Bruce C. Briney
Music Director and Conductor
Bruce Briney enjoys a distinguished career as a conductor, trumpet performer, and educator. He recently retired as Professor of Music at Western Illinois University, where he taught applied trumpet, conducting, brass methods, and brass chamber music, while also conducting the Symphony Orchestra and Opera productions. During his tenure, he received the College of Fine Arts and Communication Outstanding Teaching Award, and his students earned honors as winners and finalists in the MTNA, International Trumpet Guild, National Trumpet, and Western Illinois University Concerto competitions. He also contributed to Mark Dulin's Cichowicz Flow Studies, Volumes 1 and 2.
Since 2008, Dr. Briney has served as Music Director and Conductor of the Quincy Symphony Orchestra. Under his leadership, the orchestra has expanded its artistic reach through innovative programming and an annual commissioning project that has resulted in twenty new orchestral works by composers from across the United States. In 2013, he was named Illinois Council of Orchestras Conductor of the Year, and in 2020 the Quincy Symphony Orchestra received the organization's Community Orchestra of the Year Award. His conducting mentors include John Paynter and Victor Yampolsky.
An accomplished trumpet performer, Dr. Briney has appeared with the Quad City Symphony Orchestra, Peninsula Music Festival Orchestra, Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra, Illinois Symphony Orchestra, and Knox-Galesburg Symphony. A dedicated chamber musician, he served as Music Director of the Millar Brass Ensemble from 1984 to 1993. Under his direction, the ensemble recorded for the Crystal, Koss, and Premier labels and performed at prestigious conferences including the Midwest Clinic (1986, 2007, 2022), International Trumpet Guild Conference (1987, 1993), Texas Music Educators Association Convention, International Trombone Workshop, and New York Brass Conference.
Dr. Briney's collaborations with composer James Stephenson include the premieres and recordings of The Devil's Tale and Octet, two works honoring Igor Stravinsky, released on the Parma and Klavier labels. More recently, he premiered Miracle Fair, a concerto for solo trumpet and wind ensemble by his Western Illinois University colleague John Mindeman.
Dr. Briney earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and both the Master of Music and Doctor of Music degrees in trumpet performance from Northwestern University. His principal teachers were David Hickman and Vincent Cichowicz, with additional studies with Arnold Jacobs, Ray Mase, Ray Sasaki, and George Vosburgh.
Dr. Briney resides in Macomb, Illinois, with his wife, Robin. Together they enjoy spending time with their golden retrievers, Addison and Ivy. When in Quincy, Dr. Briney’s accommodations are provided by the Quality Inn & Suites and the Atrium Hotel on Third.
