Biography

It’s no understatement to say that music was Arthur Jennings’ life. Born in Detroit, Michigan in 1945, he graduated from Berkley High School, and went on to attend the University of Michigan where he received his Bachelor of Music degree. From there he secured a post as a trombonist with the United States Air Force Concert Band, performing concert tours throughout the United States, Canada and Europe.

After completing his enlistment, Jennings decided it was time to take on The Big Apple, and he moved to New York. While there, he received his Master of Music degree and performed in events ranging from avant garde concerts at Carnegie Hall to big band jazz, broadway shows and even rock bands.

Jennings’ time in New York came to a close in the mid-1970s when he was offered a position in Chattanooga as principal trombonist with the symphony, and soon after joined the faculty of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga as the professor of trombone. In 1982, he relocated to Tucson, Arizona and earned his Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Arizona.

In 1985, Jennings relocated for a final time to Gainesville, where he served as the professor of trombone at the University of Florida for 30 years until his retirement in 2015. As a trombonist, he traveled the world performing in Sweden, Austria, Brazil, China, Spain, Russia and more. He also performed locally with the Gainesville Orchestra, the Ocala Symphony Orchestra and the Jacksonville Symphony.

Jennings passed away on January 1, 2016 at the age of 70.