Ouachita Stories

Ouachita Baptist University’s School of Fine Arts will host Canadian Brass, “the world’s most famous brass group,” in concert on Wednesday, March 9. The concert will be held at 8 p.m. in Jones Performing Arts Center as part of the school’s 2015-2016 arts series. Tickets are $15 each and available for purchase at www.obu.edu/boxoffice.

“We are so excited to have the Canadian Brass on our campus,” said Dr. Gary Gerber, dean of Ouachita’s School of Fine Arts. “This world-renowned ensemble has played a major role in the popularity of the brass quintet.”

The Canadian Brass has sold more than two million albums, performed in front of sold-out audiences worldwide and made numerous major television appearances including The Tonight Show and Today. Along with a full range of musical styles and genres, the group is known for their engaging stage presence featuring dialogue and theatrical effects.

“To have that caliber of musicians performing for our Ouachita community is an incredible joy,” Gerber continued. “Whether you like instrumental music or not, their concert will be entertaining and enjoyable for everyone.”

Canadian Brass, established in 1970, is considered a pioneer in brining brass music to mass audiences. It was the first brass ensemble from the West to perform in the People’s Republic of China and the first brass group to perform on Carnegie Hall’s main stage.

According to the Canadian Brass website, “The hallmark of any Canadian Brass performance is entertainment, spontaneity, virtuosity and, most of all, fun – but never at the expense of the music: Whatever the style, the music is central and performed with utmost dedication, skill and excellence.”

“I am excited to feature a group that presents quality music with such energy, so I am looking forward to a lively evening filled with a wide range of music,” said Adam Wheat, Ouachita’s fine arts administrator and coordinator of the arts series. ​“The group is very dynamic, so I believe that those who attend, whether they have been playing for years or have never picked up an instrument, will be inspired and have a lot of fun in the process.”

A free workshop hosted by the group also will take place the day of the performance at 4 p.m. in Jones Performing Arts Center.

“This will be a wonderful opportunity for area musicians to explore their craft with these respected artists,” Wheat noted.

Current members of Canadian Brass include trombonist Achilles Liarmakopoulos, hornist Bernhard Scully, trumpet player Caleb Hudson, trumpet player Chris Coletti and tuba player Chuck Daellenbach.

Liarmakopoulos holds degrees from the Yale University School of Music, Curtis Institute of Music, San Francisco Conservatory and the Philippos Nakas Conservatory in Athens, Greece. He has performed throughout North America, Europe and Asia and has received numerous awards and honors at competitions worldwide. He serves as an adjunct trombone professor at Brooklyn College in New York.

Scully serves as professor of horn at the University of Illinois, Champagne-Urbana. He also has been on the faculty of the Music Academy of the West, the Eastman School of Music, the Kendall Betts Horn Camp, the Madeline Island Music Camp with the Prairie Winds Quintet and the Raphael Mendez Brass Institute. He was the first horn player to win the McKnight Music Fellowship and has earned numerous other awards throughout his career.

Hudson holds Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from The Julliard School. He has performed throughout the United States as a soloist and with the New York City Ballet, New World Symphony, New York Trumpet Ensemble and several other groups. He also has won first place at the National Trumpet Competition multiple times.

Coletti holds a bachelor’s degree from Manhattan School of Music and a master’s degree from The Julliard School. He began his professional career as principal trumpet of The Huntsville Symphony in Alabama and has since performed regularly, making several TV and radio appearances around the world.

Daellenbach, co-founder of Canadian Brass, earned a Ph.D. from the Eastman School of Music and taught at the University of Toronto until meeting Gene Watts, with whom he founded Canadian Brass. Daellenbach has performed for the Queen of England and appeared on more than 100 recordings and also serves as president of Canadian Brass Publishing and Opening Day Entertainment Group.

Tickets are $15 each and may be purchased at the Jones Performing Arts Center Box Office weekdays from 1-5 p.m. Tickets also may be purchased online at www.obu.edu/boxoffice. Group discounts are available for groups of 10 or more. For more information, call the box office at (870) 245-5555 during business hours.

 

By Anna Hurst // Canadian Brass photos by Bo Huang