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Friday, June 18 - 9:30 pm Members: Kenneth Singleton - conductor
Gary Mortenson, Reporter
The Denver Brass featured excellent music and phenomenal playing. The group could play with power and conviction as in the opening Fanfare for the Brave by Andrew Wolfe. They demonstrated an interesting use of rhythm and harmony (from south of the equator) with outstanding ensemble playing in “Fantasia” from Fantasia, Intermezzo and Latin American Toccata by Blas Atehortua. Joe Docksey’s incredible piccolo playing in the Suite from The Fellowship of the Ring by Howard Shore and arranged by Jeremy Van Hoy was a pleasure to experience. That work also featured some fine unison playing in the trombones and horns.
The evening switched hears again with the inclusion of an expanded percussion section including trap set, marimba, steel drums, electric bass, and timpani. The tune Kiwi took the audience out of the jazz club setting in favor of the warm breezes of Jamaica. This work featured another extended solo from Al Hood. The mood changed yet again when a vocalist joined the ensemble for a wonderful rendition of Stairway to Heaven that featured an introduction for steel drum and marimba. It was at this point that the lights went out and the fire curtain interrupted the performance. Not to be deterred, the stage crew got things up and running after a short break, and the concert concluded with a trip “across the pond” by presenting two selections based on Scottish themes featuring bagpipes and dancers. The Denver Brass is to be commended for their versatility and exceptional quality. In so many ways it was a night to remember!
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Trumpet Prelude: University of Northern Colorado Trumpet Choir, Members: Gotterdammerung - Richard Wagner, Arr. Scott A. Schlup (2003) Sonate 24 from Charamela Real - Anonymous (c.1770) Svatba from Bulgarian Choral Suite - Christo Todorov, Arr. Chris Hendricks (1975) Program: Fanfare for the Brave - Andrew Wolfe (b. 1977) "Fantasia" from Fantasia, Intermezzo and Latin American Toccata, Op 175 - Blas Atehortua (b. 1933) Suite from The Fellowship of the Ring - Howard Shore (b. 1946) Arr. by Jeremy Van Hoy Perdido - Juan Tizol (1900-1984) Arr. by Jack Fredericksen St. Louis Blues - W. C. Handy (1873-1958) Arr. by Jack Fredericksen Sing, Sing, Sing - Prima and Mundy Arr. Ron Cope & Jack Fredericksen Kiwi - James Theobald (b. 1950) Stairway to Heaven - Jimmy Page, Robert Plant Arr. by Don Prorak Scotland the Brave - Traditional - A gift from Brothers of the Denver Men’s Council Arr. by John Kuzma Megalomania Finale - Arr. by John Kuzma Loch Lomond - Traditional The Poisoned Dwarf - Scott MacAuley Kelsey’s Wee Reel - Iain Symington Megalomania - Mark Saul Highland Cathedral, a gift from Dennis and Linda Smith - Traditional |
If variety is your thing then the Denver Brass is your cup of tea. This versatile ensemble found a way to switch gears about four different times in a late evening concert that featured bold fanfares, world-music, jazz, traditional, and even rock. To top it all off the concert even had some fireworks when an electrical failure brought the lights down automatically lowering the fire curtain onto the stage…this concert had it all!
After the opening set the group invited the jazz group Hot Tomatoes onto stage for a jazz inspired set including Perdido (featuring a strong solo by conference host Al Hood), St. Louis Blues that alternated between Hot Tomatoes and the Denver Brass, and Sing, Sing, Sing a selection that featured onstage swing style dancing.
