University
Communications
Office
Arkansas State University
Jonesboro,
Arkansas
Staff:
Tom Moore
Sara McNeil
(870) 972-3056
fax (870) 972-3069
More information:
NewsPage Links to News Releases
& Announcements
Campus Calendar
Public activities at ASU
Campus News
Faculty and Staff
achievements
About
ASU
Overview, history
and more |
Canadian Brass to perform as finale
of 2006-07 Fowler Center Series
April
19, 2007 --
The Canadian Brass will perform on Tuesday, April
24, at 7:30 p.m., in Riceland Hall, Fowler Center, 201 Olympic Drive,
Jonesboro, in the final performance of the 2006-2007 Fowler Center
Series.
For over three decades, the Canadian Brass have been the number one,
best-known and most entertaining brass quintet in the world. The five
virtuosi have made the group an exciting vehicle for serious concert
music. The quintet, now in its 36th season, consists of Joe
Burgstaller, trumpet; Ryan Anthony, trumpet; and Bernard Scully, horn;
alongside original members Gene Watts, trombone; and Chuck Daellenbach;
tuba.
The group has a long history of recording classical
repertoire. They have a special affinity for Baroque music, which
requires the brilliance and musical structure that has become the
Canadian Brass’ trademark.
Their more than 60 recordings to date include works by Purcell, Vivaldi, Gabrieli, Pachelbel, Beethoven and Wagner — all in meticulously crafted
transcriptions that are setting new musical traditions in brass
performance. They are especially drawn to the works of J.S. Bach.
The Canadian Brass sprang from modest and highly
experimental roots in Toronto, Ontario, in 1970. The brass quintet was
not established as a serious concert ensemble at that time, and it
proved an irresistible challenge to Gene Watts and Chuck Daellenbach.
Their imagination and consummate musicianship eventually elevated the
art of the brass quintet to what it is today.
Thanks to their pioneer status, the quintet developed a unique character
and rapport with audiences that proved so successful that it has been
emulated by many other ensembles. The Canadian Brass have mastered the
gamut of concert presentations — from formal classical concerts to music
served up with lively dialogue and theatrical effects. No matter what
the style, the music is central and performed with utmost dedication and
excellence.
The "fabulous five" spend most of their time on tour, and have performed
with many major symphony orchestras in the US, Canada, Europe and Japan.
They have gained a large international following of their solo
performances that offer a large variety of musical styles.
Having started with the very limited base of traditional works for
brass, Canadian Brass set out to create their own musical world by
transcribing, arranging and commissioning more than 200 works; the most
recent being the brilliant Quintet by Michael Kamen.
They are not only presenting works in the classical repertoire but
continue to take daring leaps into jazz, contemporary concert music and
popular songs. Most of this music, including the Quintet, is published
by Hal Leonard. It is the inspiration and musical staple of students and
brass ensembles in North America and Europe.
Millions of television viewers have seen the Canadian Brass in such
shows as The Tonight Show, Today, and Entertainment Tonight. They have
appeared as guest artists on Evening at Pops with John Williams and the
Boston Pops, Beverly Sills’ Music Around the World, and numerous PBS
specials. The quintet has also created eight videos that have gained an
international audience and has just released a DVD that captures the
group in performance over three decades entitled “Three Nights with
Canadian Brass.”
All members of the Canadian Brass are keenly interested in training the
next generation of players. On their travels around the world,
performing on gold-plated Yamaha instruments, they often pause for
master classes. The famous five are chamber quintet-in-residence at the
Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, California. Additionally,
they have created an innovative brass summer course at the famous
Eastman School of Music. They have been invited by the Canadian
Government to play for visiting heads of states on numerous official
occasions.
The program
for the Canadian Brass performance at ASU’s Fowler Center will include
J.S. Bach’s “Aire pours les trompettes,” arranged by Michael Allen,
Malcom Forsyth’s “Golyardes Ground,” a Bach-Vivaldi medley arranged by
Joe Burgstaller, four pieces from J.S. Bach’s Anna Magdalena Notebook,
arranged by Christopher Dedrick, selections from the album “High
Society,” arranged by Luther Henderson, selections from the Glenn Miller
Songbook, arranged by Christopher Dedrick, Samuel Barber’s “Adagio,”
arranged by Stephen McNeff, and highlights from Georges Bizet’s
“Carmen,” arranged by Fred Mills.
Individual
tickets to the Canadian Brass performance are $30 and $20 for adults;
$23 and $15 for students and senior citizens; and $10 and $6 for ASU
students.
Tickets may be purchased by calling (870) 972-ASU1 (972-2781) or
1-888-278-3267. For online purchases, see
http://tickets.astate.edu. For
more information, call Fowler Center at (870) 972-3471.
# # #
|