Originally posted by graeme
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Brass Bands in the US
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There are two brass bands I am aware of in the Chicago area. The Prairie Brass Band
http://www.prairiebrass.org/
and the Chicago Brass Band
http://original.chicagobrassband.org/
I live in Columbus Ohio, where we have four active adult brass bands and a junior band. Dr. Paul Droste, who was for many years the conductor of the Ohio State University Marching Band, has been a life long brass band enthusiast and helped get the movement started here. The current director of the OSU Marching Band, Dr. Chris Hoch, conducts the Scioto Valley Brass Band.
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Originally posted by davewerden View PostThere are at least 3 in the Twin Cities area. I'm not fully connected to this scene, so there may be more.
When I first moved here 20 years ago there were 2 I knew of: The Lake Wobegon Brass Band here in the cities and the Sheldon Theater Brass Band in Red Wing (about an hour away). In more recent years I've heard of the Twin Cities Brass Band as well. Seems like a pretty healthy environment here, anyway.
The North American Brass Band Association does not list ANY in Minnesota, so apparently the ones I know of don't see a need to be in the Association. So there are different "tracks" a band might take. NABBA also shows none on the West Coast, and I believe there are several out there. I'm not sure how one would obtain an accurate count to see what the trend is!
First, NABBA is pretty much geared to those bands who choose to compete. Not all brass bands do, as has been noted. I played principal euph in Utah Premiere Brass from 2001 till 2003, and they didn't compete then, and I don't believe they compete now. Still a fine band, though.
Second, NABBA seems to have focused on the east coast and extending out to the Midwest. Not too much out west, I'm afraid.
Third, I'd say that brass bands have increased in numbers since I came back to the States in the mid-Nineties, but the numbers still pale in comparison to wind ensembles and concert bands.
It's still difficult to find BBb tuba players to read treble clef in Bb, and it's still tough to find trumpet players who are willing to put that horn down and pick up a cornet. Ditto for French horn players putting that horn down to pick up a tenor horn.
In my area (central Arkansas), the Natural State Brass Band is the only one I'm aware of. I am subbing with them on BBb tuba at the moment.Last edited by Eupher6; 11-27-2017, 10:32 AM.U.S. Army, Retired (built mid-1950s)
Adams E2 Euph (built 2017)
Boosey & Co. Imperial Euph (built 1941)
Edwards B454 Bass Trombone (built 2012)
Boosey & Hawkes Imperial Eb tuba (built 1958)
Kanstul 33-T lBBb tuba (built 2010)
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Dave - It seems the Twin Cities area does have a lot to offer musically and I seem to hear it mentioned a lot in various musical settings. Isn't the Sheldon Theatre Band there and active as well? Lots of good stuff in your area. I live an hour south of St. Louis and there are opportunities here and in St. Louis. St. Louis Brass Band is a performing group but not necessarily active in competition. I suspect as Doug points out that the tremendous expense of travel is a burden to all groups.
Originally posted by davewerden View PostThere are at least 3 in the Twin Cities area. I'm not fully connected to this scene, so there may be more.
When I first moved here 20 years ago there were 2 I knew of: The Lake Wobegon Brass Band here in the cities and the Sheldon Theater Brass Band in Red Wing (about an hour away). In more recent years I've heard of the Twin Cities Brass Band as well. Seems like a pretty healthy environment here, anyway.
The North American Brass Band Association does not list ANY in Minnesota, so apparently the ones I know of don't see a need to be in the Association. So there are different "tracks" a band might take. NABBA also shows none on the West Coast, and I believe there are several out there. I'm not sure how one would obtain an accurate count to see what the trend is!John 3:16
Conn Victor 5H Trombone
Yamaha 354 Trombone
Conn 15I Euphonium
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Glad to hear that you have an opportunity! That's great. I will admit, being a tuba player, that I don't regularly work on reading treble clef. I would if I played in a brass band. I did play briefly in a brass band in Fayetteville, NC sponsored by Black and Decker. This was the mid 80s though and I have not played with a brass band since but still love to listen to that genre.
Originally posted by Eupher6 View PostFrom my experience of having been involved in brass bands in Europe and in the U.S., there are a couple things:
First, NABBA is pretty much geared to those bands who choose to compete. Not all brass bands do, as has been noted. I played principal euph in Utah Premiere Brass from 2001 till 2003, and they didn't compete then, and I don't believe they compete now. Still a fine band, though.
Second, NABBA seems to have focused on the east coast and extending out to the Midwest. Not too much out west, I'm afraid.
Third, I'd say that brass bands have increased in numbers since I came back to the States in the mid-Nineties, but the numbers still pale in comparison to wind ensembles and concert bands.
It's still difficult to find BBb tuba players to read treble clef in Bb, and it's still tough to find trumpet players who are willing to put that horn down and pick up a cornet. Ditto for French horn players putting that horn down to pick up a tenor horn.
In my area (central Arkansas), the Natural State Brass Band is the only one I'm aware of. I am subbing with them on BBb tuba at the moment.John 3:16
Conn Victor 5H Trombone
Yamaha 354 Trombone
Conn 15I Euphonium
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Reviving a bit of an old thread, sorry.
I'd say they're on the rise. There are now at least 4 in Arkansas, including the newly formed Arkansas Musicworks Brass Band who won the US Open in 2018. I'm the executive director for that group but we actually have two in Northwest Arkansas, one in Little Rock, and one in Northeast Arkansas as well.
Fountain City (Kansas City) has had the most competitive success internationally, recently or ever(?). They've also got multiple feeder bands as well.
BTW, our band is looking for a fill-in euph player to come to two competitions with us this year. Please message me if you know of someone that may be interested.
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There is a British Brass Brand that plays around here, but I had never heard of them until I recently began searching for somewhere to play. Hard to say whether that's because they don't perform very often or simply that they have a marketing problem.Last edited by lzajmom; 02-22-2019, 07:53 PM.Wessex Dolce
"Suppose we have only dreamed, or made up, all those things -- trees and grass and sun and moon and stars and Aslan himself. Suppose we have. Then all I can say is that, in that case, the made-up things seem a good deal more important than the real ones." - Puddleglum in "The Silver Chair"
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Is there anyone here who attended NABBA over the weekend? I was there with the Capital City Brass Band.James Kircoff
Genesee Wind Symphony - principal euphonium (Adams E3 Custom .60mm yellow brass bell w/ K&G 3.5)
Capital City Brass Band (2019 NABBA 2nd section champions) - 1st baritone (Besson BE956 w/ Denis Wick 6BY)
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Originally posted by daruby View PostHi. I was there with New England Brass Band. Also 2nd section.
DougJames Kircoff
Genesee Wind Symphony - principal euphonium (Adams E3 Custom .60mm yellow brass bell w/ K&G 3.5)
Capital City Brass Band (2019 NABBA 2nd section champions) - 1st baritone (Besson BE956 w/ Denis Wick 6BY)
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Originally posted by mscolegrove View PostMy teacher, Tony Clements, conducts the Mission Peak Brass Band in Northern California and that's the only brass band I've seen in concert.
DougAdams E3 0.60 Sterling bell - Prototype top sprung valves
Concord Band
Winchendon Winds
Townsend Military Band
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I can get a little bit competitive, but for me the true value of a competition is forcing the ensemble to get things to a very high level. So often if you are just performing concerts there's a "good enough" level of preparation which is a long long way from both technical perfection and the highest level of artistry your group can achieve. Participating in a contest really forces the issue, and that's a very healthy thing for the group!--
Barry
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Originally posted by bbocaner View PostI can get a little bit competitive, but for me the true value of a competition is forcing the ensemble to get things to a very high level. So often if you are just performing concerts there's a "good enough" level of preparation which is a long long way from both technical perfection and the highest level of artistry your group can achieve. Participating in a contest really forces the issue, and that's a very healthy thing for the group!James Kircoff
Genesee Wind Symphony - principal euphonium (Adams E3 Custom .60mm yellow brass bell w/ K&G 3.5)
Capital City Brass Band (2019 NABBA 2nd section champions) - 1st baritone (Besson BE956 w/ Denis Wick 6BY)
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