Department of Music Brass Faculty

Bryce Mecham, Trombone/Euphonium

Bryce Mecham received a B.M. in Trombone Performance and Pedagogy from Brigham Young University and a M.M. in Trombone Performance from Northwestern University where he studied with Frank Crisafulli. He joined the faculty of Brigham Young University-Idaho in 2002. Prior to that time he worked in the Salt Lake City area, performing regularly with the Utah Symphony, Orchestra at Temple Square, Utah Chamber Artists, Ballet West, and Utah Opera. Bryce has worked extensively in the recording industry. His playing can be heard in soundtracks for major motion pictures (Gettysburg, Swan Princess, The Sandlot, Jefferson in Paris, Army of Darkness), television (ABC College Football, ABC Sports Theme, NFL on FOX Theme, Hercules, Xena, etc.). He can also be heard on recordings with the Utah Symphony, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Canadian Brass, Orchestra at Temple Square, Kurt Bestor, and others. He has performed with Broadway Touring Companies of Chicago, Sunset Boulevard, Victor Victoria, Ragtime, Beauty and the Beast, and Annie Get Your Gun, as a backup musician with a wide variety of artists and as a soloist with the Utah Symphony, the Orchestra at Temple Square and in Taiwan, China and Hong Kong.

Matt Moore, Tuba

Matt Moore began playing the tuba during high school in Gypsum, Colorado.  He received a bachelor’s degree in music education from Weber State University and a master’s in tuba performance from the University of Utah.  Matt was a band teacher for three years in Tremonton, Utah prior to joining the faculty at BYU-Idaho in 2007.  On his tuba, Matt has performed professionally in every setting imaginable.  Some highlights include playing for the 2002 Winter Olympics Closing Ceremonies in Salt Lake City and being heard on numerous TV commercials and movie trailers.

Kendell Nielsen, Horn

Kendell Nielsen has been a BYU-Idaho music faculty member since 1986. He was originally hired as Director of Bands and Brass Studies. He now serves as the Symphony Orchestra associate conductor, as Director of Music Theory Studies, and teaches applied horn. Mr. Nielsen is a recipient of both the Distinguished Faculty and Honorary Faculty awards from BYU-Idaho. He has authored The Apolleric Approach to Teaching Music Literacy, and is a member of the Targhee Brass Quintet (Faculty Brass). Before coming to BYU-Idaho, Kendell Nielsen taught in the public schools of Utah where he received Utah Holiday Magazine's "Best Junior High School Music Educator" award in 1984.

Ryan Nielsen, Trumpet

Ryan Nielsen joined the faculty of BYU - Idaho in 2006 and serves as trumpet instructor and Assistant Director of Jazz Studies. He holds a BM in Music Education from BYU - Idaho and an MM in classical trumpet performance from Arizona State University, where he studied with David Hickman. He has also studied with Marcellus Brown and Mark Lewis. His jazz studies have been with Mark Watkins, Mike Crotty, and Michael Kocour. Before coming to BYU-Idaho, Mr. Nielsen was a freelance artist in the greater Phoenix area, where he played principal trumpet in the St. Thomas Aquinas Orchestra, as well as playing in the Mike Crotty Big Band.

He played trumpet in the western premiere of Gunther Schuller’s Encounters, under the baton of Mr. Schuller, as well as John Corigliano’s Symphony #3 and was principal trumpet in the western premier of Khachaturian’s Symphony #3 for 18 Trumpets and Orchestra. He has played extensively with the Riverside Jazz Orchestra, where he played alongside Brent Jensen, Sandon Mayhue, Ernie Andrews, Harvey Mason, and the New York Voices. He has also appeared with Eric Marienthal, Ed Calle, Darryl White, Jay Lawrence, and Jerry Bergonzi. Mr. Nielsen has been a guest artist at the Gene Harris Jazz Festival as well as at Jazz in the Canyon. While studying at ASU, Mr. Nielsen received the prestigious Doc Severinsen Fellowship Award for outstanding classical and jazz trumpet performance. He has received numerous other awards for his playing, including first place at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival.

Speaking of Ryan Nielsen, David Hickman, Regents' Professor  of Trumpet at Arizona State University, said, "Ryan Nielsen is a mature and caring teacher. He performs at a very high professional level as a classical and jazz musician, a rare talent and quality. I believe that he has the skills, knowledge, and work ethic to become one of the finest trumpet teachers in America."

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