James Bicigo is a Yamaha Performing Artist on Trombone and an internationally active soloist and clinician. He is an endorsing artist for Wedge Mouthpieces. With his wife, trumpeter Dr. Karen Gustafson, He released the album Pacific Crossings in 2017. He performed a solo recital at the 2013 International Trombone Festival in Columbus, Georgia. He was a presenter on The Low Brass University Position: Winning One - Doing the Job, at the 2014 International Trombone Festival in Rochester, New York. He also appeared in a solo recital at the 2012 International Women’s Brass Conference in Kalamazoo, Michigan.  With Borealis Brass, he toured Alaska, Malaysia Australia, Puerto Rico, Japan, and Italy. His performances have been broadcast internationally on programs such as New Music Australia,  Eine Kleine Frauen Musik, CBC Radio Shift, Prevailing Winds, and many others.

 

Bicigo earned the Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Trombone Performance from Michigan State University where he studied with Curtis Olson and Phil Sinder. His master of Music Degree in Music Education is from Western Michigan University where he studied with Steve Wolfinbarger, and his Bachelor of Music Degree in Trombone Performance and Music Education (with distinction) is from The University of Michigan where he studied with H. Dennis Smith. 

 

He has appeared professionally in recital at major universities in Arkansas, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Virginia, Washington, Texas and Wisconsin. Dr. Bicigo is a noted advocate of women in music and has been responsible for the commissioning, performing and recording several new works for trombone, tuba and other brass instruments and ensembles by women composers. His new CD features works by two of these composers, Syafiqah Shuib, and Odelia Kamal, as well as other music composed specifically for Dr. Bicigo.

 

Bicigo retired from his position as Associate Professor of Music at the University of Alaska Fairbanks in 2016, and moved to Red Deer, Alberta with his wife Dr. Karen Gustafson and their pets. Since moving to Red Deer, he has joined the Altius Brass (Calgary) and the Rocky Mountain Symphony Orchestra (Calgary), as well as appearing as a soloist at various venues and with various ensembles throughout Alberta. Bicigo is trombonist with the Borealis Brass, and the newly formed Central Alberta Chamber Players. He served on the music faculty of Red Deer College in 2017-2018, and is now on contract faculty at Burman University.