Fri 2/20 @ 7:30PM
The American Brass Quintet was founded in 1960 so obviously the internationally noted ensemble doesn’t have any original members. It’s had more than two dozen over the years, including in 2023, its first woman member (current tenor trombone player Hillary Simms). The current group also features Tiago Linck and Brandon Ridenour on trumpets, Eric Reed on French horn and John D. Rojak on bass trombone.
Since its early days, it’s stood out in a few ways: it’s substituted bass trombone for the usual tuba and instead of transcribed repertoire staples for its own instruments, and it’s aggressively expanded its repertoire by commissioning pieces from contemporary composers.
When it performs at Oberlin’s Finney Chapel this week, they’ll be playing some of those newer works including Anthony Barfield’s 2022 “Samsāra”; Philip Lasser’s Common Heroes, Uncommon Land (2017), Jennifer Higdon’s Book of Brass I. Ramp Up (2022) and David Biedenbender’s 2022 Sacred Geometry, inspired by the work of Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi, as well as 20th century Brazilian composer Osvaldo Lacerda’s Quinteto Concertante, and Ridenour’s version of John Dowland’s “Earl of Essex Galliard: Can She Excuse My Wrongs,” originally written for lute in the late 16th century.
Go here for tickets.
oberlin/american-brass-quintet