Oxford Arts Alliance to present brass band concert at OAHS
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A quintet comprised of members of the Chesapeake Silver Cornet Brass Band recently held a workshop with brass musicians from Penn’s Grove Middle School and Hopewell Elementary School. The entire 30-piece Chesapeake Brass will join the Atlantic Brass Band for a concert sponsored by the Oxford Arts Alliance to benefit the Oxford Band Parents Association. |
The Oxford Arts Alliance Performing Arts Program will present a Brass Band Concert on Saturday, March 10 at 7 p.m. at Oxford Area High School, 705 Waterway Road, East Nottingham.
The concert will feature the Atlantic Brass Band, the Chesapeake Silver Cornet Brass Band and select Oxford Area High School music students under the direction of high school band director Erin Kauppila. All funds raised from ticket sales (minus expenses) will go directly to benefit band students through the Oxford Band Parents Association.
"Both bands perform in a traditional British Brass Band style, which derives from mostly conical-bore brass instruments which give the music a warm or sweet brass sound instead of the more bright or brilliant sound of a standard concert band which includes strings and woodwinds," said Kathleen Chapmond, chairperson of the Performing Arts Program. "Both bands have received national recognition and are committed to sharing their music with the community in support of other non-profit organizations."
Atlantic Brass Band, founded in 1984, is one of the premiere volunteer performing ensembles in the greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey area. Atlantic Brass won first place in the Championship Division at the 2011 North American Brass Band Association (NABBA) Competition in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
The band, led by Rowan University professor Salvatore Scarpa, is composed of 30 area professional musicians, professors, music educators, students, and community members. It is the Ensemble-in-Residence at Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ, and was originally formed as the Wheaton Brass Band in the early 1980's by Yorkshire-born Herb Roselle.
The Atlantic Brass has both expanded its musical horizons and gone back to its British roots by traveling abroad and by bringing in international soloists and conductors to work with the band here in the United States. Atlantic has toured England twice and Italy once. Recently, the band has worked with several distinguished, internationally-known musicians, including Dr. Nicholas Childs (UK), Iain Culross (UK), Gary Cutt (UK), John "Pip" Hannevik (Norway), Torgny Hanson (Sweden), Leonardo Laserra Ingrosso (Italy), and Steve Sykes (UK).
Founded in 1996, The Chesapeake Silver Cornet Brass Band is a 30-piece brass and percussion ensemble comprised of professional-level volunteer musicians from communities along the multi-state area of the Chesapeake Bay region. Headquartered in Hockessin, Delaware, the Chesapeake Silver Cornet Brass Band won second place in their division at the 2010 North American Brass Band Association Competition in Raleigh, North Carolina.
The Chesapeake Silver Cornet Brass Band has released seven CDs and has twice been invited to perform for the national convention of the Association of Concert Bands. The band is also a Performing Partner with the Music School of Delaware.
Music for the evening will include "Dark Side of the Moon" by Paul Lovatt-Cooper, "Purcell Variations" by Kenneth Downie, "Masquerade" by Philip Wilby, "Contest Music for Brass Band" by Wilfred Heaton, "Men of Harlech" by Gordon Langford, and "Pines of Rome" by Respighi-Snell.
"This concert is an opportunity to raise funds for the Band Parents Association and for community members and music students in the district to hear a spectacular band in the Atlantic Brass," said Ms. Chapmond. "This will be a very unique concert because it will be a debut of music to be performed at this year's NABBA competition."
Tickets are $12 for adults and $5 for students, with children under 14 admitted free if accompanied by an adult. Tickets will be available at the door or at the Oxford Arts Alliance, 36 S. Third Street; Oxford. Tickets are also available from any Oxford Area School District band director.
The Oxford Arts Alliance Performing Arts Program sponsors a series of concerts that bring a variety of talented performers to the Oxford area. The Arts Alliance is designated as a 501(c) 3 non-profit group.
For more information on the Brass Band Concert and other upcoming Performing Arts Series events, call 610-467-0301 or visit www.oxfordart.org
