The National Brass Ensemble is a gathering of principal brass and timpani/percussion players from the top orchestras in the US. This concert program will include twelve works by Giovanni Gabrieli (arranged by Tim Higgins- Principal Trombone, San Francisco Symphony) along with "Music for Brass" by John Williams written especially for the group's performance and recording project last June in Sonoma, California.

In addition to this, we will also be performing new Higgins arrangements of Verdi's "Overture to La Forza del Destino" and "Nabucco Overture" both to be conducted by Chicago Symphony Music Director Riccardo Muti as a special guest conductor for these two works.

The list of players involved includes all performers from the National Brass Ensemble concert and recording project last June:

Trumpets
David Bilger (Principal Trumpet, Philadelphia Orchestra)
Jeff Curnow (Associate Principal Trumpet, Philadelphia Orchestra)
Tom Hooten (Principal Trumpet, Los Angeles, Philharmonic)
Mark Inouye (Principal Trumpet, San Francisco Symphony)
Adam Luftman (Principal Trumpet, San Francisco Opera and Ballet Orchestras)
Chris Martin (Principal Trumpet, Chicago Symphony)
Mike Martin (3rd/Utility Trumpet, Boston Symphony)
Tom Rolfs (Principal Trumpet, Boston Symphony)
Michael Sachs (Principal Trumpet, Cleveland Orchestra)
 
Horns
Richard King (Principal Horn, Cleveland Orchestra)
Jennifer Montone (Principal Horn, Philadelphia Orchestra)
Jamie Sommerville (Principal Horn, Boston Symphony)
Robert Ward (Principal Horn, San Francisco Symphony)
Gail Williams (Former Assoc. Principal Horn, Chicago Symphony/Prof. Northwestern University)
 
Trombones
Joseph Alessi (Principal Trombone, New York Philharmonic)
Nitzan Haroz (Principal Trombone, Los Angeles Philharmonic)
Tim Higgins (Principal Trombone, San Francisco Symphony)
Massimo La Rosa (Principal Trombone, Cleveland Orchestra)
Michael Mulcahy (2nd Trombone, Chicago Symphony)

Bass Trombones
Randy Hawes (Bass Trombone, Detroit Symphony)
Jim Markey (Bass Trombone, Boston Symphony)

Tubas
Gene Pokorny (Principal Tuba, Chicago Symphony)
Mike Roylance (Principal Tuba, Boston Symphony)
Yasuhito Sugiyama (Principal Tuba, Cleveland Orchestra)

Timpani/Percussion
Marc Damoulakis (Principal Percussion, Cleveland Orchestra)
Vadim Karpinos (Assistant Principal Timpani, Chicago Symphony)
Eric Millstein (Percussion, Chicago Lyric Opera)
Paul Yancich (Principal Timpani, Cleveland Orchestra)

Harps
Trina Struble (Principal Harp, Cleveland Orchestra)
Douglas Rioth (Principal Harp, San Francisco Symphony)


This concert will coincide with the release of our CD "GABRIELI" which will include sixteen new Tim Higgins arrangements of works by Giovanni Gabrieli and the fore-mentioned new work by John Williams. While the official CD release will not be until early October, this CD will be offered in a special “pre sale” at the concert venue only that day.

Tickets can be purchased at the Symphony Center Presents series on the Chicago Symphony Website:
http://cso.org/ticketsandevents/Production-Details/scp-specials/national-brass/