Bio
Originally from the United Kingdom, Dr. Will Porter (he/him) joined the faculty at Ithaca College in 2022 as Assistant Professor of Trombone. Previous teaching engagements have included Eastern Illinois University, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Will has performed with orchestras throughout Europe, South America and North America, including the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester. From 2009-2014, Will held the position of Co-Principal Trombone with the Orquesta Filarmónica de Santiago, in Chile. In 2021, he was invited to play Solo Trombone with the Fountain City Brass Band with whom he went on to win the U.S. Open Brass Band Championships, Gateway Brass Band Championships, and North American Brass Band Championships. He has commissioned and premiered numerous works for solo trombone, performing them at events such as the International Trombone Festival and the American Trombone Workshop, and in 2022 was named winner of The American Prize for the performance of American music.
Will serves as director of the Ithaca College Trombone Troupe, whose recent performances include the American Trombone Workshop (2023), International Trombone Festival (2025), and New York State School Music Association Conference (upcoming, Dec 2025).
Will's research examines the relationships between music education and social development and has included projects in Mozambique, Tanzania, and Ethiopia. He regularly works with court-involved youth, leading music workshops at juvenile detention centers and youth shelters in the US and Africa.
A first-generation student, Will is a graduate of the University of Leeds (BMus Hons), the Royal Academy of Music (MMus and LRAM), and the University of Wisconsin-Madison (DMA). Will is an Edwards Trombone Artist.