Dr. Austin Motley was recently hired as Assistant Professor of Music (Low Brass) at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. Since 2019, he has held the position of Principal Trombone with the Battle Creek Symphony Orchestra. As an educator, classical and jazz trombonist, arranger, and conductor, Austin has a passion for performing and educating the next generation of low brass musicians. Austin has performed with many notable ensembles, including the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, Battle Creek Symphony Orchestra, Richmond (IN) Symphony Orchestra, Billings Symphony Orchestra, Kentucky Symphony Orchestra, and Flying Circus Big Band. He is an active chamber musician and soloist, having recently performed the third movement of De Meij's T-Bone Concerto with a regional high school band in Cincinnati, Ohio. Also, a number of students in Austin’s low brass private studio have had success at the All-State and All-District levels. His primary teachers are Cristian Ganicenco (Principal Trombone of the Cincinnati Symphony and Pops Orchestras), Tim Anderson (Principal Trombone of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra), and Dr. Jay Bulen (Professor Emeritus at Truman State University).
Austin was born and raised in the small town of Kirksville, Missouri. As a high school student, Austin was a four-year member of the Missouri All-State Band serving as principal trombonist for two years. After high school, Austin continued his study of music and trombone performance at Truman State University (TSU), studying trombone with Dr. Jay Bulen and jazz studies with Tim AuBuchon. In 2015, Austin won the TSU Gold Medal Concerto Competition allowing him to perform Eric Ewazen's "Sonata for Trombone" with the TSU Symphony Orchestra. In 2016, he won the TSU Conducting Apprenticeship Competition, allowing him to conduct the TSU Concert Band on their spring concert. Austin was also a featured stand-out soloist with the TSU Jazz Ensemble. He toured with the group and performed Duke Ellington's "Blue Cellophane" for a number of public schools in Iowa. In 2017, Austin received his bachelor's degree from TSU and began his master’s studies at the College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) in Cincinnati, Ohio. While a student, he received the prestigious Glover Trombone Award, and performed with the Cincinnati Symphony and Cincinnati Pops Orchestras. In 2019, Austin completed his master's degree from CCM and began doctoral studies at CCM as a graduate assistant in the Graduate Fellowship Brass Quintet. He assumed the role of Graduate Teaching Assistant for the CCM Trombone Studio for the 2020-21 academic year. In April 2021, Austin completed his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in trombone performance and pedagogy. Austin taught Applied Trombone Lessons at Wright State University for the Fall 2021 semester. In Spring 2022, he taught a music history course at Wright State University while maintaining a private studio, performing, and taking auditions. Recently, Austin was hired as Assistant Professor of Music (Low Brass) at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia Arkansas. There, he teaches applied trombone, euphonium, and tuba, as well as music history courses. He currently resides in Arkadelphia, Arkansas with his wife, Kirsten, and daughter, Ellie.