Lincoln, Neb.--Bradley Greathouse, a doctoral horn performance student in the Glenn Korff School of Music, is one of seven national finalists in the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Young Artist Performance competition in brass and the only University of Nebraska–Lincoln music student to make the national finals in this competition.
The finals will take place March 17-18 during the MTNA National Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
“I was actually in a bit of disbelief when I first got the email saying I was a national finalist,” Greathouse said. “I had to read my own name a few times just to make sure I wasn’t mistaken. However, once it settled in, I was just incredibly excited for the opportunity. I had gotten close to the final round of this competition the past two years but had yet to make it over the hump. Seeing my name on that finals list just made me feel like my persistence paid off.”
Greathouse studies with Professor of Horn Alan Mattingly.
“Bradley continues to excel as a creative artist and performer, and being named a National Finalist at the MTNA competition is an important milestone in his promising career,” Mattingly said. “This competition has been in existence for decades and represents the highest standards of solo performance. His being named an MTNA finalist comes in the wake of winning First Prize at the GLORY International Competition last July, indicating a trajectory that shows no sign of waning.”
Mattingly said Greathouse represents the Husker Horn Studio well.
“Bradley is truly a beacon of the talent representing the Husker Horn Studio, the Glenn Korff School of Music, and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln,” he said. “His hard work and dedication is truly paying dividends.”
Greathouse said the competition is a great opportunity for him.
“To me it’s really just any opportunity to share my work on a big stage and compete against high-level musicians,” he said. “You never know what other doors may open when competing on the national level, but, maybe more importantly, there are so many things to learn from the judges, the performance itself and the other competitors.”
The competition began with a video-only nationwide competition. Each participant submitted about 30 minutes of music with pieces from at least two different music eras. A judging committee then selected the seven finalist to proceed and compete in-person at the MTNA National Conference. The winner will perform at the Winner’s Concert and receive a cash prize.
“When deciding what to perform for my submission, I chose pieces that I simply enjoyed playing,” Greathouse said. “That may sound a bit straightforward, but I really think it’s important to love what you are performing and to have fun making music.”
His four pieces are “En Forêt” by Eugène Bozza, “Nocturno” by Franz Struass, “Laudatio” by Bernhard Krol and “Sonata for Horn and Piano, Mvt.1” by Gina Gillie.
Originally from St. Peters, Missouri, Greathouse is a first-year D.M.A. student studying horn performance with Mattingly. He works as a graduate teaching assistant instructing classes and teaching minor lessons.
He has gained recognition both locally and nationally as a soloist with some achievements that include First Prize in the Glory International Winds Competition, Runner-Up in the Mid-South Horn Regional Solo Competition and 2nd prize winner of the Mostly Mozart Concert Competition. After completion of his D.M.A., Greathouse hopes to continue his performance and teaching career as a university music professor.
He said his time in the Glenn Korff School of Music studying with Mattingly has been essential to his growth and success.
“My lessons with him have opened my eyes to a whole new level of playing, which I wasn’t certain I was capable of,” he said. “Learning from Dr. Mattingly has made me a much more mindful, efficient and expressive musician. Accolades such as this competition has further validated my decision to return to the Glenn Korff School of Music after receiving my Masters degree last May. The development I’ve experienced in my brief time here has been critical to my success.”
Overall, Greathouse is grateful for everything.
“I’m grateful that God gave me this opportunity, grateful for the Glenn Korff School of Music who are supporting me, and grateful for my faculty who guided me,” he said. “I would also like to extend a special thank you to my collaborative pianist, Tierra Cassens, who worked with me on my video submission round. While she will not be joining me for the finalist competition, I could not have made it this far without her help.”
Greathouse is looking forward to the performance at the national finals.
“I have put a lot of time and effort into these pieces. When I get there in March, I want my performance to be a celebration of that work. I enjoy performing so when my time comes, I can’t wait to just go on stage and have some fun,” he said.
