Returning to our series, Mirari Brass is eager to present “Celebrated Classics”, a nod to the history of brass quintets featuring all your favorites from J.S. Bach to Rodgers & Hammerstein.
Program
J.S. Bach: Contrapunctus IX
Victor Ewald: Brass Quintet No. 1
Michael Kamen: Quintet
Jan Koetsier: Quintet
– Intermission –
Wilke Renwick: Dance
Collier Jones: Four Movements for Five Brass
Alexander Arutiunian: Armenian Scenes
Rodgers & Hammerstein: Selections from The Sound of Music
"Celebrated Classics" is our nod to the long and storied history of the brass quintet. We feature concert music with traditional structures and tonal language. Spanning from the sublime to the profane; from the absolute to the programmatic, Mirari takes the audience on a journey that begins with Bach and ends with a musical. What you have here is truly a “greatest hits” playlist for brass quintet.
This program begins with a composer who may need little to no introduction. A transcription of J.S. Bach’s Contrapunctus IX sets the tone for what the brass quintet is capable of achieving in concert. Next is one of the earliest pieces written for the ensemble, the Quintet No. 1 by the Russian Romantic composer Victor Ewald. Michael Kamen’s short, expressive Quintet emphasizes the ensemble’s warmth and lyricism. The first half concludes with the charming and memorable Quintet by Jan Koetsier.
The vibrant Dance by Wilke Renwick leads to the standard Four Movements for Five Brass by Collier Jones. Noted for its neoclassical style, one might think they are hearing music written by Mozart, Haydn, or Beethoven but with a newer, more contemporary flair. What follows is Alexander Arutiunian’s Armenian Scenes, each movement depicting Armenian culture and tradition. What better way to conclude a program than with Jack Gale’s expert arrangement of familiar tunes from The Sound of Music. Yes, you can (and should) sing along if you know the words! This program will delight lovers of more traditional classical chamber music!
Biography
Engaging and eclectic, the Mirari Brass Quintet brings a spirit of joyful collaboration and innovation to music spanning many centuries and genres. Commissioners of multiple new works for brass, the group performs a spectacular tight-rope act, balancing intensity with levity and refined virtuosity with pure fun.
Founded in 2009, Mirari has performed extensively across the United States, forging connections with audiences through lively and polished performances. The group has performed and presented in 35 states on concert series as well as residencies at numerous universities including Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, University of Utah, University of Tennessee at Knoxville, University of Kentucky, Ohio State University, University of Iowa, Cornell University, and many more. Mirari has also been featured at a number of major conferences and festivals including the International Tuba and Euphonium Conference, the International Trombone Festival, and the International Trumpet Guild Conference. In 2017, the group made its first international trip to China, performing concerts and presenting educational programs in Beijing, Haerbin, Dalian, and Chongqing.
Since its inception, Mirari has added nearly two dozen works to the brass quintet repertoire, with group members also contributing a number of arrangements and original compositions. Their debut album, Spires, adventurously contextualizes works from the Renaissance and Baroque periods, re-imagines jazz standards, and features their commission from Rome Prize-winner and Guggenheim Fellow Eric Nathan. Their second album, Renewed, Reused, Recycled, features music not originally written for brass quintet and was released by Summit Records in 2018.
Beyond the recording studio, Mirari initiated a consortium between numerous universities and The Ohio State University Wind Symphony, which resulted in Clint Needham’s In These Hallowed Halls, a four movement concerto for brass quintet and wind ensemble. Their most recent project is a Chamber Music America Residency grant to partner with Capital Area Alliance for the Homeless and Community of Note based in Baton Rouge, LA.
In addition to their commitment to outstanding performance, the members of the Mirari Brass Quintet share a unique passion for music education and are all collegiate professors of music. The group spends extended time interacting with young musicians through masterclasses, group and individual instruction, and specialized clinics. Through their educational endeavors, the quintet examines all aspects of life as an artist and helps to foster the development of complete musicians. Individually, the group members have been on faculty at colleges, universities, music festivals and camps all over the United States and overseas. As a way to share their knowledge and experiences with musicians and music lovers alike, Mirari created a podcast, Mirari: UNMUTED, available on Spotify and iTunes.
As a central tenet of the group, and by their name’s definition, all Mirari members share an admiration and respect for each other as performers, educators, and human beings.