Will Rabun is Part-Time Assistant Professor of Music at DePauw University, where he maintains a trumpet studio, is faculty director of the Tiger Pep Band, and coaches brass chamber ensembles. Since joining the faculty in 2021, Rabun has developed an active and diverse trumpet program, working with music education majors, performance majors, and non-music majors while fostering an inclusive and student-centered learning environment. He also collaborates with university departments to create innovative recruitment and outreach initiatives, including DePauw’s Pep Band Day, an event designed to connect high school musicians with the university community.
Rabun maintains an active performance career throughout the Midwest as an orchestral musician, studio performer, and theatrical musician. He has served as principal trumpet of the Fairbanks Symphony Orchestra and Arctic Chamber Orchestra, as well as assistant principal trumpet with Opera Fairbanks. As a theater musician, he has performed more than 1,000 shows as a trumpet player with Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre in Indianapolis, appearing in productions including Beauty and the Beast, An American in Paris, The Little Mermaid, Newsies, Phantom, Jersey Boys, Tootsie, Legally Blonde and The King and I. His work in musical theater has contributed to multiple award-winning productions, including recognition from BroadwayWorld Indianapolis for Best Orchestra in a Musical.
As a studio musician, Rabun records for leading music publishers and composers, including Hal Leonard, Jubilate Music, Grand Mesa Music, Randall Standridge Music, Carl Fischer Music, and others. His recording work spans educational and commercial releases and has established him as a frequent collaborator with composers and publishers.
Prior to his academic career, Rabun served as a United States Army musician, performing as trumpet section leader, brass quintet director, and ensemble member with concert band, ceremonial band, jazz ensemble, and Latin ensemble groups. During his military service, he performed throughout the United States and internationally, experiences that continue to influence his teaching philosophy and approach to musical collaboration.
Rabun has appeared as a soloist and guest artist with ensembles including the Indiana Choral Directors Association Conference, DePauw University Band, University of Alaska Fairbanks Wind Symphony, Mat-Su Concert Band, and the United States Army’s 9th Army Band. He has also served as an adjudicator for the National Trumpet Competition, evaluating performances in both the College Small Ensemble Preliminary Division and the Graduate Solo Division. His research focuses on trumpet pedagogy and literature, and he completed his doctoral project at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University examining the pedagogical trumpet literature of Peter Bond and Mark Gould.
Rabun holds a Doctor of Music degree in Trumpet Performance and Literature from Indiana University, a Master of Music degree from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from Western Colorado University.