Bartels, Cole

Biography

A native of Moorhead, MN, Dr. Cole Bartels was appointed Assistant Professor of Trombone at Central Michigan University in 2023 where he teaches applied trombone, conducts the CMU Trombone Choir, coaches brass chamber music, and teaches courses in music technology and jazz studies. He previously taught at the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater and Concordia University Wisconsin. In addition to his academic work, Bartels maintains an active performing career as a versatile freelance trombonist, appearing in classical, jazz, popular, and contemporary music settings.

An award-winning performer and advocate for new music, Bartels has been recognized with honors including the 2026 Volunteer ’40 Under 40’ award, the 2021 American Prize Earnst Bacon Award, and the 2020 MOZAIK Philanthropy Future Art Award. His debut solo album, On the Brink (cmntx records, 2022), presents an eclectic collection of contemporary works for trombone, many of them written specifically for him. To date, he has commissioned and premiered more than 40 new pieces, and his work as a collaborator has included projects with Zoe Cutler, Brian Mark, Jorge Variego, Alex Ring Gray, and Vicki Leona Nguyen, among others. He is also an alumnus of the Bang on a Can and nief-norf summer festivals.

Bartels is a founding member of the trombone quartet Beltline Bones, an ensemble dedicated to experimental and electro-acoustic repertoire. Their studio album, Audiogenica (cmntx records, 2024), features works by Jay C. Batzner, Isaac Mayhew, Alex Ring Gray, Eve Beglarian, and two of Bartels’s own compositions. With the Beltline Bones, he continues to push the boundaries of the instrument’s possibilities through innovative collaborations and multimedia performance projects. The group’s sophomore album will be released by New Focus Recordings later in 2026.

As a performer, Bartels has appeared with a wide range of ensembles and artists across genres. Highlights include featured performances at the International Trombone Festival and American Trombone Workshop, touring with the NYChillharmonic and Aberdeen, performing with famed jazz guitarist Bill Frisell, and sharing the stage with legendary salsa artists such as Los Adolescentes, Tony Vega, and Willie Gonzales. Recent orchestral engagements have included performances with the Grand Rapids Symphony, Lansing Symphony Orchestra, Madison Symphony Orchestra, among others throughout the Midwest.

Bartels holds degrees in trombone performance from the University of Wisconsin–Madison (DMA, 2022), the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (MM, 2019), and Concordia College (BM, 2017), along with additional certifications in jazz studies and music theory pedagogy. His principal teachers include Mark Hetzler, Dr. Alex van Duuren, Dr. Nat Dickey, and Dr. Ed Huttlin. He is a performing artist for Long Island Brass Company mouthpieces, playing on the Aria 600, Chimera 550, and Broadway Bass 600. Cole resides in Mount Pleasant, MI with his wife Leah and daughter Sophie.