Inspired by the professional trombone quartet Slide Monsters, trombonist Jimmy Norfleet first named the group "Lochen Slide Monsters" to indicate their connection with Interlochen, a name that then evolved into "Loch Ness Monsters."
The four members of the quartet, all trombone students at Interlochen Arts Academy, are Jimmy Norfleet, Jason Ji, Chanon Limjerajarus and Bruno Peña.
They came to Studio A to discuss the unique quirks and challenges of playing with a chamber ensemble consisting solely of trombones.
When asked what makes playing in a trombone quartet fun, "it's playing with the people that play the same instrument as you and you know what each person is good at," says Limjerajarus.
In Studio A, the Loch Ness Monsters performed "Lochave," a composition by their own Jimmy Norfleet. The 16-year-old trombonist composed the piece influenced by moments in his own life, including river rapids from his Oregon hometown and the passing of his great-grandmother.
Tom Riccobono, Instructor of Low Brass at the Interlochen Arts Academy, conducted the quartet.
Hear the Studio A interview and performance by clicking "Listen" above.
Music performed in Studio A
Jimmy Norfleet, "Lochave"
The Loch Ness Monsters
Jimmy Norfleet, trombone, Grants Pass, Oregon
Jason Ji, trombone, Shanghai, China
Chanon Limjerajarus, trombone, Bangkok, Thailand
Bruno Peña, bass trombone, The Woodlands, Texas
Norfleet, Ji, Limjerajarus and Peña will appear in Interlochen Arts Academy's "Brass and Percussion: Power and Precision" concert on Thursday, November 20, 2025 at 7:30 p.m. in Corson Auditorium.
IPR listeners can claim up to four complimentary tickets to this concert. Find out more from our Community Connection Concert Guide.
Nancy Deneen was the host of this Studio A. This edition was engineered by Michael Culler. Additional support came from IPR's Scott Clemens and Isabel Li.
