Harold McKinney, Professor Emeritus at Appalachian State University, lives in the mountains of Western North Carolina where he is active as a trombonist and teacher. Dr McKinney taught trombone, music improvisation, Philosophy of Music and Expressive Arts at Appalachian for thirty six years. He is an active member of King Street Brass, Momentary Quartet, Gypsy Harvest, and Sonorous Threshold. He has performed at the International Society for Improvised Music, the International Harvest Symposium for Expressive Arts, the International Spring Symposium for Expressive Arts, and the International Brass Chamber Music Festival. His summer activities have included service as visiting artist for the European Graduate School; teaching for the Appalachian Expressive Arts Institute, the Windswept Music Conference, and Cannon Music Camp; as well as performing for Mountain Home Music's "Blue Grass and Brass Show." He is recorded with Swiss pianist Paolo Knill on the CD "Saas Fee in Appalachia" and with Knill and percussionist Robert Falvo on Gypsy Harves's "Syncopated Synapse." Gypsy's most recent work is with a larger ensemble that includes kotomo, native American flute, and harp. This CD titled "Earth and Water" is centered on the poetry of Margo Fuchs and Sally Atkins. In May of 2019, Dr. McKinney performed in an improvised collaboration between Sonorous Threshold and Czech pianist Jiří Pazour for The International Society for Improvised Music Conference in Minneapolis. Musicians can connect with his teaching at the "Improvised Music Harvest" sponsored by "Music for People."