TromboneChat

I haven't seen any kind of official announcement, but it's been posted on Facebook that Tim Higgins, Principal Trombone of the San Francisco Symphony since 2008, will succeed Jay Friedman at the Chicago Symphony.

Congratulations to him!

Wow. That's great!

Seems like a great choice!

Congratulations Tim.

Fantastic!

I have thought he would be a prime candidate for some time. Wonderful news!

On the Audition Forum, it said that he still has to play a couple of trial weeks (contractual for the CSO) before a Principal player can be officially engaged by the CSO. Just putting it out there to wait for the official announcement.

He's a great player, and I would guess this is a formality, but things don't always go as expected. I'm a fan of his playing and of his arranging too!

Jim Scott

It couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy. Fingers crossed!

Paul Welcomer is gonna feel lonely at the next section hang.... Nick went to Houston, Chris to St Louis, and now Tim to Chicago

Congrats to Tim! I've been listening to the recordings he's posted on youtube and have been enjoying them very much! Looks like Chicago will stay all Bach, at least for a little while longer.

Congratulations to Timothy Higgins! Have to admit I never heard much about him so I listen a lot to him on spotify and youtube. Even a podcast or an interview we called it in the old days Anyway, after listening him a lot I know his style of playing will fit exactly in to the Chicago orchestra. And he has that good pitch and sound. Most of all; the musicality wich is not overdone or kind of "made". It's just honest. So I got very relaxed after listening him. They made the perfect choice

The interview, which is on internet, got me even more relaxed. He seems to be a very open person. Humor, and an inspiring teacher. And he knows how to mix a good drink! But I think the openness is the most important for the gig he goes into. The Chicago brass is about another level of openness, listening and adjust to each other. "All for one, one for all"

I would give all the money in the world to just play 2 minutes with the Chicago Orchestra.
(And they would probably give all the money in the world to avoid that!! )

Leif

Savio wrote: Thu Apr 24, 2025 1:23 pm Congratulations to Timothy Higgins! Have to admit I never heard much about him so I listen a lot to him on spotify and youtube. Even a podcast or an interview we called it in the old days Anyway, after listening him a lot I know his style of playing will fit exactly in to the Chicago orchestra. And he has that good pitch and sound. Most of all; the musicality wich is not overdone or kind of "made". It's just honest. So I got very relaxed after listening him. They made the perfect choice

The interview, which is on internet, got me even more relaxed. He seems to be a very open person. Humor, and an inspiring teacher. And he knows how to mix a good drink! But I think the openness is the most important for the gig he goes into. The Chicago brass is about another level of openness, listening and adjust to each other. "All for one, one for all"

I would give all the money in the world to just play 2 minutes with the Chicago Orchestra.
(And they would probably give all the money in the world to avoid that!! )

Leif

Do you have a link to the interview?

If you search "trombone retreat podcast" you will find it. Long interview.

Leif

Savio wrote: Tue Apr 29, 2025 3:14 am If you search "trombone retreat podcast" you will find it. Long interview.

Leif

Thank you!

Anyone have info on his equipment? I know he’s an ultimate brass artist and Bach, but is his bell corporation? Can’t tell what valve from the pictures

it's a Sawday 42, I believe it's an 80s bell.

Hi
What is a "Sawday" 42?
That is a new one to me.
Thanks
Randy

Savio wrote: Tue Apr 29, 2025 3:14 am If you search "trombone retreat podcast" you will find it. Long interview.

Leif

That was a great interview!

Burgerbob wrote: Fri May 02, 2025 9:40 am it's a Sawday 42, I believe it's an 80s bell.

We made Tim two Sawday/Brassark 42s. Both are corporation bells, our valves and seamed slide crooks and seamed nickel MV42 leadpipe. One 42 has a cut bell flare (I think he prefers this one) and the other is not cut. While we were building them, Tim flew down from SF to LA and worked with both Don Sawday and I in Don's shop and we put the horn together for him.

Unfortunately we no longer do these conversions. I think we made around 20 of them in total, including 3 Elkhart 88hs, with the rest being Bach 42 conversions.

slipmo wrote: Tue May 13, 2025 9:37 pm

Burgerbob wrote: Fri May 02, 2025 9:40 am it's a Sawday 42, I believe it's an 80s bell.

We made Tim two Sawday/Brassark 42s. Both are corporation bells, our valves and seamed slide crooks and seamed nickel MV42 leadpipe. One 42 has a cut bell flare (I think he prefers this one) and the other is not cut. While we were building them, Tim flew down from SF to LA and worked with both Don Sawday and I in Don's shop and we put the horn together for him.

Unfortunately we no longer do these conversions. I think we made around 20 of them in total, including 3 Elkhart 88hs, with the rest being Bach 42 conversions.

Seamed slide crooks still available?

Rrova wrote: Fri May 02, 2025 10:23 am

Savio wrote: Tue Apr 29, 2025 3:14 am If you search "trombone retreat podcast" you will find it. Long interview.

Leif

That was a great interview!

Yes, I just finished listening to it. Fantastic! Now I'm listening to the Marshall Gilkes interview. I'll eventually get to all of them.

Last night live concert on Dutch television, CSO in Amsterdam. Sounded great! #mahler 7

Wilco wrote: Fri May 16, 2025 1:48 am Last night live concert on Dutch television, CSO in Amsterdam. Sounded great! #mahler 7

I've seen a couple of clips on YouTube - CSO is at the Mahler Festival in Amsterdam, after having a short Mahler Festival in Chicago. Tim appears to be playing 2nd, with Mulcahy playing Principal. Maybe he was already booked to fill in before the audition.

Jim Scott

6. https://www.npoklassiek.nl/concerten/95 ... fonie-nr-6

7. https://www.npoklassiek.nl/uitzendingen ... dagconcert?

CalgaryTbone wrote: Fri May 16, 2025 9:33 am I've seen a couple of clips on YouTube - CSO is at the Mahler Festival in Amsterdam, after having a short Mahler Festival in Chicago. Tim appears to be playing 2nd, with Mulcahy playing Principal. Maybe he was already booked to fill in before the audition.

Apparently the Chicago Symphony played both Mahler 6 and Mahler 7 at the Amsterdam Festival. (Wish I'd been there!)

• A. The tenor horn solo at the beginning of #7 sure sounds like Mick Mulcahy.

• B. I wouldn't be surprised if Mulcahy played some principal for a while, or if they "trade off" a bit, as Higgins gets integrated to the trombone section.

• C. The CSO is still a great orchestra!

I doubt that there is any period of "getting integrated". As I said in a previous post, a statement on the Audition Forum said that the CSO has a policy in their auditions that all of the winners of a Principal position must pass through a successful trial period with the orchestra before they are fully granted the job - not too unusual for many orchestras (different from tenure, which is a longer process).

I was just surprised to see him playing 2nd, but I would guess that that trial is scheduled at another time, and Mulcahy had already been contracted to play Principal on the tour - also not unusual for another member of the section to be contracted to move into a Principal position on a temporary basis while it's vacant. Tim may have even been offered a couple of weeks with the orchestra on 2nd before the audition even took place.

Anyway, I was just expressing surprise to see the new Principal playing in the section, but I guess it's just a coincidence of scheduling. It wasn't meant as any kind of "gotcha" moment, or criticism of anyone or of the orchestra. I'm sure we'll see Tim playing in the chair in the fall.

Jim Scott

Jim, what is going to be the future of the Chicago brass? They are a little bit old all of them? I hope they will sound that good in the future?
Leif

People said the same thing when Herseth, Jacobs, Crisafulli and Kleinhammer were all retiring (not at the same time, but all fairly close to each other). The Chicago Symphony kept on playing with new great brass players, and they will continue with the next generation that follows the current players. Of course it's not exactly the same, but I would expect that the tradition of excellence will carry on.

Jim Scott

Esteban Batalan is a god. All these clips the CSO put on facebook etc. sound incredible. Amazing trumpet playing.

Kdanielsen wrote: Sun May 18, 2025 6:58 pm Esteban Batalan is a god. All these clips the CSO put on facebook etc. sound incredible. Amazing trumpet playing.

Isn’t he going to Philly?

Cheers,
Andy

elmsandr wrote: Mon May 19, 2025 6:32 am

Kdanielsen wrote: Sun May 18, 2025 6:58 pm Esteban Batalan is a god. All these clips the CSO put on facebook etc. sound incredible. Amazing trumpet playing.

Isn’t he going to Philly?

Cheers,
Andy

He decided to stay in Chicago.

elmsandr wrote: Mon May 19, 2025 6:32 am

Kdanielsen wrote: Sun May 18, 2025 6:58 pm Esteban Batalan is a god. All these clips the CSO put on facebook etc. sound incredible. Amazing trumpet playing.

Isn’t he going to Philly?

Cheers,
Andy

He spent most of the last season in Philadelphia, but is apparently returning to Chicago. I'm pretty bummed that he's leaving, because I've never heard anything like his playing. I was really looking forward to Mahler 5 next year in Philly.

Ditto on the trumpet!!!

I'm so glad I found this thread because it answered all of my questions lol. "Where can I learn more about him?" the podcast interview. "Why was he playing 2nd in the Amsterdam videos?" He was already a sub for them and probably contracted that before the audition results were decided. "What's his gear?" We got the maker himself confirming the designs.

Also bonus information for learning Batalan is staying! I usually read and don't comment, but man this site is the best.

Does anybody know who the other candidates were for this position? Somehow I did not get invited to audition.

So it's official now that Tim Higgins is the new CSO Principal Trombone - his official start in the chair is the beginning of the 25/26 season. San Francisco is going to have to start looking for almost an entire section with the retirements and moves to other positions.

Congratulations to Tim!

Jim Scott

A worthy successor to Jay Friedman!

Good luck to the folks in San Francisco (where Tim will be missed, and where he will probably miss).