American Brass Quintet Sets Performance, Workshop

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The distinguished American Brass Quintet will conclude this season of the Department of Music's Slee/Visiting Artist Series with a performance at 8 p.m. April 4 in Lippes Concert Hall in Slee Hall on the University at Buffalo's North (Amherst) Campus.

The concert is sponsored by the Robert G. and Carol L. Morris Center for 21st Century Music. While at UB, the quintet also will present a composer workshop session at 4 p.m. April 3 in Lippes Concert Hall.

The program to be performed by the quintet was designed to feature pieces that display true virtuosic brass writing and performance. Many of the pieces, such as "The Three Tenses," "Little Suite of Miniatures," "Copperwave" and "Quinteto Concertante," were written specifically for the American Brass Quintet.

Osvaldo Lacerda's piece, "Quinteto Concertante," for example, was created after the quintet premiered another Lacerda piece, "Fantasia e Rondó," at the Inter-American Music Festival in 1980.

"I decided to compose another brass quintet," Lacerda said. "Suddenly, I had an inspiration: why not a concertante one with few counterpoints, but with beautiful solo melodies, accompanied by good rhythms and harmonies? Thus, this work was born."

Critic Steven Sacco describes "Little Suite of Miniatures" as "a serious introspection punctuated by wit, whimsy, and sparkle." "Copperwave" is a distinctive piece that demonstrates brass instruments that create a weighty and heavy motion and feeling that travels in waves and circles throughout the piece.

The American Brass Quintet has created an incomparable legacy within the brass world. Hailed as "positively breathtaking" by The New York Times and "the most distinguished" of all the brass quintets by the American Record Guide, the ABQ clearly has defined itself among the elite chamber music ensembles of our time. The quintet has a vision dedicated to a diverse musical repertoire, extensive recordings and education.

The American Brass Quintet has a discography of more than 50 recordings and has premiered more than 100 contemporary brass works in its numerous live performances. This season, the ABQ will premiere and tour a new work for brass quintet and piano by Grammy-winning composer-pianist Billy Childs, which was commissioned for the quintet by a grant from the New York State Music Fund.

The members of the quintet -- Raymond Mase, trumpet; Kevin Cobb, trumpet; David Wakefield, horn; Michael Powell, trombone; and John

D. Rojak, bass trombone -- joined the ABQ at various times, starting as early as 1973 and as late as 1998. All have been featured individually on radio, television and even soundtracks and jingles. Mase is a co-principal trumpeter of the New York City Ballet Orchestra, American Composers Orchestra and the Westchester Philharmonic. Cobb leads a diverse career and is active with many of New York's top musical organizations. Wakefield was one of the first American brass players invited since the Cultural Revolution to teach and perform in the People's Republic of China. Powell has taught master classes in trombone and chamber music all over the world. Rojak is an original member of the orchestra for the Broadway production of "Les Miserables."

Advance tickets are $12 for general admission; $9 for UB faculty/staff/alumni, WNED members with card and senior citizens; and $5 for students. Tickets at the door are $20, $15 and $8.