Programs

Pictures at an Exhibition Dive into an unforgettable auditory gallery with Pictures at an Exhibition! This program features Modest Mussorgsky’s powerful work in an arrangement that brings the music’s visual grandeur to life through brass. Start the journey with Björk’s cinematic Overture to Dancer in the Dark and continue with Gunther Schuller’s dynamic Symphony for Brass and Percussion. Each piece paints a sonic landscape that will sweep you into scenes of bold color and vivid emotion.

America 250! - A Symphonic Brass Celebration Immerse yourself in the rich and varied spirit of America through a program that captures its vibrancy, resilience, and soul. Charles Ives’ playful and inventive Variations on America showcases his wit and patriotism, while Copland’s exhilarating Hoedown from Rodeo is sure to set toes tapping. Gershwin’s iconic Rhapsody in Blue brings the American soundscape to life with its bold, jazzy energy and sweeping orchestral style. Bernstein’s dynamic West Side Story Suite adds urban flair and jazz sophistication, while Duke Ellington’s timeless melodies infuse the concert with cool, quintessentially American grooves. David Sampson’s poignant and powerful Hommage JFK offers a heartfelt tribute, completing this musical journey through the heart of America.

A Very Brassy Christmas Skip the traditional holiday concert and embrace a night of Christmas music with a twist! A Very Brassy Christmas features everything from film favorites like The Nightmare Before Christmas to Corelli’s elegant Christmas Concerto. You'll hear festive works by Baroque and Renaissance composers Gabrieli and Byrd, alongside seasonal favorites like The First Noel and Carol of the Bells. Perfect for all ages, this is holiday music delivered with brass-fueled cheer and charm.

Tribute to the Uncommon Woman A bold and resonant celebration, Tribute to the Uncommon Woman honors the extraordinary contributions of women composers to the world of brass music. From Joan Tower’s iconic Fanfares for the Uncommon Woman to Florence Price’s deeply expressive Adoration, and from the vibrant energy of Cindy McTee’s Notezart, each piece reveals a unique perspective and powerful musical identity. Also featured are Gina Gillie’s commanding Philharmonic Fanfare, Maria Newman’s contemplative Chorales for Brass and Percussion, and Louisa Trewartha’s uplifting Inspire. Together, these works form a dynamic tribute to creativity, courage, and the enduring power of women’s voices in music.

Symphonic Brass Classics Experience the full range of brass brilliance in Symphonic Brass Classics, a program spotlighting both lyrical beauty and blazing virtuosity. Highlights include the noble and evocative Street Song by Michael Tilson Thomas, Richard Strauss’ grand Fanfare Stadt Wien, and the mystical intensity of Samuel Barber’s Mutations from Bach. With a finale that includes Henri Tomasi’s Fanfares Liturgiques, this collection of brass masterworks is sure to captivate with power and poise.

Cinematic Music Masters For fans of the silver screen, Cinematic Music Masters captures the drama, adventure, and suspense of beloved films! Join 3rd Coast Brass as they perform John Williams’ celebratory Sound the Bells!, Bruce Broughton’s triumphant Fanfares, Marches, Hymns & Finale, Overture to Dancer in the Dark by Björk and music from The Lord of the Rings by Howard Shore. The program also features music by Ennio Morricone, John Barry, William Walton, Miklós Rózsa and Bernard Herrmann, adding moments of poignant beauty and intensity—ideal for film music lovers of all ages.

Early Music Extravaganza Step back in time with Early Music Extravaganza, a journey through the regal sounds of Renaissance and Baroque brass music. From Gabrieli’s majestic Venetian compositions to the refined elegance of J.S. Bach, George Frideric Handel and William Byrd, this concert brings together the best of early music. Each piece radiates the grand acoustics of European cathedrals and courts, making it a must-hear for early music enthusiasts.

Symphonic Brass and Piano In Symphonic Brass and Piano, experience the elegance and versatility of brass and piano in dynamic conversation. Florence Price’s Octet for Brasses and Piano opens the program with soulful American rhythms, followed by Janacek’s adventurous Capriccio for Piano (Left Hand) and Hindemith’s masterful Konzertmusik for Piano, Brass and Harps, op. 49. This concert is a unique meeting of bold brass tones and nuanced piano textures, offering listeners a rare, beautifully blended sound.

Repertoire

Symphonic Brass Ensemble

Leo Arnaud - Bugler’s Dream, from Charge!

Samuel Barber - Mutations from Bach

John Barry - Suite from On Her Majesty’s Secret Service

Lauren Bernofsky - Passacaglia

Bruce Broughton - Fanfares, Marches, Hymns & Finale

William Byrd - The Battell

Aaron Copland - Ceremonial Fanfare, Fanfare for the Common Man, Hoe-Down from “Rodeo”

David Diamond - Elegy in Memory of Maurice Ravel

Edward Elgar - Enigma Variations, A Severn Suite

Duke Ellington - Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me, It Don't Mean a Thing if it Ain't Got That Swing

George Gershwin - Rhapsody in Blue

Gina Gillie - Philharmonic Fanfare

Henryk Mikołaj Górecki - Muzyczka II, op. 23

Edvard Grieg - Funeral March

Björk Guðmundsdóttir - Overture to Dancer in the Dark

George Frideric Handel - Music for the Royal Fireworks, Water Music

Herbert Haufrecht - Symphony for Brass and Timpani

Bernard Herrmann - For the Fallen, Portrait of Hitch

Paul Hindemith - Konzertmusik for Piano, Brass and Harps, op. 49

Vladimir Hrovat - Sinfonietta

Karel Husa - Divertimento for brass and percussion

Charles Ives - The Alcotts from Concord Sonata, Variations on “America”

Leoš Janáček - Capriccio for Piano Left-Hand and Chamber Ensemble

Johann Kuhnau - Biblical Sonata No. 1: The Battle between David and Goliath

Cindy McTee - Notezart

Johan de Meij - Brasserie Royale, Sinfonietta No. 1

Modest Mussorsky - Pictures at an Exhibition (arr. Howarth)

Maria Newman - Chorales for Brass and Percussion

Florence Price - Adoration, Octet for Brasses and Piano

Sergei Prokofiev - Suite from Romeo and Juliet

Einojuhani Rautavaara - A Requiem in Our Time

Salamone Rossi - Psalm 92 (arr. Adler)

Miklós Rózsa - Festive Flourish

Camille Saint-Saëns - The Carnival of the Animals

Gunther Schuller - Symphony for Brass and Percussion

Dmitri Shostakovich - Suite from 'The Gadfly'

Richard Strauss - Fanfare Stadt Wien

Paul Terracini - Gegensätze, Concerto for Brass

Michael Tilson Thomas - Street Song

Henri Tomasi - Fanfares Liturgiques

Joan Tower - Fanfares For the Uncommon Woman

Louisa Trewartha - Inspire

Rolf Wallin - Kaleidophony

William Walton - Spitfire: Prelude and Fugue from The First of the Few

Barbara York - Like an April Day

Dectet

A Very Brassy Christmas

- Christmas Classics

- Music from holiday themed movies: The Nightmare Before Christmas, Home Alone, On Her Majesty's Secret Service and others

- Baroque and Classical Selections from the standard large brass repertoire

Sextet

Oskar Böhme - Sextet

Ingolf Dahl - Music for Brass Instruments

Philip Glass - Sextet

Gustav Holst - First Suite in E Flat

Quintet

Leonard Bernstein - Dance Suite

Bruce Broughton - Three American Portraits, when a body meets a body

William Boyce - Centone XI (arr. Renolds)

Elliot Carter - A Fantasy (about Purcell's Fantasia upon One Note)

Aaron Copland - Music from Movies and Ballet (arr. Morales)

George Gershwin - Porgy and Bess (arr. Gale)

Bernard Herrmann - Portrait of Hitch (arr. Fry)

Michael Kamen - Quintet

Michael Praetorious - Dances from Terpsichore (arr. Quackenbush)

Jean Sibelius - Andante Festivo (arr. Quackenbush)

Michael Tilson Thomas - Street Song