Members of Apex Brass
Ethan Bartley joined the United States Navy Band in 2018. He earned a Bachelor of Music in trumpet performance from the University of Kansas in 2014, and a Master of Music in trumpet performance from Indiana University in 2016. His primary teachers include Steve Leisring and John Rommel. Prior to joining the Navy Band, Bartley was a freelance musician in the Indianapolis area, as well as principal trumpet of the Peoria Symphony Orchestra, and second trumpet in the Columbus (Indiana) Symphony Orchestra and Terra Haute Symphony Orchestra. He has performed with the Richmond (Indiana) Symphony, Eutiner Festspiele Orchester in Eutin, Germany, the New World Symphony, and the Kansas City Symphony.
Bartley was also a soloist and section leader with the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps for four summers. He has attended the Hot Springs Summer Music Festival and the Menlo Summer Brass Institute in San Francisco, where his teachers included Scott Moore and David Bilger. In addition to performing, Bartley has maintained a private trumpet studio and has worked as a clinician and technician with high school bands in Kansas and Indiana. Outside of music he spends his time playing and watching sports, cooking, spending time with friends and family, and taking his dog on walks.
Bartley was also a soloist and section leader with the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps for four summers. He has attended the Hot Springs Summer Music Festival and the Menlo Summer Brass Institute in San Francisco, where his teachers included Scott Moore and David Bilger. In addition to performing, Bartley has maintained a private trumpet studio and has worked as a clinician and technician with high school bands in Kansas and Indiana. Outside of music he spends his time playing and watching sports, cooking, spending time with friends and family, and taking his dog on walks.
Ben Hauser joined the United States Navy Band in 2017. He earned a Bachelor of Music in trumpet performance from Baylor University in 2014, and a Master of Music in trumpet performance from Southern Methodist University in 2016. His primary teachers include Wiff Rudd, Mark Schubert and Tom Booth. Prior to joining the Navy Band, Hauser worked as a freelance musician, taught private lessons and played principal trumpet in the Park Cities Baptist Church orchestra. Hauser has performed with the Fort Worth Symphony, Las Colinas Symphony, Waco Symphony, Corpus Christi Symphony, the Allen Philharmonic and the Round Rock Symphony. In addition to his school studies, Hauser has attended Brevard Music Center, Round Top Festival Institute, Texas Music Festival and the Bay View Music Festival, where additional teachers included Marie Speziale, Ray Riccomini, Mark Hughes, Neal Berntsen and Brian Buerkle. Hauser also had the privilege to study with Bo Nilsson for two summers in Europe at Ticino Musica and Aurora Chamber Music. Outside of music he enjoys traveling, playing video games, listening to audiobooks and spending time with his dog.
Alex Kovling, a native of Lewisville, Texas, joined the U.S. Navy Band in 2015 and has recently been appointed Principal Horn with the Annapolis Symphony. Having previously held the position of Third Horn since 2018, he covered Principal Horn his entire first season. Since being in the area, his sub work has taken him to guest principal with the Columbus Symphony, Mid-Atlantic Symphony, and York Symphony as well as regularly performing with the North Carolina Symphony, National Philharmonic Orchestra, Alexandria Symphony, Signature Theater in Arlington, and the Chesapeake Orchestra. Alex takes advantage of chamber music opportunities with his brass quintet, Apex Brass, second prize winner of the Bucharest International Music Competition in 2021. He also occasionally performs with the Washington Symphonic Brass, Annapolis Symphony Brass Quintet, Barclay Brass, Dominion Brass, and the Navy Band Chamber Recital Series. He has enjoyed covering principal/soloing with the Navy Band and has even performed alongside Mannheim Steamroller, Andrea Bocelli, The Beach Boys, and Katy Perry.
Mr. Kovling received his Bachelor of Music from Texas Tech University, where he studied with Christopher M. Smith. After graduating, he continued his studies at Rice University, earning his Master's Degree in Music. While at Rice, he studied with William VerMeulen and was part of a Christmas CD project called “The Christmas Horn” conducted by Dale Clevenger. Giving back to the younger generation of aspiring musicians, Alex has taught masterclasses at Baylor University and Kansas State University.
While still a student in Texas, Mr. Kovling was third horn of the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra from 2010-2013 and second horn of Santa Fe Pro Musica in the 2012-2013 season. He was also a regular substitute/extra horn with the Houston Symphony, San Antonio Symphony, and the Amarillo Symphony. Doubling on Wagner Tuba as well as French horn, Kovling performed with the Houston Grand Opera in Richard Wagner’s “Die Walkure.” Mr. Kovling won several awards including the Yamaha Young Performing Artist Competition and was a two-time winner of the Mid-South Horn Workshop solo competition. He attended numerous summer festivals, including the National Orchestral Institute for three years, Texas Music Festival, Round Top Festival Institute and the Banff Brass Residency.
Mr. Kovling received his Bachelor of Music from Texas Tech University, where he studied with Christopher M. Smith. After graduating, he continued his studies at Rice University, earning his Master's Degree in Music. While at Rice, he studied with William VerMeulen and was part of a Christmas CD project called “The Christmas Horn” conducted by Dale Clevenger. Giving back to the younger generation of aspiring musicians, Alex has taught masterclasses at Baylor University and Kansas State University.
While still a student in Texas, Mr. Kovling was third horn of the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra from 2010-2013 and second horn of Santa Fe Pro Musica in the 2012-2013 season. He was also a regular substitute/extra horn with the Houston Symphony, San Antonio Symphony, and the Amarillo Symphony. Doubling on Wagner Tuba as well as French horn, Kovling performed with the Houston Grand Opera in Richard Wagner’s “Die Walkure.” Mr. Kovling won several awards including the Yamaha Young Performing Artist Competition and was a two-time winner of the Mid-South Horn Workshop solo competition. He attended numerous summer festivals, including the National Orchestral Institute for three years, Texas Music Festival, Round Top Festival Institute and the Banff Brass Residency.
Stephen Farrell joined the United States Naval Academy Band in 2017. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in trombone performance from Baylor University and a Master’s Degree in trombone performance from the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University. Stephen has performed with the Richmond Symphony, York Symphony Orchestra, Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra, Missouri Symphony Orchestra, Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra, Waco Symphony Orchestra, and the Washington Trombone Ensemble. Stephen’s teachers include Joseph Alessi, Allen Barnhill, Barbara Butler, Charlie Geyer, and Brent Phillips. In his spare time, Stephen enjoys scouring the Mid-Atlantic Region for the perfect beer, an endeavor which is sure to never quite be completed. Stephen is an Artist-Clinician for the Edwards Instrument Company of Elkhorn, Wisconsin.
Zach Bridges joined The United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own” Ceremonial Band in August, 2016. Zach received his bachelor’s degree from Baylor University where he studied with Dr. Kent Eshelman. He received his master’s degree from Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, where he studied with David Kirk, Principal Tuba of the Houston Symphony. Prior to joining “Pershing’s Own,” Zach performed with the Houston Ballet, East Texas Symphony and the Waco Symphony, as well as the festival orchestras of Lake George, Brevard Music Center, National Music Festival, Texas Music Festival, and the Sewanee Music Festival. In addition, Zach has performed in several solo competitions including the Artist Tuba solo competition at the 2014 International Tuba Euphonium Conference in Bloomington, Indiana, where he was a semi-finalist. He was also named winner of the 2011 Young Artist Tuba division at the International Leonard Falcone solo competition. In his free time, he enjoys swing dancing with his wife Rebekah and playing with their cat, Lafayette.