Paul Von Hoff is a trombonist and chamber music specialist who performs extensively on both historic and modern trombones. Paul is a founding member of the Gaudete Brass Quintet, a modern brass quintet founded in 2004 that has toured extensively, given masterclasses at schools such as Juilliard and Eastman, recorded four albums, most recently recording Chicago Moves and sevenfive for Cedille Records, and premiered over fifty new works. Paul is also a founding member of Rook, a chamber ensemble dedicated to performing the music of the 16th and 17th centuries, where he plays baroque alto, tenor and bass trombones and Renaissance slide trumpet. Rook can be heard on its album eleven, featuring the rare instrumental combination of violin, bass violin, harpsichord and trombone. In addition to Rook, Paul has performed with early music with Piffaro and Bella Voce, and recorded and performed with Three Notch’d Road and The Wayward Sisters. His work on the Renaissance slide trumpet has been featured on the video podcast Rare and Strange Musical Instruments.
Paul is the trombone instructor at Carthage College as well on the music faculty at Roosevelt University as artist-in-residence with the GBQ. Paul holds a Bachelors degree cum laude from Northwestern University and a Masters Degree from Roosevelt University and has studied historic trombone with Greg Ingles, as well as modern trombone with Frank Crisafulli, Lawrence Borden, and Jay Friedman.
Outside of music, Paul enjoys exploring the speculative and fantastical worlds of Middle Earth, Narnia, Faerûn, Lankhmar, the Four Corners, and the Oasis. He is currently reading The Lord of the Rings to his three children for the third time. He also has a passion for exploring and enjoying good wine with his wife. Together, they are ranked in the top 100 amateur wine reviewers in America on the online wine community Vivino.
"...trombonist Paul Von Hoff shines with his compact tone and seeming ease in the high register..."
Barry Kilpatrick - American Record Guide