Photo by Brenna Campbell
Spencer Merk is a trombonist, composer, arranger, and educator located in Cincinnati, Ohio. He holds degrees from the College Conservatory of Music (B.M. Music Education 2021) and the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University (M.M. Jazz Trombone 2025). In 2022, Spencer won the International Trombone Association’s J.J. Johnson Competition for Jazz trombonists under the age of 25. In 2023, his piece “Perry’s Ferry” won the U.S. Naval Academy Band’s Call for Scores Competition. In 2025, his piece “On the Beaches, In the Streets” was awarded an Honorable Mention for the ASCAP Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composers awards. He has three recordings out as a leader (Last Place in a Bear Race-2022, At Least-The Merk Brothers-2023, Stories: Big and Small-2025). In 2025, he was the trombonist for Kim Deal’s Nobody Loves You More tour, playing across the U.S. and Europe including festivals like Primavera Sound (Barcelona and Porto), INMusic (Zagreb), and the Newport Folk Festival.
Spencer has had the pleasure of performing professionally with world-class musicians such as Jeff Hamilton, Maria Schneider, Sean Jones, Umphrey’s McGee, Jeezy, Jeff Coffin, Kurt Elling, Charlie Hunter, Kim Deal, Mike Gordon (Phish), Scott Robinson, Joel Frahm, Walfredo Reyes, Jr., Manolo Mairena, Richard Johnson, Rachel Eckroth, Sam Blakeslee, Gary Winters, Byron Stripling, Ty Taylor, Troy Roberts, Alex Pope Norris, Fran Vielma, and John Von Ohlen. Spencer is in high demand in Cincinnati and Baltimore and has led bands at the BLINK Festival and the Columbus Jazz and Ribs Festival. His compositions and arrangements have been performed by Umphrey’s McGee (featuring Jeff Coffin), Warren Wolf, The U.S. Naval Academy Band’s Superintendent’s Combo, Mike Gordon, Walfredo Reyes Jr., the Cincinnati Contemporary Jazz Orchestra (featuring Jim Snidero), the OMEA District 13 Honor Jazz Band, the University of Dayton Jazz Band, and the Original Farm League Big Band.
As an educator in Cincinnati, Spencer maintains an active private lessons schedule. He has taught as an adjunct professor at Xavier University, at Walnut Hills High School, the Cincinnati Jazz Academy, and with his own personal studio. Spencer directed the Cincinnati youth Jazz at Dusk Combo from 2019-2023 and the Tri-State Jazz Ensemble from 2021-2023. Spencer held the position of Director of Educational Programs for the Cincinnati Contemporary Jazz Orchestra and the Cincinnati Jazz Hall of Fame. He has served as a masterclass clinician and guest artist at Ouchita Baptist University and North Mesquite High School.