About Us
Your Favorite Brass Quintet has been a part of the Rhode Island Music scene since 2001. In 2007, Your Favorite Brass Quintet became the Brass Quintet in Residence at Salve Regina University. We perform throughout RI and New England in public concerts, for religious and public ceremonies, and private parties. Learn about your local musicians below!
Loralee Swanson, Trombone
Trombonist Loralee Swanson has performed extensively throughout South America, Europe, and the United States. She has held positions in the Black Hills Symphony and the Wyoming Symphony Orchestra, and has performed and recorded with wind orchestras, brass quintets, rock bands, jazz big bands, and New Orleans style brass bands while a member of the US Navy Fleet Bands. Loralee earned her Bachelor of Music in Trombone Performance from the University of Wyoming and and Master of Arts in Arts Administration from the University of Kentucky. She currently owns and operates Loralee’s Piano School, LLC in Newport, RI where she teaches beginning piano and trombone students.
Lucas Swanson, Trumpet
Lucas Swanson, a Rhode Island based trumpet player, is originally from northern Wisconsin. He relocated to Rhode Island in 2017 after performing eight years as a trumpet player in U.S. Navy bands based in Norfolk, VA and Naples, Italy. Lucas has performed on four continents with professional orchestras, chamber ensembles, musical theater productions, jazz ensembles, and reggae bands. Most notably, he was a member of the Greeley Philharmonic and the University of Wyoming Faculty Brass Quintet, performed a six-week run of the musical Midnight at The Never Get in Provincetown, MA, performed as soloist with the Aurora (CO) Symphony, and has subbed with the Virginia Symphony, Cheyenne Symphony and La Crosse Symphony. Currently, he is a member of Newport-based "Your Favorite Brass Quintet" and teaches middle school band in Attleboro Public Schools. Lucas earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in trumpet performance at the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse and a Master of Music degree in trumpet performance at the University of Wyoming.
Thomas Gregory, Tuba
Native Rhode islander Tom Gregory is adjunct professor of tuba and elementary music
theory instructor at Rhode island College. In addition, he serves as instructor of tuba,
euphonium and history of jazz at CCRI and beginning band instructor at Good Shepherd
Catholic School in Woonsocket RI.
Tom earned his Bachelor of Music in Tuba Performance from Boston Conservatory and
his Master of Arts in Teaching from Rhode Island College. While still in college he
performed with the Bolshoi Ballet Orchestra in Boston and with many local orchestras,
bands and brass quintets.
From 1992-1999 Tom was a tuba and electric bass instrumentalist in the Navy music
program serving in the bands in Norfolk VA and Chicago Il. He performed in Normandy
for the 50th anniversary of D-Day as well as multiple performances in Iceland. While still
in the Navy Tom performed with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago-the training orchestra for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, In addition he performed with many of the local
orchestras in the Chicagoland area as well as the Illinois Brass Band.
Upon his honorable discharge from the Navy, he went to work as brass product manager for Boosey and Hawkes Musical Instruments, USA. In addition to instrument design and marketing Tom was frequently called upon to give solo performances, masterclasses and serve as adjudicator for local All State and solo and ensemble ratings festivals around the United States. Tom has performed in 38 of the 50 United States of America.
Tom has proudly taught tuba and played in the Narragansett Brass Quintet (faculty brassquintet) at RIC since 2003. He is also the cofounder of Your Favorite Brass Quintet. Tom lives in East Providence with his wife Sharon and two children Tommy and Katie and cat Biscuit.
Craig Shadday, Trumpet
Craig Shadday, a Colorado native, earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Kansas State University in 1982 and a Master’s Degree in Trumpet Performance from the University of Kansas in 1984. His teachers have included Dr. Paul Shull (Kansas State University), Dr. Roger Stoner (University of Kansas), Raymond Mase (Aspen Music School) and George Vosburgh (Chicago Symphony/Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra). He also studied briefly with Mel Broiles (Metropolitan Opera), William Scarlett (Chicago Symphony Orchestra), Arnold Jacobs (Chicago Symphony Orchestra) and Timothy Morrison (Boston Symphony Orchestra).
Craig served in the U.S. Navy Music Program from 1986 -2006. His duty stations included the Atlantic Fleet Band (1986-1990), Navy Band Great Lakes (1990 – 1994), Navy Band Newport – Northeast (1994 – 1999), Navy Band Seattle - Northwest (1999 – 2003) and Navy Band Newport - Northeast (2003 -2006).
Craig has performed with the Virginia Beach Community Orchestra, the Classical Symphony Orchestra of Chicago, the Newport County Orchestra, the Metropolitan Wind Symphony, the Rhode Island Wind Ensemble, the Fall River Symphony, the Chamber Orchestra of Barrington at Saint John’s, the Newport Brass Quintet, Your Favorite Brass Quintet and the Salve Regina Faculty Brass Quintet.
Susan Winterbottom-Shadday, French Horn
Susan Winterbottom-Shadday (horn) received her Bachelor of Music in horn performance from the New England Conservatory, and her Master of Music from the State University of NY at Stony Brook. Her teachers have included Daniel Katzen, Jon Menkis, William Purvis, Nedo Pandolfi, Jean Rife and Paul Anderson. Susan is a music teacher in the Bristol-Warren Public Schools, horn instructor at Salve Regina University and Roger Williams University, and also enjoys teaching private lessons and freelancing as a hornist. She has been a member of Your Favorite Brass Quintet (aka the Salve Regina University Faculty Quintet), the Newport Brass Quintet and the Hornithology Ensemble. When she’s not teaching or playing, Susan enjoys spending time with her daughter, Natasha, her husband Craig, and their dogs, Denali and Jasper.