{"id":122721,"date":"2026-03-23T13:57:26","date_gmt":"2026-03-23T17:57:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=122721"},"modified":"2026-03-19T08:25:08","modified_gmt":"2026-03-19T12:25:08","slug":"preview-trombonist-constance-prost-talks-upcoming-concert-bass-trombonist-shin-tanaka-st-thomas-church","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2026\/03\/23\/preview-trombonist-constance-prost-talks-upcoming-concert-bass-trombonist-shin-tanaka-st-thomas-church\/","title":{"rendered":"PREVIEW | Trombonist Constance Prost Talks About Her Upcoming Concert With Bass Trombonist Shin Tanaka At St. Thomas Church"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_122722\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-122722\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-122722\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-2026-03-18T213025.847.jpg\" alt=\"L: Trombonist Constance Prost; R: Bass trombonist Shin Tanaka (Photos courtesy of the artists)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"628\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-2026-03-18T213025.847.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-2026-03-18T213025.847-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-2026-03-18T213025.847-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-2026-03-18T213025.847-768x402.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-122722\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">L: Trombonist Constance Prost; R: Bass trombonist Shin Tanaka (Photos courtesy of the artists)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The Friends of Music at St. Thomas\u2019s will present an event titled Trombone Virtuosos. The March 28 concert features <strong>Constance Prost<\/strong>, winner of the 2025 International Trombone Festival\u2019s Gilberto Gagliardi Competition, and <strong>Shin Tanaka<\/strong>, bass trombonist with the Canadian Opera Company Orchestra.<\/p>\n<p>The trombone is rarely featured as a solo instrument, and music lovers will get a chance to see two talents virtuosos performing a variety of works.<\/p>\n<p>LV caught up with Constance Prost to talk about the instrument, and what she\u2019ll be playing.<\/p>\n<h2>The Performers<\/h2>\n<h3>Constance Prost<\/h3>\n<p>Constance Prost is a native of Ottawa, currently in her second year of the Bachelor of Music in Trombone Performance at The Glenn Gould School. The 19 year-old musician performed the piece The Composer is Dead with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in their Young People\u2019s Concert Series in November 2025.<\/p>\n<p>She is also a regular performer with the Royal Conservatory Orchestra and has appeared with the Mississauga Symphony Orchestra. As a chamber musician, she plays as a member of the Glenn Gould School Trombone Quartet and the Cacaphony Brass Quintet.<\/p>\n<p>In addition with her win at the Gilberto Gagliardi Competition at the International Trombone Festival, Constance\u2019s talent has been recognized by the Don Renshaw Bursary at the National Arts Centre Orchestra Bursary Competition in 2024, and the The Ihnatowycz Emerging Artist Scholarship. In September 2025, Constance was named a Shires Rising Artist.<\/p>\n<p>Alongside performing and studying, Constance occasionally teaches private students, and serves as a mentor with the Oscar Peterson Program at the Royal Conservatory of Music.<\/p>\n<p>The Glenn Gould School Trombone Quartet (Constance Prost (BMus \u201928); Ken Kagawa (BMus \u201926); Ilan Mendel (ADP \u201926); Shin Tanaka (BMus \u201928)) performs \u201cAchieved is the glorious work\u201d by Haydn in April 2025:<\/p>\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Oodp4XmE900?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<h3>Shin Tanaka<\/h3>\n<p>A native of Setagaya, Tokyo, bass trombonist Shin Tanaka is a second year student at The Glenn Gould School, working towards his Bachelor\u2019s degree in performance. He\u2019s already begun to make his mark as a musician in Toronto.<\/p>\n<p>In the spring of 2025, he won the Canadian Opera Company bass trombone audition, and has been performing as bass trombonist for the Canadian Opera Company orchestra since the fall of 2025. He also recently auditioned for the Bass Trombone position with the National Ballet of Canada orchestra, and has been accepted for a trial position.<\/p>\n<p>Shin began his studies at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, and National University of Singapore, followed by the New England Conservatory of Music, before landing at the Glenn Gould School. He spent the summer of 2025 in Sapporo Japan performing at the Pacific Music Festival.<\/p>\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/K_jq6NgXRYQ?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<h2>Constance Prost: The Interview<\/h2>\n<p>Why choose the trombone?<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt&#8217;s a very interesting story, actually,\u201d says Prost. \u201cI grew up in Ottawa, and at the age of eight in grade three, we had to make a decision on what instrument to choose.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Constance wanted to choose alto sax because she had the ambition of playing solos in a jazz ensemble. But, a teacher gave her a tip \u2014 if she picked trombone, she could play in the senior band right away.<\/p>\n<p>Senior band aside, it was obviously a good choice.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI&#8217;ve stuck with it.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>The Gilberto Gagliardi Trombone Competition<\/h3>\n<p>The Gilberto Gagliardi Trombone Competition was launched in 1973, initially under the name ITA Solo Competition, and now named after Brazilian trombonist Gilberto Gagliardi. It\u2019s a competition for solo tenor trombone players age 18 and under. Constance won First Prize in the summer of 2025.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was a great experience,\u201d she says. The initial step required her to submit a preliminary video which she prepared with the help of her teacher at the Glenn Gould School, and fellow trombonist, <strong>Gordon Wolfe<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey select three finalists,\u201d she explained. \u201cLuckily last summer it was in London, Ontario.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It meant Prost could attend the International Trombone Festival, and play in the final round. The piece all the finalists were required to play was the Grand Solo by Hedwige Chr\u00e9tien. \u201cIt was a piece I had never heard of before.\u201d The work is used for competitions, but is not regularly programmed repertoire. \u201cI only stumbled upon one person who had heard it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The win was yet another confirmation that she is on the right path.<\/p>\n<h3>The Beauty Of The Trombone: Repertoire<\/h3>\n<p>\u201cI always tell people when I talk about the trombone that it&#8217;s just the best instrument out there,\u201d Constance says. \u201cIt has a rich sound, it can do as much quiet as it can do loud.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She notes that its colour is unique among the brass section. It\u2019s been her instrument for 12 years now.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe solo repertoire is limited,\u201d she acknowledges, \u201cbut you learn to make the best of it. And, it&#8217;s not as limited as you think.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Transposition is also an option, and in fact two of the pieces she\u2019s playing at the recital were written for other instruments. \u201cI think it&#8217;s interesting to change instruments,\u201d she says. \u201cI\u2019ll be playing two solo pieces \u2014 both of them were not written for trombone.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>That includes Bach\u2019s Cello Suite No. 2, BWV 1008. \u201cI just wanted to play it.\u201d It\u2019s a piece that\u2019s been on her list for some time, but she wasn\u2019t able to play it to her own satisfaction until recently. \u201cI remember there&#8217;s always this part that was low, and back then, my low register wasn&#8217;t as good as it is now,\u201d she explains. \u201cThis year, my teacher really wanted me to play a cello suite. It brings a different challenge to playing trombone.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She points out that breath control is not an issue cellists have to deal with. \u201cThat&#8217;s one of the big challenges in the Bach Cello Suites.\u201d Trombonists have to carefully consider phrasing in order to find the places to take the breaths they need.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a challenge she\u2019s excited to take on. \u201cI&#8217;m very happy that he insisted. Getting to hear the cello recordings, but also hearing the trombonists that play it, it&#8217;s such a beautiful work. It sounds great on trombone.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She\u2019s also performing Nocturno, Op. 7 by Franz Strauss, originally composed for the horn. But, still written with a brass instrument in mind.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis one is closer,\u201d Constance explains. \u201cThere are some differences in trying to convey the colour of the horn while playing the trombone.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She first came upon the piece and began to play it during the summer of 2025, with time on her hands after the competition, but before school began. \u201cI was listening to James Markey\u2019s album, and the first piece I came up with was the Nocturno.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It became the track she had on repeat anytime she was in the car.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI put it on myself to transcribe the part,\u201d she says. \u201cIt&#8217;s a piece that I do enjoy quite a bit.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Prost is adding the movement of another piece to her performance that will come as a surprise for Wolfe, her teacher. It\u2019s one of the movements of a concerto by the late Canadian musician <strong>Ian Walter McDougall<\/strong>, who passed away in January 2026. Famous for his work in the jazz world, he taught Wolfe at university. She\u2019ll be playing the second movement, titled Guardian, from McDougall\u2019s Concertino for Trombone with Piano accompaniment, \u201cDevil or Angel?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis piece, this movement, my teacher doesn&#8217;t know about it. I&#8217;m playing that movement as a surprise for my teacher.\u201d He\u2019ll find out a few days before the St. Thomas recital, Prost shares.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt&#8217;s very lyrical,\u201d she says. Prost describes it as having jazzier elements, including glissandos, and both harmonies and dissonances, but within the context of a classical work.<\/p>\n<p>Also on the program are duets she\u2019ll perform with bass trombonist Shin Tanaka.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI&#8217;m very excited to be playing with Shin Tanaka,\u201d she says. \u201cWe&#8217;re doing one piece, it&#8217;s a duet from Le Nozze di Figaro.\u201d As she relates, she and Tanaka were playing duets on a daily basis during 2025 as part of an Instagram challenge.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd finally, there&#8217;s a piece \u2014 I think this is my absolute favourite piece of the program<br \/>\n\u2014 by <strong>Keiko Takashima<\/strong>: Hear the spring calling.\u201d The work is composed for two trombones and piano.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe piece is meant to evoke the nature in Japan,\u201d she says. \u201cThere&#8217;s three movements: Dawn, Sea Breeze, and Sakura. It&#8217;s just such a beautiful piece, I can&#8217;t really put it into words.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She notes that while, naturally, the spotlight is on the trombonists, there are beautiful piano parts as well. The piano part will be played by <strong>Colin Chang<\/strong>, also a GGS student.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI&#8217;m very happy that Colin agreed to accompany me for some of the solos, and with Shin for this absolutely brilliant piece.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Trombone Virtuosos: Concert Details<\/h2>\n<p>Trombone Virtuosos takes place on <strong>March 28<\/strong> at St. Thomas\u2019s Anglican Church (383 Huron Street), with tickets available on a pay-what-you-wish basis.<\/p>\n<p>Proceeds from Friends of Music concerts support both the artists and St. Thomas\u2019s free music education program for children in grades 2 to 12.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Find tickets and show details [<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.stthomas.on.ca\/concert-series\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HERE<\/a><\/strong>].<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><em>Are you looking to promote an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/advertising\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color: #0e101a;\"><u>event<\/u><\/span><\/a>? 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