Devoted to musical versatility and collaboration-minded creation, Carl Lundgren is equally at home playing classical, jazz, and commercial music. He spends his musical time at the intersection of performance, composition, and pedagogy, with a strong emphasis on playing by ear. From 2014-2017, Carl was an Adjunct Instructor of Trombone, and an Adjunct Instructor of Jazz Trombone at the University of North Texas. For over 11 years, Carl was the Musical Director, and a founding member, of the Maniacal 4 trombone quartet, an internationally acclaimed group of “four great musicians telling one unified, inspiring musical story after another.” 

 

An alumnus of The University of North Texas (BM, MM), Carl toured and performed with the  One O’Clock Lab Band, whose CD "Lab 2009" was nominated for two Grammys.  During his 3 years in the band, Carl toured Europe and Thailand, and performed at Birdland in New York, and Catalina in Los Angeles. 

 

With Maniacal 4, Carl toured and performed on 3 continents, entertaining audiences with a wide range of styles and approaches. Hailed as “a force to be reckoned with,” M4 performed its concerts almost exclusively from memory, projecting a “clear, unified, uplifting and committed musical vision on par with great CHAMBER ensembles.”  Carl composed and arranged most of the group's music, and created unique collaborations for M4 at International Trombone Festivals in Nashville and Paris, and Slide Factory 2012 in Rotterdam. In 2012, M4's debut CD, 'Carry On' was released: a tribute to to the classic rock legends of the 1970s. Carl's arrangements replace guitar solos with effects pedal-driven trombone distortion, and backed by a rhythm section, add tight brass chords in lieu of vocal harmonies. M4’s sophomore CD, ‘Open House,’ features many of Carl’s compositions, blending classical, jazz and rock influences together into a new and unique direction. M4’s viral presence on YouTube and Facebook continues to maintain a lasting influence on the brass world. 

 

Carl’s teaching philosophy emphasizes a student-guide relationship: providing an inclusive and safe learning environment to best guide students to their unique musical goals, and emphasizing an external, musical focus of attention for motor skill acquisition. Drawing from many styles and idioms, Carl’s interdisciplinary pedagogical approach aims to actively challenge and broaden the musical horizons of audiences and students alike. 

 

Carl is sponsored by Buffet Group USA and Dansr Inc, and performs exclusively on Antoine Courtois Paris trombones and Denis Wick mouthpieces.