seebeck is a renowned teacher of horn both privately and at educational institutions such as Drake University, Iowa State University, Central College, Grinnell College, and Simpson College.

Mr. Seebeck is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma. While working on his Bachelor of Music degree, he studied with Eldon Matlick, William Scharnberg, and received master class instruction from renowned professional hornists such as Greg Hustis, Charles Kavalovsky, and Barry Tuckwell.

When not performing, Bret manages 80 acres of family crop ground and produces eight varieties of wine grapes with a twelve-acre vineyard. Bret lives near Colfax, Iowa with his wife and two children.

Andrew Bishop Principal Trumpet

Kansas City based trumpet player Andrew Bishop has enjoyed a successful and diverse career throughout the Midwest and Colorado front range area. In the spring of 2019, Andrew won the Principal Trumpet chair with the Des Moines Symphony.

Andrew was born and raised in Lindsborg, KS, known as “Little Sweden U.S.A.” He cultivated his musical endeavors under Lindsborg’s extraordinary support of the fine arts and strong musical traditions. During his youth, he performed in the Bethany Oratorio Society’s production of Handel’s Messiah and studied trumpet with Roger Thorstenberg. He studied trumpet performance at Wichita State University, where his primary instructors were Les Linn, Bob Grim and John Hagstrom. He also holds a Masters degree in trumpet performance from the University of Missouri.

During his academic studies, Andrew was a winner of the Wichita State University Concerto/Aria Competition and performed the Tartini Concerto in D with the WSU Symphony. He won the 2004 University of Missouri Concerto Competition and performed the J.F. Fasch Concerto in D for Trumpet, 2 Oboes, Strings and Continuo with the University Philharmonic. He was a recipient of the MU Emerging Artist Award, and appeared as a featured soloist with the University of Missouri Trumpet Ensemble at the 2004 International Trumpet Guild convention in Denver, CO, performing the Concerto in E-flat by G.H. Stölzel.

In 2010, Andrew won the Principal Trumpet chair with the Fort Collins Symphony, performing to acclaim Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 on his first Masterworks Concert. He was granted full tenure after his first full season in 2011, and went on to appear with FCS as a featured Guest Artist performing Haydn’s Trumpet Concerto in E-flat.

While in Colorado, Andrew was also Principal Trumpet with the Colorado Bach Ensemble, Opera Fort Collins and Canyon Concert Ballet. He has also appeared regularly with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Colorado Ballet Orchestra, Colorado Music Festival Orchestra, Boulder Philharmonic, Greeley Philharmonic, Pro Musica Colorado and Cheyenne Symphony. As a chamber player, Andrew is Co-Principal Trumpet with the Apollo Chamber Brass, as well as a member of the Boulder Brass. He has also appeared with the Denver Brass, Epic Brass Quintet, Wichita Brass Quintet and the University of Missouri Faculty Brass Quintet. He has been a trumpet lecturer at the University of Northern Colorado and is also in demand as a featured soloist and clinician.

Andrew enjoys spending free time arranging music for trumpet, brass quintet and large brass ensemble. He is a three-time World Champion (self-given title) Cribbage player. He also has an affinity for the game of baseball, and faithfully carries on the Bishop family tradition of being loyal St. Louis Cardinals fans.

In addition to his position with the Des Moines Symphony, since relocating to Kansas City, he has performed with the Kansas City Symphony and Wichita Symphony Orchestra. He lives in Olathe, KS with his wife Jillian, and their Puggles, Bella and Matai.

Casey Maday Principal Trombone

Trombonist Casey Maday grew up in the small town of Antioch, IL and now is Principal Trombonist with the Des Moines Symphony Orchestra. Before moving to Jacksonville Florida in June of 2018 he was the premier trombonist of Iowa holding tenured positions as Principal Trombone of Des Moines Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Iowa, and the Waterloo Cedar Falls Symphony Orchestra, as well as substitute Principal Trombone for the Quad Cities Symphony. As an active performer, he has worked with ensembles such as the Minnesota Orchestra, Nashville Symphony, Sarasota Orchestra, the Florida Orchestra, Jacksonville Symphony, Sarasota Opera, Monterrey Symphony Orchestra of Mexico, Omaha Symphony, Dayton Philharmonic, and many others. You can also regularly hear him performing for touring Broadway shows in the orchestra pit of the Civic Center in Des Moines, Iowa. Recent performances include: Mean Girls, Aladdin, Sound of Music, Evita, Pippin, Cinderella, Lion King, Newsies, Book of Mormon, Beautiful, and more.

In March 2016, Mr. Maday performed the Concertino by Ferdinand David as well as Blue Bells of Scotland by Arthur Pryor with the Fort Dodge Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Maday can be heard on the DVDs Symphony in Sculpture and Symphony in Sculpture II with the Des Moines Symphony Orchestra, as well as The Power of Music DVD with Ethan Bortnick, Damian McGinty, and Jane Monheit.

He resides in Jacksonville with his wife Dr. Erin Bodnar.

Ravil 'Bo' Atlas Principal Tuba

Ravil “Bo” Atlas is Principal Tubist with the Des Moines Symphony.

He served as Principal Tubist with the Topeka Symphony Orchestra for three seasons while finishing his Bachelor of Music degree at the University of Kansas. He has also been active as a freelance musician performing with groups such as the Lincoln Symphony, Kansas City Symphony, Kansas Brass Quintet, Blackhouse Improviser’s Collective, Kansas City Brassworks, and the Fountain City Brass Band.

An avid supporter of new music, Mr. Atlas commissioned a new work  “Hybrid Entities” by composer Ben McMillan, and has been a member of the North American Tuba Repertoire Initiative for multiple years. Mr. Atlas, himself a burgeoning composer, has had multiple performances of his tuba ensemble works “Remembrance,” “Finding the Silver Lining,” and the Bass Trombone solo “Soliloquy.”

Bo is a much sought after soloist and has received many accolades for his solo work including Semi-finalist at the International Tuba Euphonium Conference in 2010, Finalist at the Arapahoe Philharmonic Concerto Competition in 2011, winner of the University of Kansas Symphony Concerto Competition in 2012, winner of the Great Plains Regional Tuba Conference solo competition in 2009, and winner of the US Army Band Mock Audition in 2012.

Bo has studied tuba with Craig Fuller, Scott Watson, Patrick Stuckemeyer, Tony Clements, Peter Warhaftig, Sam Pilafian, and Christian Carichner.