Alloy Brass

All regular members in attendance.

Tonight we ran:

"Eljen a Magyar! Polka" by Johann Strauss

"Quintet" by Malcolm Arnold, mvt 1 (3x)

"American Brass Band Journal" by G.W.E. Friederich, mvt. 1, 2, 3, 4

"Four Miniatures" by Michael Forbes, mvt 1, 2, 3, 4

"Voyageurs Suite" by Greg Bartholomew

All regular players in attendance.

Tonight we ran:

'Quintet" by Hubert Kross, mvt 1, 2, 3

"Colchester Fantasy" by Eric Ewazen, mvt 1, 2

"Frost Fire"by Eric Ewazen, mvt. 1, 2

"Quintet #1" by Victor Ewald, mvt 1, 2, 3

All regular members in attendance. 

Once again, I would like to thank the West Bank School of Music for providing us with rehearsal space.  The WBSM hosts a variety of music classes.  Please check them out here.

Tonight we ran:

"Yankee Doodle Fanfare" by William Mayer

"Colchester Fantasy" by Eric Ewazen, mvt IV and III

"Quintet" by Malcolm Arnold, mvt III

"Moroccan Leigionnaire" by Jukka Viitisaari

"Ninetta Polka", an anonymous composition adapted by H. M. Lewis

"Hungarian Dance" by Johannes Brahms

"Adagio" by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

We were able to meet this week after all.  Marjorie Black sat in for Neil Okerlund.

We ran:

#228 "Music for His Majesty’s Sackbuts and Cornets" by Matthew Locke, arr. Christophe Marion

#155 "Quintet #2" by Victor Ewald

#295 "Two Improvisations on Folk Songs" by Declan Townsend

These are three of our favorites.  I’ve written about them before, and I don’t have anything new to say about them at this time, except that they are always fun to play.

I would like to make mention of a couple of events that members of Alloy have been involved with recently.

Neil Okerlund is also a member of the Prevailing Winds woodwind quintet.  They have been together for more than fifteen years, and perform a free public recital about four times per year.  On Monday January 25, 2010 they held their winter concert.

The program consisted of

“Introduction and Dance” by Edward Troupin

“Circus Etudes” by Jeffrey Agrell

“Quintet for Winds” by Robert Washburn

“Mississippi Five” by Jim Parker

Prevailing Winds is Neil Okerlund, French Horn, Katherine Eklund, Flute, Lorelei Giddings,Oboe, Bruce Bissonett, Clarinet, and Heather Clark, Bassoon.  

This past Wednesday, Brad Bellows performed at St. Paul’s Artists Quarter with his jazz quintet, Valves meet Slide.  Joining Brad on valve trombone were Dave Graf on (slide) trombone, Mikkel Romstad on piano,Chris Bates on bass, and Mac Santiago on drums. The group plays a range of numbers from Gerry Mulligan, Freddie Hubbard, and Bill Evans, among others.  There are videos posted onYouTube.  Check out this and this.

All regular members in attendance.  Next week we will be off.

Tonight's list:

"Quintet #3" by Victor Ewald

"The Gate is Open" by Jukka Viitasaari

"Quintet" by Malcolm Arnold, mvt 1, 2, and 3

"Colchester Fantasy" by Eric Ewazen, mvt 2

"Mixed Up March" by John Horigan

"Two Pieces" by Anthony Holborne

All regular members in attendance.

Tonight we ran:

"The Leopards are Coming!" by Jukka Viitasaari

"The Wind Breezes Bend the Trees" by Jukka Viitasaari

"The Virtual Alchemist" by Jukka Viitasaari

"Stargazer" by Jukka Viitasaari

"Quintet" by Malcolm Arnold, mvt. 1

"Contrapunctus IX" by J.S. Bach

"Colchester Fantasy" by Eric Ewazen, mvt. 1

You may notice a theme here.  Actually, two themes.  First, the relatively great quaintity of works by a single composer: Jukka Viitassari.  He's the composer behind one of my favorite pieces, "Bothnian Rhapsody." I finally got a laser printer, and went on the Sibelius web site and bought all of Jukka's brass quintets.  I've been looking forward to getting them all, and now I'm looking forward to playing them all.  These first four were quite satisfying.  Nice melodies, with interesting rhythms and harmonies.   Very good writing.  There are more to come.

The second theme is the running of only the first movement of the Arnold and the Ewazen.  We ran each piece two times, and stopped where necessary to iron out some fine points. Progress was definitely made.  We also ran the Bach twice, with similar results.  We've had the Bach in the book for some time, and it remains one of the most challenging pieces we have.  It demands a great deal of precision.

We are planning to perform for an upcoming West Bank School of Music monthly board meeting.  We're working out a short program to include either the two Folk Song Suites we've been running, or one of the more modern pieces, like the Ewazen or the Arnold. 

All regular members in attendance.

Tonight we ran:

"English Folk Song Suite" by Ralph Vaughn Williams

"Folk Song Suite" by Stephen Bulla

"Quintet" by Verne Reynolds, movements 1, 2 and 3

"Voyageurs Suite" by Greg Bartholomew

We're planning on performing a short set for an upcoming West Bank School of Music board meeting. We thought that the two "Folk Song Suites" would make a nice program.

The Reynolds "Quintet" was commissioned by the Wisconsin Brass Quintet in celebration of it fifteenth anniversary.  We find it to be quite challenging, and also rewarding.

"Voyageurs Suite" continues to be one of our favorites.  As you might expect, it gets better the more we play it.

Happy New Year from Alloy Brass!  Our regular meeting commenced this evening with all regular members in attendance:  Bill Simenson, Trumpet 1, Greg Lewis, Trumpet 2, Neil Okerlund, Horn, Brad Bellows, Euphonium/Trombone, and Scott Lewis, Tuba.

Tonight's pieces were:

"Two Pieces: Honie-Suckle and Night Watch from Pavans, Galliards, Amlmaines and other Short Airs" by Anthony Holborne

"Cor Royal" by Phillipp Nicolai, arr. Walter Barnes

"Yankee Doodle Fanfare" by William Mayer

"Quintet" by Malcolm Arnold

"Summer's Song" by Chip De Stefano

"Folk Song Suite: Arkansas Traveller, Farewell, Jenny Dang The Weaver" by Stephen Bulla

No rehearsal this evening, due to conflicts.  We'll be taking a winter recess, until January 7. 2010.

No rehearsal, Thanksgiving holiday.