About Austin
As a Musician
As a bass trombonist, Austin has regularly performed as a freelancer in a variety of genres and groups. Most recently, he performed with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, and at the 2022 International Trombone Festival.
As a soloist, he has had success in competitions and enjoys being featured as a soloist.
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Awards
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2022, IWBC Division II, Bass Trombone (Winner)
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2022, IWBC Susan Slaughter Finals, Honorable Mention
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2019, Indianapolis Matinee Musicale, runner up
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2018, American Trombone Workshop Solo Competition Finalist
Austin attended his undergraduate degree at Carthage College in Kenosha, WI. He pursued his Masters Degree and Performance Diploma at Indiana University, Currently, Austin is a Doctoral Candidate at Indiana University with a future completion date of the Fall of 2024.
As an Educator
As an educator, Austin believes in sharing the gift of music to the community. During his studies at Indiana University, Austin grew and led a large middle school and high school low brass studio in Bedford, Indiana that consisted of over 60 students over the course of 5 years.
During the summer, he is a regular festival attendee, giving health and wellness presentations or workshops on a variety of topics including posture, breathing, mobility, injury prevention, or recovery. Most recent festivals include the 2021 and 2022 International Trombone Festival and 2022 International Women's Brass Conference.
Internationally, Austin has taught masterclasses and workshops in the Dominican Republic and Haiti through the Cheerful Heart Mission, a humanitarian organization dedicated to improving the lives of the underprivileged people living on the border of the Dominican Republic and Haiti through health, education, and economic development.
As a presenter, Austin has given health and wellness workshops at over 20 institutions such as Vanderbilt, Murray State, Indiana University, Rutgers, George Mason University, SFASU, University of Georgia, and The Orchestra Now at Bard College.
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As an educator, Austin has a variety of health and wellness certifications including:
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Certified Personal Trainer - National Academy of Sports Medicine
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Corrective Exercise Specialist - National Academy of Sports Medicine
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Certified Movement and Mobility Specialist - The Ready State
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Certified Biomechanics Specialist Certification - Pinnacle Performance
As a Musician Injury Coach
Austin Pancner is the founder and CEO of The Functional Musician, an online coaching company that helps musicians live and perform without pain through injury prevention and recovery programs.
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Motivated and fueled by his own injury experience, he believes proper recovery and injury prevention should be centered around a holistic approach, one that factors in the entire human. Although every client is unique and requires a personalized approach, Austin incorporates different methods to create a life-changing experience for his clients. This approach has grown and evolved from his personal injury experience, continued education, modern psychology, biomechanics, and movement grounded in scientific-based principles and research.
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Over the past 4+ years, Austin has helped over 100 musicians overcome tension, pain, and injury. He is constantly learning new tools and techniques to serve his clients and is passionate about serving the music community.
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