About Me
A native of Moorhead, MN, Dr. Cole Bartels joined the faculty at Central Michigan University as the Assistant Professor of Trombone in 2023. He previously served as the Associate Lecturer of Trombone at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, and as the Instructor of Low Brass at Concordia University Wisconsin. Dr. Bartels also keeps an active calendar as a top-call freelancing musician performing all styles.
As the recipient of several awards and grants including the 2021 American Prize 'Earnst Bacon Award', and the 2020 MOZAIK Philanthropy ‘Future Art Award’, among other accolades, Bartels has committed himself to the intense study and performance of contemporary music. His debut solo album entitled ‘On the Brink’ was released in April 2022 by cmntx records, featuring an eclectic mix of new music for trombone. Having commissioned and premiered over 30 new works, and being an alumni of the Bang on a Can and nief-norf summer festivals, Dr. Bartels continues to seek out opportunities to expand and develop the trombone repertory. Recent collaborators include: Steve Makela, Brian Mark, Jorge Variego, Brianna Ware, and Vicki Leona Nguyen, among others. His latest creative endeavor involves an evening length concert of cutting edge electro-acoustic music written for his trombone quartet, Beltline Bones. The Beltline Bones have a forthcoming album entitled 'Audiogenica' featuring music by composers such as Jay Batzner, Isaac Mayhew, and Alex Ring Gray.
He has had the distinct pleasure of performing with a wide array of ensembles and artists. Some recent highlights include touring with the NYChillharmonic and Aberdeen, performing with Bill Frisell and the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra, and an appearance with the legendary salsa band ‘Los Adolescentes.’ Dr. Bartels has also appeared with the Midland Symphony Orchestra, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, Fargo-Moorhead Symphony Orchestra, among other orchestras throughout the midwest.
Dr. Bartels holds degrees in trombone performance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (DMA ’22), the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (MM ’19), and Concordia College (BM ’17), with additional certifications in jazz studies and music theory pedagogy. His primary teachers included Mark Hetzler, Dr. Alex van Duuren, Dr. Nat Dickey, and Dr. Ed Huttlin. Outside of his musical career, Cole enjoys spending time with his wife and their two cats, Stella and Simon. He is also a food and drink enthusiast and loves honing his skills in the kitchen.
Cole is a performing artist for Long Island Brass Co. mouthpieces. He plays on a Romero 600, Chimera 550, and a Broadway Bass 600B.
A PDF copy of a one-page resume or a CV is available upon request.