ISU Alumna Mal Layne Takes Home 4th Place in International Trombone Competition

Idaho State University alumna Mal Layne recently competed against hundreds of individuals in the Michel Becquet International Trombone Competition in Luxembourg. Layne, the only American to make it to the semi-finals, took 4th place in the world.

“I had lots of fun meeting and learning from a multitude of inspiring players and teachers,” said Mal. “Yes, I was nervous, but I do know one thing - if you put a trombone in my hand, I'm happy. And it was the relationships I curated with ISU faculty that caused this.”

Mal graduated with an Honors Bachelor of Music in 2022 and is an honorary member of ISU’s commercial music program. While at ISU, she produced and recorded her album, "Integration by Parts," in the Medina Recording Studio for City Creek Records. 

“The title itself is a concept from calculus, which I took while studying to earn a STEM degree. It's a good analogy for how I realized that I truly wanted to study and dedicate the rest of my life to music,” Mal states. “While I was composing these pieces amidst the pandemic, I became honest with myself about what was truly important to me, and I decided to leave STEM to pursue trombone full-time. These pieces are how I got there.”

Mal is a Manhattan-based trombonist and composer currently working on her master’s degree at the Juilliard School of Music. 

“We are so incredibly proud of Mal,” said Jon Armstrong, chair of the commercial music program. “She has continued to work hard and develop her talent at Julliard, and is showing everyone what we already knew, that Mal is a world-class musician!”