Michael Boo Posted November 9, 2003 Share Posted November 9, 2003 (edited) There's been a thread lately in one of the DCP forums about British brass bands, and I just went to my first such event, having been asked to do a review for the event's website. I know this isn't drum corps, but there are enough things we love in common for me to think this might be of interest to someone here. The brass technique I heard in some of these groups was nothing short of phenomenal. Mike U.S. Open Brass Band Championships By Michael Boo November 8, 2003 John Hersey High School Auditorium Arlington Heights, Illinois, USA Having never been to a brass band championship, being unfamiliar with the execution of the British brass band concept, and wondering what I got myself into by agreeing to review the inaugural event for a new annual championship, it’s perhaps easy to comprehend my anticipation at hearing the first notes of the Prairie Brass Band as the ensemble opened up the festival. E-flat Tenor Horns and E-Flat Basses…this is certainly not an American concert band brass ensemble. And what is this thing named “Repiano?” We don’t have anything like that in the drum and bugle corps world that I spend so much time covering. Frank Renton hosted the entire day. The host of BBC Radio 2’s weekly “Listen to the Band” program and an esteemed conductor, he kept things light and airy, while still managing to enlighten. The event was judged by John Phillips from Canada and Alan Morrison from Great Britain. Judging was based on a method of evaluation that focused on the positive qualities of the performance as opposed to simply recording technical errors, considering what was presented and how well it was performed. The event was organized by members of the Prairie Brass Band, headed up Band President Clark Niermeyer, son of Prairie Brass Band director Dallas Niermeyer. Dallas and Clark conceived the event over a period of years. Band members Lorian Hamilton and Linda Eckles were also deeply in the planning and execution of the event. Prairie Brass Band, under the direction of Dallas Niermeyer, opened the festivities with Stan Kenton’s 1941 classic, “Artistry in Rhythm,” arranged by Dallas Niermeyer. From the opening brash chords, it was apparent this idiom was far beyond anything conceived for a pep band. The sound of a brass band in a piece like this balances between being searing and boisterous. But in Adrian Drover’s “Mr. Nice Guy,” a smooth ballad featuring trombonist Linda Yeo, the urgency of the opening selection succumbed to the lush chordal accompaniment that comforted the soul. Michael Bull’s “An English Suite” is a contemporary take on English musical sensibilities. Jubilant and then heart wrenching, the work closed with the forward propulsion of a march-like finale that got the blood to boiling again. Every session needs something on the lighter side, and Goff Richards’ “Breezin’ Down Broadway” brought together a number of classic Broadway hits with a large degree of “oomph.” The Caribbean-styled “St. Thomas,” arranged by Sonny Rollins, allowed the band to “cook” a little, letting the percussion groove sound like triple the number of players. The host band’s portion of the festival ended with William Rimmer’s classic march, “Slaidburn.” The chorus by the low brass rocked this writer’s laptop computer. Founded only six years ago, this up and coming brass band offered volumes of hope for the growth of the activity in the Midwest portion of this country. The Milwaukee Festival Brass, under the direction of Wales native Trefor Williams (wearing a kilt for this occasion), kicked off its power-packed collection of selections with Russell Alexander’s “Bedford’s Carnival March,” a hyperactive work liberally utilizing oodles of brass runs and articulate stabs of musical frosting. The lusciousness of Nicholas Brodosky’s “I’ll Walk With God,” (from “The Student Prince”), arranged by Goff Richards, allowed the band members to meld together into one solid sonority a sound more closely resembling something one might hear come out of pipe organ. This was the type of gut-wrenching chorale that can rip out one’s heartstrings. The audience was visibly moved by the richness of the performance. “Love Changes Everything” (from “Sunset Strip”), by Andrew Lloyd Webber and arranged by Stephen Bulla, unveiled the pop face of the ensemble. With percussion supplying a groove that never got in the way of the brass, the melody climaxed into a shimmering hit that would lead the audience to expect spotlights to shine from the sides of the stage. Goff Richards’ “Disney Fantasy” closed the band’s contribution with a tribute to some of the film studio’s best known and loved melodies. Re-creating the tight resonance of a studio orchestra, this travelogue through the file cabinets of Disney hits offered a number of shimmering effects that required this writer to look up from the laptop more than once in order to figure out how the effect was being accomplished. Not just a collection of Disney tunes, this piece oozed a personal charisma that was matched by the band’s fastidious attention to detail. What followed next taught a new word to most of the Americans in the audience, “Buskers.” According to the program book, the term means “to play music or perform entertainment in a public place, usually while soliciting money.” Only traditional brass band instrumentation, plus percussion—with or without piano accompaniment—is allowed. Five members of the Foden’s Richardson Band from northwest England played the spiritual, “Just a Closer Walk With Thee.” The four-person tuba section from the Prairie Brass Band then played Van Morrison’s “Moondance.” Founded just three years ago, the Brass Band of Central Florida, under the direction of Michael J. Garasi, impressed the audience with its innovation staging and artistic flash. “Ardoss Castle” from “Hymn of the Highlands” by Philip Sparke opened with only four percussionists on stage. Lone brass voices off-stage accompanied the walking on to the stage by the small ensemble of brass that were soon to play. As the early sections took to the stage, sans conductor, one could swear the ensemble had snuck in a set of bagpipes. As crisp as a newly pressed pair of trousers, the articulation and blend of ensemble during the myriad style changes was nothing short of scary. Clive Barraclough’s “Simoraine” had sort of a circus march quality to it, with blazing trombones and clarion trumpet runs. Band member Chris Sharp’s arrangement of Ernesto Lecuona’s “Malaguena,” based on the famed arrangement of Johnny Richards for the Kenton Band, woke up every fiber of muscles among the audience members. One could be forgiven for expecting molten lava to come pouring out of the bells of the trumpets that took to the front of the stage. The solo melody to “Over the Rainbow,” arranged by Goff Richards, was lovingly delivered by an E-flat Horn player dressed in drag as the Judy Garland character from the movie, “The Wizard of Oz.” Long a standard of the American wind band, Sharp’s arrangement of Ron Nelson’s “Rocky Point Holiday” invigorated the tiles in the ceiling of the auditorium with its should-be-impossible-to-play runs and written-for-woodwind figures that left the audience somewhere between stunned and too impressed to think. A whirlwind of velocity akin to a tornado, the piece pushed further and further towards the edge technically possibility, risking sweeping itself right off the stage. Foden’s Richardson Band contributed a seven-piece Buskers group (Foden’s number 2) that got down and funky, with lots of disco-like choreography during its hard-driving rock groove that left the audience screaming in appreciation. After the lunch break, East Iowa Brass Band, directed by Earle W. Dickinson, took to the stage section-by-section like an old-fashioned American country scene of townspeople showing up for a picnic. Attired in “Music Man” era garb, the members were out to have a grand old time, starting with “Lickety Split,” commissioned by the band and arranged by Steve Shanley. This piece was superimposed over a repetitive bass figure that got the feet of the audience to shuffling. The lovely chorales of “Scottish Hymns” by Charles Hutcheson, arranged by John Blanken, gradually increased in intensity, until a euphoric culmination of emotion swept the piece away under a wave of bliss. Jeffrey Argrell is known as a jazz composer. His “Oh No!,” built upon a casual walking bass figure, provided a swinging contrast. Russel Alexander’s “Belford’s Carnival March” was delivered in a calliope-like fashion, becoming ever faster before to its close. “Hymn of the Highlands, Mvts. I & III” of Philip Sparke started with an elegiac chorale, followed by a vigorous rouse of Highland glee. “Mvt. III,” sprinkled over a bed of vigorous drumbeats, heralded the numerous brass proclamations that were to follow, some rather violent in temperament, ultimately being overtaken by a sense of victorious acclamation. The next Buskers on the docket was “Jazz on the Prairie,” a Blues Brothers-inspired presentation by members of the host band. Foden’s Richardson Band has been around since 1900, with a quite distinguished past as one of the top groups in England for several decades. Under the direction of Thomas Wyss, the ensemble has maintained its place among the pantheon of brass bands in the world. The fanfare proclamation of “Festmusick der Stadt Wien” by Richard Strauss, arranged by Eric Banks, showed just how rich and full such a band can be. The opening sound caused people to flinch in amazement, as it sounded as if a couple hundred players were on the stage. Kenneth J. Alford’s march, “Army of the Nile,” put the “brass” in “brassy.” Egad, this interpretation could cause eyeglasses to shatter. Thunderous one moment and tender the next, the band clearly demonstrated its ability to unleash power when needed and constrain the power for dynamic contrast. “It’s a Lovely Day Tomorrow” by Irving Berlin, arranged by Howard Snell, allowed all to swim in the band’s gorgeous ensemble vibrato. Based on “Rule Britannia,” “Air varie,” arranged by Alan Fernie, showed off the awesome technique of one of the band’s most versatile members, Glyn Williams, playing a solo on Euphonium, Cornet, Trombone, Flugelhorn, E-flat horn, Piccolo Trumpet and a finishing flourish on Xylophone. This production was truly remarkable beyond words. The comical “Hornpipe Humoresque” by Noel Rawstorne, arranged by Andrew Duncan, featured a variety of intentional wrong notes and miscues, directed by a host of band members. I don’t know if it’s really possible to describe this slapstick gem. It’s one of those “you had to be there” types of moments. “Finale from Symphony No. IV” by Tchaikovsky, arranged by Derek Ashmore, finished off the band’s segment with dramatic aplomb. The flurry of runs and brass fanfares made for an awesome finale. Jaws dropped throughout the auditorium, as the power of the brass declarations drilled into the brains of those present. Incredible stuff. If there’s more like this over in England, I want to go there and let the waves of spectacular sound take over my very being. How fortunate we are that this amazing group chose to come across the pond for this inaugural event. The audience certainly recognized that, as the standing ovation went on for quite an extended time. The next Buskers’ performance was Brad Hecker from Prairie Brass, performing a solo on Tuba, Trombone and Euphonium. The final band of the day was the Illinois Brass Band, under direction of Peter Lipari. The band opened up its part of the festival backstage to “Also Sprach Zarathrstra” by Richard Strauss, arranged by K. van der Woude. With costumed headgear sprouting up throughout the group, the band solemnly launched into Freddie Mercury’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” arranged by D. Barry. Solemnity was short-lived, however, as the piece soon kicked into a bouncy overdrive until the end. “Cross of Honor” by W. Rimmer, arranged by F. Richardson, showed that the band could also play the traditional-type brass band segment of the repertoire with equal dexterity as the not-so traditional works. “Hello Dolly” by J. Herman, arranged by Ken Norman, had the band sounding like a glossy Hollywood back-up ensemble at the Oscars, featuring a walk-on by a Dolly wannabe. “Arunjuez Con Tu Amor Rodrigo,” arranged by Ken Norman, utilized the famed Rodrigo melody in a tender ballad for solo Flugelhorn. The frequent champion of American brass band festivals closed its presentation with “River Dance” by B. Whelan, arranged by R. Farr, capturing many of the uplifting melodies from the theatrical hit. Rhythmically intense, this arrangement propelled the band throughout, with lots of finger busting passages to delight and inspire. The Awards Ceremony was held during a special banquet later in the day. Participation certificates were given to all the participant ensembles and vendors. Emcee Frank Renton was asked to present the awards. The Buskers Honorable Mention for Authenticity went to Brad Hecker from Prairie Brass for his solo performance. The Buskers Award of $133 in small change and bills went to the ensemble number 2 from Foden’s Richardson Band. The Best Solo Performance plaque and $250 was awarded to Glyn Williams of Foden’s Richardson band. The Best New Composition or Arrangement plaque and $250 was awarded to arranger Chris Sharp of the Brass Band of Central Florida. The Best Performance of a March award of a plaque and $250 was earned by Foden’s Richardson Band. The award for the Most Entertaining Band also went to Foden’s Richardson Band. The U.S. Open Championship Runner-Up trophy cup and a check for $500 was earned by Brass Band of Central Florida. The Overall Winner/U.S. Open Championship of a trophy and $1,000 went to Foden’s Richardson Band. At the end of the Awards Ceremony, the two judges shared their thoughts on what they witnessed earlier in the day. Judge John Philips stated, “The thing that struck me most about the event, I really felt that each of the six groups had character and personality that was unique to their own organization. Often at this type of competition, the groups are homogenized and sound similar. Today, it was very refreshing to see that each band brought to the stage its own identity. Excellent standards were presented and the element of entertainment helped all the groups to communicated effectively with the audience.” Judge Alan Morrison added, “I think that every band we heard today has had something of offer in regards to their own identity and being able to express themselves. The standards witnessed in the bands—being able to entertain the judges and people in the audience—were particularly high. I was especially delighted at the standards of the American bands. It won’t be too long before bands we heard today will be able to compete with the likes of Foden’s and beat them as well. The organization here was wonderful and we were all treated wonderfully as well.” If you’ve never been to such an event, and you live within a hemisphere of Chicago, you should consider putting the second-ever U.S. Open Brass Band Championship on your calendar for next year. In person, you would experience what others have talked about. This idiom/genre/activity of brass bands just might be one of the best of the best-kept secrets in this country. It shouldn’t be such a secret. One thing for certain…if you came to the event, you would never be bored. Michael Boo writes extensively for Drum Corps International, creating text for program books, CD and DVD liner notes, and content on www.DCI.org. He also writes for BOA (Bands of America), WGI (Winter Guard International) and a variety of magazines. He can be reached at boomike@aol.com. Edited November 10, 2003 by Michael Boo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamarag Posted November 9, 2003 Share Posted November 9, 2003 Clive Barraclough’s “Simoraine” had sort of a circus march quality to it, with blazing trombones and clarion trumpet runs. Band member Chris Sharp’s arrangement of Ernesto Lecuona’s “Malaguena,” based on the famed arrangement of Johnny Richards for the Kenton Band, woke up every fiber of muscles among the audience members. One could be forgiven for expecting molten lava to come pouring out of the bells of the trumpets that took to the front of the stage. Chris is an incredible arranger. Here's your DCI tie-in. Chris marched with the Blue Devils in the early 80's (baritone) and later performed in various Disney ensembles, arranging many of the tunes played by Future Corps. When I played in the Christmas Brass at the Magic Kingdom, we played a couple of his tunes..."Farandole" being by far the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMDM50 Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 If you’ve never been to such an event, and you live within a hemisphere of Chicago, you should consider putting the second-ever U.S. Open Brass Band Championship on your calendar for next year. In person, you would experience what others have talked about. This idiom/genre/activity of brass bands just might be one of the best of the best-kept secrets in this country. It shouldn’t be such a secret.One thing for certain…if you came to the event, you would never be bored. It seems you saw a concert that was full of "Stuff Dreams are Made of". I, for one, intend to explore this phenomenon A BUNCH in years to come. In the other thread, one of the guys mentioned the contest process they use (All competitors performing the same "test piece" for judges unable to see whom they are judging). That sounds pretty boring. It MUST, however, be easier to support your contentions about subjective judging if it's done BLIND! Wonder how the DCI Div 1's would do in a setting like that? My suspicion is that the Colts, Crossmen, and Blue Knights horn lines would fare pretty well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Boo Posted November 12, 2003 Author Share Posted November 12, 2003 In the other thread, one of the guys mentioned the contest process they use (All competitors performing the same "test piece" for judges unable to see whom they are judging). That's what makes this event so special, and hopefully, more such events will spring up like it. There are no requisite pieces, so everyone creates their own identity and does their own thing. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeN Posted November 12, 2003 Share Posted November 12, 2003 Thanks for posting the great review! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
From The Pressbox Posted November 18, 2003 Share Posted November 18, 2003 I wish I would have known about this event. I would have gone to it since I live very close to the event. Thanks for the review. Mike, I'll be moving back to your neck of the woods come this spring. Go Devils, Gregg w/Stp: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Boo Posted November 18, 2003 Author Share Posted November 18, 2003 By the way, I wrote the review to publicize the event and the genre. Anyone interested in sending it on or reprinting it in any medium has my expressed approval and encouragement to do that without having to ask for permission. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suncontra89 Posted November 18, 2003 Share Posted November 18, 2003 Mike, I heard of this in New Jersey also, same format as far as each band plays the same piece during their performance on which their judged. Patty Antol who marched mello in the Saints,Cadets, and Sun was performing with a group in NJ (can't recall the name) that also at the time had some recent age outs from the Cadets. I remember her showing me the alto horn she purchased for the band. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldschoolVK Posted November 18, 2003 Share Posted November 18, 2003 When Clark Niemeyer, the promoter of the US Open first contacted Kanstul about this inaugural event, there was no hesitation: we said "Yes!". The explosion of the British Brass Band movement in the United States is amazing. Google it. You'll see. There are high quality brass bands all over America and guess what? They are composed of brass and percussion, and exist almost solely on volunteerism and community support. Sound familiar? Kanstul has seen the rise of this activity and we hope to see it continue. It should be noted that many of the players in these bands are hobby players, and many come from the drum corps tradition. What a great compliment to Drum Corps. Where does one go after the age-out circle? This is just another option. The brass band community has embraced Kanstul for our high quality brass instruments and we were on hand to display our Signature cornets, tenor horns and our compensating euphonium. Did you know that Kanstul made more than just marching brass? There are a number of annual Brass Band events throughout the United States, and if you want to hear how brass and percussion should sound, you should check it out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeatWaveDir Posted November 25, 2003 Share Posted November 25, 2003 Clive Barraclough’s “Simoraine” had sort of a circus march quality to it, with blazing trombones and clarion trumpet runs. Band member Chris Sharp’s arrangement of Ernesto Lecuona’s “Malaguena,” based on the famed arrangement of Johnny Richards for the Kenton Band, woke up every fiber of muscles among the audience members. One could be forgiven for expecting molten lava to come pouring out of the bells of the trumpets that took to the front of the stage. Chris is an incredible arranger. Here's your DCI tie-in. Chris marched with the Blue Devils in the early 80's (baritone) and later performed in various Disney ensembles, arranging many of the tunes played by Future Corps. When I played in the Christmas Brass at the Magic Kingdom, we played a couple of his tunes..."Farandole" being by far the best. Chris has also been Heat Wave's arranger since 1995 as well as a marching member and soloist from 1996-1999. Great arranger and performer. Chris also wrote for Magic in 1990 - Ave Maria Vic Kulinski Heat Wave of Orlando 2003 DCA Class A Champions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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