From November 1-15, 2008, Louisville Brass traveled to Caxias do Sul, Brazil, where they taught and presented four concerts. The Orquestra Sinfônica da Universidade de Caxias do Sul hosted their residency. The group taught classes and lessons from Monday, Nov. 3 through Wednesday, Nov. 12.

Louisville Brass performed 3 concerts alone and were featured performers on an orchestral concert of the Orquestra Sinfônica da Universidade de Caxias do Sul.  The Louisville Brass recitals were:

Wed., Nov. 5 for the school children and all participants of our residency at the Universidade de Caxias do Sul;

Sat., Nov. 8 at the Universitário da Região dos Vinhedos Bento Gonçalves;

and Wed., Nov. 12 at a church, Igreja Nossa Senhora de Lourdes.

Repertoire for these Louisville Brass recitals was: Just a Closer Walk with Thee; Farnaby- Fancies, Toyes and Dreames; Campra- Rigaudon; Handel- Hornpipe; Bach- Christmas Oratorio movements; Plog- Animal Ditties (in Portugese with Luiz Bocchese narrating); Horovitz- Music Hall Suite; LaBarbera- Tiger of San Pedro; and Williams- Basin Street Blues. The programs all were well appreciated.

The orchestral program opened with Copland’s Fanfare for the Comman Man, which the Louisville Brass members all coached. The program also featured Bruce Heim, horn, on the Rondo from Concerto No. 1 of  Mozart; Michael Tunnell, trumpet, on the Largo from Concerto in Eb by Neruda; and Brett Shuster, trombone, on Bellini’s Concerto. The final work on the program was Respighi’s Pines of Rome, and Michael Tunnell performed the second movement offstage trumpet solo; Brett Shuster, Bruce Heim, and Herb Koerselman all played in the final movement offstage parts; and John Jones played onstage. Louisville Brass played the Final Chorus from Christmas Oratorio by J. S. Bach as a featured number on this concert.

Member of Louisville Brass are: Michael Tunnell and Herb Koerselman, trumpets; Bruce Heim, horn; Brett Shuster, trombone; and John Jones, tuba.

Source: Michael Tunnell