Brass Band
The Central Michigan University Brass Band, now in its sixth season, was formed in 2001 when a very strong interest in the brass band concept was expressed by a core group of brass music majors. The first season, very successful, was accomplished with no budget and with instruments not quite of the highest caliber; however, the next three years found the ensemble performing with the requisite instruments of the traditional brass band, including cornets, alto (tenor) horns, and small baritones.
The literature for the brass band encompasses a wide variety of styles including marvelous transcriptions of orchestral works, excellent original works, as well as marches and other light pieces. Soloists are a regular feature of the CMU Brass Band and have included Philip Smith, Principal Trumpet of the New York Philharmonic, as well as CMU faculty, alumni, and present members of the band. The technical and musical demands on all performers in a brass band are nothing short of astonishing. With a minimum of available rehearsals, players prepare diligently and take great pride in their efficiency and work ethic. Consequently, there is a strong and healthy competition for membership in this premier ensemble.
The 2006 Season included works such as Mozart’s Overture to the “Magic Flute”, the “Finale” of Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5, and Ray Steadman-Allen’s epic tone poem “The Holy War”, based on the book by John Bunyan. The CMU Brass Band was invited to present a concert at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center in Dearborn in April, 2006. The 2006-07 season will include Boellmann’s “Toccata”, Herbert Howell’s brilliant original work (1934) “Pageantry”, the Finale to the Tchaikowsky Fourth Symphony, and other works by Curnow, Ball, Heaton, Ballentine, and Prokofiev. The Brass Band has been invited to perform at the Michigan Music Conference in Grand Rapids (DeVos Hall) on January 26, 2007.
The conductor and founder of the CMU Brass Band is Dennis L. Horton, Professor of Trumpet at CMU. Dr. Horton has had life-long interest in brass bands, having learned to play a brass instrument in the Flint Salvation Army band program. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan (B.M., M.M., and A. Mus. D.) where he was a trumpet student of Clifford P. Lillya. In addition to teaching responsibilities at CMU, Dr. Horton has extensive performance experience in the orchestral and brass quintet worlds. He is also a widely published composer and arranger with works for trumpet ensemble, brass choir, and brass band performed throughout the world.
Faculty
