Members
Justine Auger
Justine Auger is a Canadian trumpet player based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She is regularly an extra musician with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and previously held the position of second trumpet with the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra. An active and versatile performer, she is deeply involved in Manitoba’s music scene, regularly collaborating with various ensembles, chamber groups, and local musicians.
Justine holds a Master of Music in Trumpet Performance from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music. She also earned a Bachelor of Music in Performance from the University of Manitoba, where she was an integral part of the ensembles and performance community.
Beyond her work as a performer, Justine is passionate about music education and outreach. She frequently mentors young musicians, participates in educational initiatives, and engages in community programs that promote the arts. Her dedication to fostering musical growth in others is reflected in her commitment to both teaching and inspiring the next generation of brass players.
In addition to her career in music, Justine is also a skilled hairstylist, balancing her artistic passions in both the musical and creative industries.
Daniel Lehman - Trumpet
Daniel Lehmann was born and raised in Winnipeg and is excited to perform with the Peg-City Brass 5tet.
From 2022 to 2024, he served as Acting Principal Trumpet of the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra and has also performed as a substitute and extra musician with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and the Victoria Symphony. In the Spring 2025 semester, he taught trumpet and chamber music at the University of Victoria.
In addition to performing, Daniel is a doctoral candidate at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, where his research explores the symbolic associations of the trumpet. During his time at IU, he served as an Associate Instructor of Trumpet and studied with John Rommel and Kris Kwapis. He also holds a Master of Music in Trumpet Performance from Indiana University and a Bachelor of Music in Trumpet Performance from the University of Manitoba, where he studied with Paul Jeffrey and Richard Gillis.
Daniel’s international experience includes performing as an academy intern with the Janáček Philharmonic Ostrava in the Czech Republic in 2020, where he toured with the orchestra in Italy and Switzerland. In 2022, he performed with the National Arts Centre Orchestra as part of its inaugural mentorship program.
A versatile musician, Daniel is equally at home on both modern and baroque trumpet. He has performed with ensembles such as Bourbon Baroque and the Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra, further showcasing his adaptability and depth as a performer.
He has also participated in prestigious summer programs, including Domaine Forget, PRISMA, and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestral Institute at Whistler. Additionally, he was a member of the National Academy Orchestra of Canada in 2019 and 2021.
Outside of music, Daniel enjoys cycling and reading.
Rachel Côté - Horn
Rachel Côté is a sought-after Canadian French horn freelancer, known for her versatility and artistry. She has performed with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Manitoba Chamber Orchestra, l’Orchestre de l’Agora, Kingston Symphony, and the Royal Canadian Air Force Band, among others. She has also been a fellow at programs such as the Tanglewood Music Festival, the National Youth Orchestra of Canada, the National Arts Centre Orchestra Mentorship Program, and the New York String Orchestra Seminar.
An avid chamber musician, Rachel has collaborated with ensembles including the Amici Chamber Ensemble, Sō Percussion Quartet, and the Freesound Series. In 2023, she was a finalist in the Music Teachers National Association Chamber Music Competition with her brass quintet, Talos.
Passionate about music education, Rachel maintains a full private horn studio, sharing her expertise and mentoring the next generation of musicians.
She holds a Bachelor of Music from The Glenn Gould School and a Master of Music from Northwestern University. Her principal teachers include Gail Williams, Jon Boen, Gabe Radford, Chris Gongos, and Nadia Côté.
Eric Prodger - Trombone
Eric Prodger is a bass and tenor trombonist from Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. He currently holds the Principal Bass Trombone position with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and formerly held the same position with the Kingston Symphony Orchestra. Additionally, he maintains an active and diverse freelancing schedule throughout Manitoba, Quebec, and Ontario.
Eric has completed studies at McGill University, the New England Conservatory, the Glenn Gould School, and the University of Ottawa. His principal teachers have included James Markey, James Box, Pierre Beaudry, Jeffrey Hall, and Douglas Burden.
As a freelance orchestral musician, Mr. Prodger has performed with the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, the National Arts Centre Orchestra, the Orchestre Classique de Montréal, the Ontario Philharmonic, the Orchestre Symphonique de Drummondville, and the Orchestre Symphonique de Sherbrooke. During his studies, he was a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Canada for four seasons, participating in several recording sessions and extensive tours across Spain and Canada.
As a soloist and chamber musician, he has performed in recitals across eastern Canada. Eric was a featured soloist with the Ottawa Youth Orchestra and the Intrada Brass of Oakville. In 2022, he was the first alternate in the prestigious Donald Yaxley Bass Trombone Solo Competition through the International Trombone Association.
An award-winning bass trombonist, Mr. Prodger was a recipient of the Friends of the National Arts Centre Orchestra Award, the Crabtree Foundation Award, the Sturdevant Prize for Orchestral Excerpts, the Rich Little Endowment Fund, as well as the Jacob Siskind and Friends of the NAC Orchestra Scholarships.
Eric is honored to be a bass trombone artist for the Edwards Instrument Company and performs exclusively on their instruments.
Justin Hickmott - Tuba
Justin Hickmott is a tubist and music educator in high demand across Canada, and is the interim Principal Tubist of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra for the 24/25 season.
Formerly the solo (principal) tubist of the Orchestre symphonique de Laval, Justin has performed with orchestras across Canada, including the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestra of Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, and the Thunder Bay Symphony, among others. As a soloist, Justin has performed concerti with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra as well as the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, and has been a featured artist at music festivals across North America.
As an educator, Justin teaches at the Marcels Desautels Faculty of Music at the University of Manitoba, and is an active clinician throughout Manitoba. A former tuba instructor at Vanier College in Montreal, QC, Justin also actively maintains a private studio of students of all ages, and instructs at summer music camps across North America.
Justin began his music studies at a young age as a chorister with the Brandon Conservatory Chorale in Brandon, MB, and later began studying tuba privately with acclaimed tubist Chris Lee. As a student Justin played in various ensembles with Brandon University, and began his formal music studies at the University of Manitoba. He later transferred to McGill University studying with the late Dennis Miller, before concluding his studies with Sasha Johnston and obtaining a Performance Diploma from the Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music.
In his free time, Justin enjoys studying movie soundtracks, cycling, and relaxing with his cat, Baer.
For more about Justin, please visit tubahickmott.pagy.site
