Mal X. Malone

About

Mal Malone (b. 2002) is a composer and trombonist based in central New Jersey. Mal primarily writes for wind instruments but also has some experience in composing video game music. As a trombonist, she has a lot of experience playing a bunch of different styles. Some of her playing experiences that show off her range include playing lead trombone in the Rutgers Jazz Lab Big Band and her salsa band, Los Chicharrones, as well as playing bass trombone in the Rutgers Symphony Band, Sinfonia, and Jazz Ensemble 1. Mal has also been known to play the sousaphone on occasion.

Mal received a BM in bass trombone performance from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University in 2024, taking lessons with George Curran and Jennifer Wharton. During her time at Mason Gross, she co-founded New Jersey’s first pride ensemble, the Rainbow Symphony. The group strives to create a safe space for LGBTQ+ musicians to celebrate music by queer and other underrepresented composers. As the ensemble’s artistic director, Mal synthesized the concert programs and conducted the group’s wind ensemble.