Department of Music to present Faculty Brass Quintet, Brass X, Nov. 2

October 28, 2009 -- The Department of Music at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro will present the ASU Faculty Brass Quintet and Brass X in concert on Monday, Nov. 2 at 7:30 p.m. in the Fine Arts Center Recital Hall, 114 S. Caraway Road, Jonesboro. The concert will feature ASU music faculty members Rob Alley, Dr. Neale Bartee, Dr. Robin Dauer, Dr. Ron Horton, Dr. Ed Owen, and Dr. Chris Wilson, as well as non-faculty members Derek Doyle and Corey Emerson. The concert is free of charge and open to the public.

The concert will include performances of “The Rejoicing” by Georg Friedrich Handel; “Quintet No. 3” by Victor Ewald; “Brass Quintet” by Frank Lynn Payne; “Riding the Nuclear Tiger” by Ben Allison; and “The View from Blue Mountain” and “Bowie” by Dave Douglas.

Inspired by the music of composer/trumpeter Dave Douglas, Rob Alley created Brass X as an opportunity to perform not only Douglas' compositions and select covers of other current composers, but also to rework his own existing compositions, and write new material inspired by this new format. Douglas is arguably one of the most prolific and eclectic of all current composers in the jazz tradition, constantly exploring new timbral combinations. Alley sought to honor this diversity primarily by utilizing groups of different instrumentation, rather than just by playing Douglas’ compositions. Consequently, instrumentation is flexible, always including a brass instrument, but varying additional non-brass instruments.

Trumpeter and composer Rob Alley was born and raised in Texas. His multi-faceted professional career began at the age of 13. From wind ensembles to symphony orchestras, from Salsa to straight-ahead jazz, from soul to the avant-garde, he has covered the gamut of performing styles. He has had the good fortune to perform with Yo-Yo Ma, Marvin Stamm, Bill Watrous, Jon Faddis, Diane Schuure, John Mosca, the Temptations, the Four Tops, the O’Jays, Frankie Valli, and many others.  Although Rob continues to perform classically with symphony orchestras across the southeast, his commitment to jazz and improvised music continues to be his main passion. In Birmingham as a leader, he conceived of a two-horn, bass, and drums quartet in tribute to Charles Mingus and Thelonious Monk named “Mingusphere,” and leads “the Rob Alley Conspiracy,” a group of varying sizes and instrumentations, to explore his own compositions. In addition, he co-leads the improvisation collective “Mean Smoker” with keyboardist Matthew Devine and New York City-based drummer Jay Frederick. Rob currently lives in Jonesboro, where he leads “the Rob Alley Trio,” runs “Rob Alley Musical Productions,” and is adjunct professor of Music at ASU. He performs with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra regularly on both Masterworks concerts and as the jazz chair for the Symphony’s Pops concerts and Big Band engagements. Alley was recently honored with the Arkansas Arts Council’s 2007 Individual Artist Fellowship Grant.

Dr. Neale Bartee has guest-conducted trombone choirs in Illinois and Ohio, and has been a trombone clinician in Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, Mississippi, Illinois, and Ohio.  The ASU Trombone Choir has performed at international festivals in Champaign, Ill. and Nashville, Tenn. Bartee has performed with the American Trombone Choir in Finland, Russia, and England. He is a member of the ASU Faculty Brass Quintet and substitute trombonist with the Memphis Symphony.  As founder and conductor of the Delta Symphony Orchestra since 1975, he has performed with internationally known guest artists, instituted Young Artists Competitions for symphony soloists, conducted family concerts, organized chamber concerts in the Delta, conducted opera, ballet, and musical performances in Jonesboro.  Bartee has guest-conducted the Conway Civic Orchestra, the Batesville-Lyon College Orchestra, the North Arkansas All region orchestra in Fort Smith, the Summer Youth Orchestra in Bloomington, Indiana, and professional orchestras in Sibiu and Rimnicu-Valcea, Romania. He and his wife Elaine were elected to the Arkansas Music Educators Hall of Fame in 2004.

Dr. Robin Dauer is professor of Music at Arkansas State University.  He teaches horn, music appreciation, conducts the horn ensemble and coaches chamber music. He has also taught music fundamentals, theory, and conducted the university orchestra. He is currently a member of the Arkansas State University Faculty Brass and the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra. He has performed with the U.S. Continental Army Band, the Atlanta Symphony, the Cincinnati Symphony, the Smoky Mountain British Brass Band, and the Memphis Symphony Orchestra. His solo commercial recording releases include “Souvenir,” French music for horn and piano, “Horn Americana,” American music for horn and piano, and most recently, “Alan Hovhaness:  Music for Horn, Voice, and Strings,” with the Hendrix College Chamber Orchestra.

Dr. E. Ron Horton, director of Jazz Studies, joined Arkansas State University in 2006. He currently directs ASU's premier jazz band, the ASU Jazz Lab Band, and the ASU Pre-Collegiate Jazz Band. He teaches private improvisation lessons. He also teaches the classes “Introduction to Fine Arts and Music” and “Music Connections.” In addition to Jazz Studies, Dr. Horton specializes in composition, arranging, and ethnomusicology. He has studied with world-class educators and performers such as Tony Smith (Wilmington, Del.), Jim Satcher (Wilmington, Del.), Dan Haerle (University of North Texas), Mike Steinel (University of North Texas), and Dr. Nathan Davis (University of Pittsburgh). As a professional musician, he played lead trumpet, jazz, solo, and was a clinician for the United States Air Force Band of the West. He also was a teaching assistant and instructor for the University of Pittsburgh. His performance experience includes jazz, big band, rhythm and blues, classical, New Orleans Brass Band, and Latin styles.

Dr. Ed Owen is associate professor of Music at Arkansas State University. His primary duties include teaching applied tuba and euphonium, conducting the ASU Tuba and Euphonium Ensemble and Brass Choir, and serving as graduate program supervisor. He currently performs as principal tuba of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and Brass Quintet, the Delta Symphony Orchestra, and the ASU Brass Quintet. As a soloist, he has appeared with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, the Delta Symphony Orchestra, the Arkansas State University Wind Ensemble, and the Symphonic Bands of Arkansas Tech University, University of Illinois, and Bryant High School. An active clinician, Dr. Owen is in demand for master classes and clinics on brass performance and techniques.  He has studied tuba with Andy Anders and Mark Moore.

Dr. Chris Wilson is assistant professor of Trumpet at Arkansas State University, where his duties include applied trumpet, trumpet methods, coaching chamber music, and performing in the Arkansas State Faculty Brass Quintet. His former teachers include Wiff Rudd, Steve Hendrickson, Charles Daval, and Robert Bright. Prior to his appointment at ASU, Dr. Wilson performed with the United States Air Force Band, Washington, DC.  While a member of the Air Force Band, he performed and taught clinics throughout the United States and Japan, having recently been a tour soloist performing the Arutunian “Trumpet Concerto.” He has performed for numerous dignitaries and audiences around the world, including Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. In 2004, he performed at the funeral of former President Ronald Reagan. Live television broadcasts included a Veterans Day Celebration at the Strathmore Concert Hall in Bethesda, Md., aired on PBS in 2008, and Memorial Day at the National Capitol, also aired on PBS in 2006 in collaboration with the National Symphony Orchestra.  Additionally, Dr. Wilson has performed with the Annapolis Symphony, the Annapolis Opera, the Maryland Symphony, the Alexandria Symphony, Concert Artists of Baltimore, and the North Arkansas Symphony.

Corey Emerson holds an associate of arts degree in Music from Three Rivers Community College, and a bachelor’s degree in Instrumental Education and a master’s degree in Music from Arkansas State University. While pursuing his master’s degree, he conducted the ASU Pep Band program. He has directed bands at Poplar Bluff High School in Poplar Bluff, Mo. and Mammoth Spring High School in Mammoth Spring, Ark. He currently holds the position of head band director at Hoxie High School in Hoxie, Ark. Emerson enjoys playing trombone and bass professionally, and has performed both locally and regionally in various styles such as country, jazz, and rock. He has performed with jazz artists John Faddis and Bob Mintzer. He was recently featured in the Jonesboro Occasions Magazine for his musicianship.

Derek Doyle recently graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science from Arkansas State University. Originally from Poplar Bluff, Mo.., he currently teaches drums and bass at Backbeat Music in Jonesboro. Additionally, he performs each week with the Grant Garland Trio at Club 152 on Beale, Beale Street, Memphis, Tenn.

--ASU Public Relations student intern Sara Hulett assisted in the preparation, editing, and online design and formatting of this release.
             

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