It’ll be a homecoming of sorts when an Iowa native musician returns to Ames to perform this weekend. John Engelkes grew up in Parkersburg and now plays bass trombone with the San Francisco Symphony.

Each day, thousands of music students head to band practice with their trumpets, trombones and saxophones. But they may want to pay a bit more attention to the way they clean out their instruments ...

Chicago Symphony Orchestra bass trombone Charles Vernon didn’t think small when he asked composer James Stephenson to write a concerto for him. “I said: ‘I want something that’s this wonderful piece, ...