First annual BrassFest at Lamar University

 The Mary Morgan Moore Department of Music at Lamar University hosted the 1st Annual BrassFest in Beaumont, Texas on April 7–9. This year’s event featured guest artist Allen Vizzutti.

Other festival artists and performers included Randy Lee (University of Florida), Brian Shook (Lamar University), Robert Culbertson (Lamar University), Tim Dueppen, (Lamar University), Victor Gomez (Lamar University), and the Lamar University Honors Brass Quintet.

The brass faculty at Lamar performed a brass quintet recital on Thursday night followed by a joint solo recital on Friday night. Saturday morning consisted of a brass chamber workshop by Lamar’s Honors Brass Quintet with ensembles performing from regional high schools. In the afternoon Allen Vizzutti and Randy Lee each gave a masterclass involving a variety of college and graduate students. Throughout the day attendees took advantage of testing instruments on display by Yamaha, Eastman-Shires, and Conn-Selmer. The Gala Concert on Saturday night featured Allen Vizzutti, accompanied by the Lamar University Brass Choir and Cardinal Jazz Orchestra, performing selections such as Rising Sun, Malaga, A Night in Tunisia, and I’ll Remember April. As the only music event of its kind in southeast Texas, the festival reached out to a very wide audience including music students, music educators, brass music enthusiasts, and the general concert-going public. The event was made possible in part by an ITG Chapter Grant.

Source: Brian Shook, associate professor of music, Lamar State University, Beaumont, TX