A full-size orchestra in the U.S. is made up of about 80 to 100 full-time musicians. Only one of those spots is given to the bass trombone, so even advancing in any professional audition is no small feat. In fact, musicians auditioning for the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra in New York City in 2014 had a success rate of 1 in 208, or about 0.48%.

But at just 18 years old, rising Bienen sophomore and bass trombonist Joe Maiocco has defied the odds — securing a job with the Kansas City Symphony. Though he would be a sophomore in the Fall, Maiocco plans to withdraw from school for the next year to move to Kansas City and work toward securing tenure at the symphony. 

While most musicians start auditioning for orchestras after earning their bachelor’s or master’s degrees, Maiocco is no stranger to the audition scene. Kansas City is his seventh professional audition, and at 16 years old, he advanced to the final round of his very first one. 

“I believe auditions are its own separate skill,” Maiocco said. “You could be God’s gift to the trombone, (but) if you’re not good at auditions, you’re not going to win anything.”

From practicing excerpts at half tempo to playing mock auditions for colleagues, Maiocco has developed an audition preparation routine, finding what works best for him.

Maiocco said what changed for him this time, though, was the balance between mental preparation and physical practice. 

“This time, I really put those two together,” Maiocco said. “I don’t know if anyone else is going to have prepared this list like I have. It’s just that feeling — the confidence.”

Maiocco doesn’t come from a musical family. He picked up the instrument halfway through eighth grade, playing on a bass trombone bought from eBay for two years. He even had plans to become a pilot before he began auditioning. 

When playing the trombone, Maiocco said he’s learned that brass playing is all about singing through the notes of the instrument.

“I actually started on the cello,” Maiocco said. “I also sang in choir. So when I picked up the trombone, I wasn’t even thinking about how to buzz or where the positions were. I was just singing.”

Over the past year, Maiocco has been asked to substitute as a trombonist for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra not once, but four times, playing alongside some of the world’s greatest musicians. 

Among the renowned brass section is his own professor, Bienen Prof. Michael Mulcahy, who has played with the Chicago Symphony since 1989.

“I have to say, boy, he was on top of it,” Mulcahy said. “He didn’t sound like a good student. He sounded like he’d been sitting there for a while.”

From Maiocco’s first lesson with Mulcahy, the professor said he recognized Maiocco’s talent, crediting his pre-college teaching, natural aptitude and personal discipline of the highest level. 

Before beginning his studies at NU, Maiocco was accepted to the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, a selective training program for young professionals, with most members between the ages of 22 and 30. 

Performing in high-level ensembles means you’re always expected to play “right in the slot,” readying yourself for rehearsals and concerts at all times, Maiocco said.

But balancing appearances with the CSO, Civic rehearsals, audition preparation and full-time undergraduate life occasionally took its toll on Maiocco.

“This (Spring) Quarter, especially, was really, really tough,” Maiocco said. “For the audition prep, it was good that I had a strategy and schedule because whenever I wasn’t doing that, I was preparing for my next rehearsal.”

Fellow Civic trombonist and rising Bienen junior Arlo Hollander said he faces the same challenges when juggling his commitments as a young musician. 

But through the process, Hollander said he’s observed Maiocco’s thoughtfulness and confidence. 

“I don’t know if I’ve met a guy as hardworking and driven as Joe (Maiocco), on top of being just a really great person,” Hollander said. “Someone that you want to be around.”

Both Maiocco and Hollander said they owe a large part of their growth to the Northwestern Trombone Studio, which is in part led by Mulcahy.

Beyond his performing career, Mulcahy said he’s proud of the work he’s done for the studio, producing accomplished students and creating a supportive studio culture. 

“The main focus of the trombone studio is not the trombone. It’s the composer, the sound, the musicianship,” Mulcahy said. “They are the ideals which drive me, and they are the ideals that allow our students to do well.”

This summer, Maiocco and Hollander will head to Tanglewood Music Center as fellows. The highly selective program provides rigorous training under world-class conductors and faculty that makes it known as the “final milestone before a professional life in music.”

Still a growing musician, Maiocco said he’s excited to see what Kansas City and his future have to bring.

“With Kansas City, I’m definitely lucky and I don’t think it was a very hard decision, but I’m sad to be leaving,” Maiocco said. “But for me, if I can study with more people and get paid to live in a great city and play with a fantastic orchestra, that’s kind of the life (where) this is the dream.”

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