| Background: |
The Dallas Brass—the internationally renowned
sextet of five brass players and a percussionist—will
appear in concert along with several special guests: tuba soloist
and composer Stanford Freese, Cal State Fullerton’s 70-piece
University Wind Ensemble, and a 150-piece high school honor
band consisting of student musicians from El Dorado (Placentia),
Kennedy (La Palma) and Loara (Anaheim) high schools.
Since its 1983 founding, the Dallas Brass has become one of
America’s foremost musical ensembles. The group has established
a unique blend of traditional brass instruments with a full
complement of drums and percussion, creating a performing entity
of extraordinary range and musical challenges. Its concert repertoire
includes everything from classical masterpieces by Mozart, Debussy,
Brahms, Rossini and Tchaikovsky to Dixieland, swing, Broadway,
Hollywood and patriotic music.
Special guest tuba soloist on November 14 is Stanford Freese,
currently talent booking director for the Walt Disney Resorts,
a professional musician since the age of 14. Freese will perform
two works on the Dallas Brass concert: Herbert L. Clark’s
“Carnival of Venice” and his own composition “Country
Tuba” which he performed on television’s “Hee
Haw,” at the Grand Ole Opry and on the Vandals punk
album “Country Tuba.” Freese toured the Soviet
Union and China as tuba soloist under State Department auspices
and performed in the White House Rose Garden. He also conducted
the Walt Disney World Band and Orchestra in Orlando, Florida
as well as the Disneyland Band. He has performed and recorded
with such notables as Chet Atkins, Chuck Berry, Roy Clark,
Glen Campbell as well as the Indiana and Minnesota symphony
orchestras.
Know for a strong commitment to music for youth, the Dallas
Brass has invited two large ensembles to join them for this
performance. Cal State Fullerton’s acclaimed University
Wind Ensemble, directed by Mitchell Fennell, will play with
the sextet. In addition, a special high school honor band
of 150 strong from the three Orange Country high schools will
join the Dallas Brass to perform a patriotic American medley
based on traditional themes. The student band is made up of
musicians from Placentia’s El Dorado (Richard Watson,
director), La Palma’s Kennedy (Robert Anthony, director)
and Anaheim’s Loara (William Schroeder, director) high
schools.
According to Dallas Brass founder, trombonist Michael Levine,
their concerts are “intended for the entire family.
Our ideal audience has a range from 5 to 95. Our goal is to
entertain and enrich by playing great music, while showing
our audience how much we enjoy what we do.”
In addition to their solo engagements, the Dallas Brass also
appears with symphony orchestras nationwide. Symphonic appearances
include the Cincinnati Pops conducted by Erich Kunzel, New
York Pops conducted by Skitch Henderson and the Philly Pops
conducted by Peter Nero. The ensemble has also performed at
Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and on overseas tours to
Europe and the Far East (their Fullerton appearance follows
an 11-day China tour Oct. 29-Nov. 10).
The ensemble has a strong dedication to working with young
musicians, and has developed an extensive “Music in
the Schools” project which takes them into public and
private schools to present clinics, workshops and concerts
for students of all ages. This collaborative effort will be
on display November 14 when the Dallas Brass is joined in
concert with both university- and high school-level musical
ensembles.
The Dallas Brass has released five recordings: “Debut,”
“Dallas Brass II,” “A Merry Christmas with
Brass,” “Windborne” and “Nutcracker.”
The ensemble’s membership includes: founder Michael
Levine, trombone; Brian Neal, trumpet; Jose Sibaja, trumpet;
Martin Rhees, trumpet (alumnus of Cal State Fullerton); Deanna
Swoboda, tuba; and Brian Hostetler, drums and percussion.
“A first rate brass ensemble … The Dallas Brass
can play, beautifully and in a wide variety of styles”—Washington
Post
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