Ouachita Stories

Ouachita Baptist University will host guest artists Black Bayou Brass on Thursday, Feb. 19, at 7:30 p.m. The concert will be held in McBeth Recital Hall on Ouachita’s campus and is free and open to the public.

“People are going to hear some jaw-dropping brass playing,” said Dr. Justin Isenhour, assistant professor of music.

“If you like brass music you’re going to really love the group,” Isenhour added. “If you don’t know what brass music is, you’re going to have a good time. There will be something there that everybody can latch on to.”

The trio has been a faculty ensemble at the University of Louisiana at Monroe since 1971. Current members of Black Bayou Brass include Dr. Aaron Witek, trumpet; Dr. James Boldin, horn; and Dr. James Layfield, trombone. These members are dedicated to performing and creating new literature for brass trio, as well as playing standard, repertoire and transcriptions from the 16^th century to the present.

Black Bayou Brass regularly performs throughout the region. They recently have performed at the International Women’s Brass Conference, the Louisiana Music Educators Association State Conference and the National Association of College Wind and Percussion Instructors National Conference, as well as a series of performances and master classes in Thailand.

The morning following the concert, the trio will offer master classes to Ouachita students. Each trio member will teach a class where students will perform and receive feedback from the guest artist.

“It’s important for students to have a broad sense of what their instrument can do,” Isenhour noted.

For more information, contact Dr. Justin Isenhour at [email protected].

 

By Taylor Black