Current instructor
Original student reviews · all captured dates
Hetzler is genuinely a nice guy, but he is super intense. I cried a few times and have feared a few of my lessons. He takes his work very seriously as any musician should, but if you can get through your first year, you should be solid. You never know what you will get walking into a lesson. Don't call him Mark, it's Professor Hetzler!Rate My Professors ↗
Professor Hetzler was my trombone studio professor, and was definitely hired for his music skill, not because he is a good teacher or plays nice with others. He hated that I did marching band while also studying "real music" and could spend half of a music lesson just listing why I shouldn't do marching. I stopped pursuing music because of him.
Mark is an interesting guy. While he often provides good feedback, he also cannot handle when someone disagrees with his assessment. He finds it disrespectful, and he expects you to take his criticism (which is often as personal as it is professional) and refuses to hear a contradictory views to his own with an open mind. Other times, he's great.Rate My Professors ↗
Personal experiences, not a representative survey. Profile matching and captured coverage are shown in the source details.
Ensemble-Brass involves assignments in performing ensemble literature, requiring audition and instructor consent for first-time enrollment, focusing on brass chamber repertoire.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Recent recorded grades — Spring 2025: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=19 letter grades); Fall 2025: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=17 letter grades); Spring 2026: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=8 letter grades).
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Directed study course for individual research and projects with faculty, requiring department approval of the project and instructor assignment.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
No recorded grade history
Advanced Pedagogy covers advanced pedagogical methods for performance, focusing on curriculum development, repertoire selection, and culturally relevant teaching practices for intermediate and advanced students.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
No recorded grade history
Advanced brass ensemble course focusing on performing ensemble literature, requiring auditions for placement, with outcomes covering brass chamber repertoire performance, score study, and ensemble logistics.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Recent recorded grades — Spring 2016: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=7 letter grades); Spring 2017: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=6 letter grades); Spring 2022: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=3 letter grades).
No recorded grade history
Seminar in Instrumental Literature covering comprehensive study of major works for specific instruments, focusing on interpretive and technical issues for the advanced musician.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Recent recorded grades — Spring 2022: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=1 letter grades).
No recorded grade history
Independent Work is a course for faculty-mentored individual study and research in music.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Recent recorded grades — Spring 2022: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=1 letter grades).
No recorded grade history
PHD DISS/DMA PROJECT is an individual research study with a faculty mentor.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
No recorded grade history
Private applied music performance instruction for non-majors and majors on a secondary instrument; excludes keyboard and vocal study.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Recent recorded grades — Spring 2022: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=1 letter grades).
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2025–Spring 2025 · limited sampleIntermediate individual trombone instruction focused on improving technical proficiency in tone, accuracy, intonation, articulation, and dynamic control.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
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.
No recorded grade history
Intermediate Jazz provides individual instruction for students pursuing jazz, focusing on technical proficiency, improvisation, and the standard jazz repertoire.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
No recorded grade history
Advanced individual trombone instruction for majors focused on artistic growth, technique, and developing an independent musical voice.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Mark Hetzler
Mark Hetzler often provided good feedback, but one student found his criticism personal and noted that he struggled to handle disagreement, viewing it as disrespectful. The reviewer acknowledged that he was great at other times, though the feedback style was a concern.
No recorded grade history
Advanced individual jazz instruction focusing on technical proficiency, improvisation, and ensemble performance within the jazz idiom.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Recent recorded grades — Spring 2022: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=1 letter grades).
No recorded grade history
Senior Recital involves the preparation and public performance of a senior-level recital.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
No recorded grade history
MUSPERF 521 is MASTERS LEVEL-TROMBONE, providing Masters level individual trombone instruction.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Recent recorded grades — Spring 2022: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=2 letter grades).
No recorded grade history
Individual studio instruction in jazz performance for masters-level students, focusing on technical proficiency, improvisation, and ensemble techniques within the jazz genre.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
No recorded grade history
Individual trombone instruction at the doctoral level.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Recent recorded grades — Spring 2022: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=1 letter grades).
No recorded grade history
MASTERS RECITAL involves the preparation and public performance of a Masters Recital.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Recent recorded grades — Spring 2022: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=1 letter grades).
No recorded grade history
DMA RECITAL covers preparation and public performance of a Doctoral Recital, which is part of the degree requirements for all Doctor of Musical Arts degrees.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Recent recorded grades — Spring 2022: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=2 letter grades).
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2024–Spring 2026 · limited sampleDistinct courses recorded per term
Explore courses taught by this instructor →| Term | Course | Title |
|---|---|---|
| Spring 2027 | MUSIC 267 | Ensemble-brass |
| Spring 2027 | MUSIC 499 | Directed Study |
| Spring 2027 | MUSIC 540 | Advanced Pedagogy |
| Spring 2027 | MUSIC 567 | Advanced Ensemble-brass |
| Spring 2027 | MUSIC 798 | Seminar-instrumental Literature |
| Spring 2027 | MUSIC 799 | Independent Work |
| Spring 2027 | MUSIC 999 | Phd Diss/dma Project |
| Spring 2027 | MUSPERF 146 | Music Lessons for Non-majors |
| Spring 2027 | MUSPERF 221 | Intermediate Trombone |
| Spring 2027 | MUSPERF 241 | Intermediate Jazz |
| Spring 2027 | MUSPERF 421 | Advanced Trombone |
| Spring 2027 | MUSPERF 441 | Advanced Jazz |
| Spring 2027 | MUSPERF 499 | Senior Recital |
| Spring 2027 | MUSPERF 521 | Masters Level-trombone |
| Spring 2027 | MUSPERF 541 | Masters Level Jazz Studio Instruction |
| Spring 2027 | MUSPERF 721 | Doctoral Level-trombone |
| Spring 2027 | MUSPERF 990 | Masters Recital |
| Spring 2027 | MUSPERF 999 | Dma Recital |
| Fall 2026 | MUSIC 267 | Ensemble-brass |
| Fall 2026 | MUSIC 499 | Directed Study |
| Fall 2026 | MUSIC 540 | Advanced Pedagogy |
| Fall 2026 | MUSIC 567 | Advanced Ensemble-brass |
| Fall 2026 | MUSIC 798 | Seminar-instrumental Literature |
| Fall 2026 | MUSIC 799 | Independent Work |
| Fall 2026 | MUSPERF 146 | Music Lessons for Non-majors |
| Fall 2026 | MUSPERF 21 | Brass Fundamentals |
| Fall 2026 | MUSPERF 221 | Intermediate Trombone |
| Fall 2026 | MUSPERF 241 | Intermediate Jazz |
| Fall 2026 | MUSPERF 421 | Advanced Trombone |
| Fall 2026 | MUSPERF 441 | Advanced Jazz |
| Fall 2026 | MUSPERF 499 | Senior Recital |
| Fall 2026 | MUSPERF 521 | Masters Level-trombone |
| Fall 2026 | MUSPERF 541 | Masters Level Jazz Studio Instruction |
| Fall 2026 | MUSPERF 721 | Doctoral Level-trombone |
| Fall 2026 | MUSPERF 999 | Dma Recital |
Teaching history may be incomplete. Course pages contain course-specific feedback and citations.
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