Spring 2027

Intermediate Trombone

Intermediate individual trombone instruction focused on improving technical proficiency in tone, accuracy, intonation, articulation, and dynamic control.

offering recorded2–4 credits
Recorded instructors · Spring 2027 Mark Hetzler3.5/5

Summary

1 / 5

Past student reviews · Mark Hetzler

The course was rated as difficult, with one student noting that if you can get through your first year, you should be solid. The intensity of the lessons was a significant part of the workload.

What you’ll be able to do

  • Construct and carry out an efficient and effective practice session.

  • Improve technical proficiency in the following areas: Tone, Accuracy, Intonation, Articulation, Dynamic Control.

  • Improve control of tempo and groove.

  • Demonstrate a deepened understanding of musical styles from different periods.

  • Demonstrate and execute a deepened understanding of musicianship, including phrasing, singing quality, and the relationship of technique to musicality.

  • Explore strategies for optimal performance and healthful biomechanics.

  • Strengthen critical listening and ear-training skills.

  • Curate recital programs that reflect student goals and interests.

Source: UW Guide

Grade history

↗
average GPA
letter grades
A
AB
B
BC
C
D
F

All recorded terms · compare terms & instructors

Prerequisites

Course map

Declared in the undergraduate Music program, Music: Performance BM, or Music: Education BM

  • Declared in the undergraduate Music program, Music: Performance BM, or Music: Education BM
MUSPERF 221

This is a best-effort interpretation; check the catalog requirements above.

Prerequisite text tree
  • Declared in the undergraduate Music program, Music: Performance BM, or Music: Education BM

Professors

Spring 2027
Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 2.33/5 from 3 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

For this course: 2.5/5 raw quality · 4.5/5 difficulty · 2 reviews

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

Past student reviews · Mark Hetzler

Professor Mark Hetzler taught with a super intense approach that left some students feeling fearful or discouraged, with one review noting he spent lessons criticizing extracurricular activities like marching band. Another student described him as a nice but serious instructor whose unpredictable lesson intensity caused them to cry, though they felt solid after the first year. Reviewers disagreed on his effectiveness, with one stopping music studies due to his methods while the other found the rigor ultimately beneficial.

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2009: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=7 letter grades); Fall 2016: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=6 letter grades); Spring 2022: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=3 letter grades).

Historical instructors & teaching patterns

MARK HETZLER is recorded teaching in Fall 2006, Spring 2007, Fall 2007, Spring 2008, Fall 2008, Spring 2009, Fall 2009, Spring 2010, Fall 2010, Spring 2011, Fall 2011, Spring 2012, Fall 2012, Spring 2013, Fall 2013, Spring 2014, Fall 2014, Spring 2015, Fall 2015, Spring 2016, Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Fall 2018, Spring 2019, Fall 2019, Fall 2020, Fall 2021, Spring 2022, Fall 2022, Spring 2023, Fall 2023, Spring 2024, Fall 2024, Spring 2025, Fall 2025, Spring 2026. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

Calendar & sections

Spring 2027

Schedule loads here as you scroll.

SectionModeEnrolled / capacityWaitlist
IND 089Classroom Instruction0 / 80
IND 189Classroom Instruction0 / 100

Times are Central. Select a meeting for details; export includes recorded dates for the selected sections. Enrollment reflects scan time.

Meeting source records
Download part 1

Student experience

the class

Past student reviews · Mark Hetzler

Professor Hetzler is described as a genuinely nice but super intense instructor who takes his work very seriously. Students reported that the experience was demanding, with one noting they feared a few lessons.

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2009: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=7 letter grades); Fall 2016: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=6 letter grades); Spring 2022: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=3 letter grades).

difficulty & workload

Past student reviews · Mark Hetzler

The course was rated as difficult, with one student noting that if you can get through your first year, you should be solid. The intensity of the lessons was a significant part of the workload.

Past student reviews · Mark Hetzler

One student found the teaching style frustrating, stating that Professor Hetzler spent half of a music lesson listing reasons why they shouldn't do marching band. This student stopped pursuing music because of the experience.

Topics

  • Musical styles from different periods
  • Strategies for optimal performance and healthful biomechanics
  • Critical listening and ear-training
  • Recital program curation

Skills

  • Constructing and carrying out efficient and effective practice sessions
  • Improving technical proficiency in tone, accuracy, intonation, articulation, and dynamic control
  • Improving control of tempo and groove
  • Demonstrating musicianship including phrasing, singing quality, and the relationship of technique to musicality
  • Strengthening critical listening and ear-training skills
  • Curating recital programs that reflect student goals and interests

Grades

Latest available · Spring 2022— not enough history to project Spring 2027.

average GPA
A / AB grades
letter grades
Instructor

Grade distribution · % of letter grades

A
AB
B
BC
C
D
F

Grades over time

Through Spring 2022

More grade details Grade mix, volume & source data

Sources & history

UW–Madison

Catalog & offerings

Descriptions, prerequisites, and recorded course offerings.

Catalog observation history

Observations at scan time; dates do not imply when a catalog change took effect.

Download part 1
Selected offering source records
MUSPERF 221 · Spring 2027

Intermediate Trombone

Recorded 2026-10-14
Raw records 
[
  {
    "run_id": "20261014T203208-0851c9a1",
    "semester": "1274",
    "observed_at": "2026-10-14 17:50:09.728220+00:00",
    "offering_id": "1274:664:013382",
    "course_id": "MUSPERF 221",
    "course_uid": "course_8628a3fabd77918653bca71f",
    "term_id": "1274",
    "source_course_id": "013382",
    "source_subject_id": "664",
    "title": "Intermediate Trombone",
    "credits_min": 2,
    "credits_max": 4,
    "typically_offered": "Fall, Spring"
  }
]
Rate My Professors

Student reviews

Original comments behind the course and instructor summaries.

Read original reviews
Download part 1
Madgrades

Grade history

Recorded grade distributions by term, section, and instructor.

Explore recorded grades
Dataset & model

Recorded 2026-10-14

View the dataset on Hugging Face
Model outputs & technical records
Qwen/Qwen3.8-27B
LLM outputs across runs
Download part 1
Full model traces

Recorded model configuration, reasoning, and tool conversations.

Download part 1
Model & dataset provenance 
{
  "model": "Qwen/Qwen3.8-27B",
  "model_revision": "1d4bf0f2ff6012fd82039f2fa52739d0dd7c60c0",
  "task_version": "17",
  "output_id": "af119dc6a5e3b0902bfb6147457fef8936091cf425029cd7fe0da8e55e4ba93e",
  "requirements_status": "needs_review",
  "dataset_revision": "fc1811fa52e581ea57a35c0cf3343f8740a8ffbf",
  "observed_at": "2026-10-14 17:50:09.728220+00:00"
}