Amanda Bekeny

Amanda Bekeny discovered her passion for orchestral and chamber music at The College of Wooster as a young trumpet student of her longtime mentor and friend, composer Dr. Jack Gallagher. Following her time at Wooster, Dr. Bekeny spent years of intense study in trumpet, orchestral performance, and chamber music. She holds a Master’s degree in Trumpet Performance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she was a student of John Aley and Alan Campbell and was a member of the renowned Wisconsin Brass Quintet. She earned her Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Trumpet Performance from The Ohio State University, where, as a student of Timothy Leasure, she was awarded the A. Peter Costanza Award for the most Distinguished DMA Document. After completing her graduate degrees, she continued to develop her interest in chamber music at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music as a student of David Burkhart and member of the acclaimed New Music Ensemble, a group formerly led by composer John Adams and passionately directed by Nicole Paiement.

An active performer, Dr. Bekeny is a member of the City Music Cleveland Chamber Orchestra, Firelands Symphony, Diamond Brass and the Olympic Brass Quintet. Dr. Bekeny can regularly be heard playing with the Akron Symphony and is a former member of the Ashland Symphony, Mansfield Symphony, and Ohio Light Opera Orchestra. She has also performed with the Erie Philharmonic Orchestra, Madison Symphony, Madison Opera Orchestra, Wheeling Symphony, Canton Symphony, Wooster Symphony, Kent-Blossom Chamber Orchestra, Metropolitan Brass Quintet, Wisconsin Brass Quintet and Columbus Bach Ensemble and other various chamber ensembles. A frequent soloist and recitalist, Dr. Bekeny has been featured with The Ohio State University Collegiate Wind Ensemble, Ashland Symphony Orchestra, Ashland University Band, Chagrin Valley Chamber Orchestra, Wooster Symphony, Scot Symphonic Band, Alliance High School Band, Westlake Jazz Ensemble, and Southwest Jazz Festival Ensemble.

Dr. Bekeny is the Instructor of Trumpet and Brass Chamber Music coach at The College of Wooster. She previously taught at Ashland University, where she was the trumpet instructor, brass ensemble director, and lectured a course on musical styles. From 2010 through 2012 Dr. Bekeny oversaw the trumpet studio at The Ohio State University. While at Ohio State, Dr. Bekeny maintained a busy schedule of teaching, conducting, and performing. She led the Ohio State Trumpet Ensemble in performances at the International Trumpet Guild 36th Annual Conference and world premier performances at the OSU Contemporary Music Festival.

Dr. Bekeny serves on the Board of the Rocky River Chamber Music Society, which is in its 61st Season of bringing world class chamber music to audiences in Northeast Ohio.