Canadian Brass

Canadian Brass is a Canadian brass quintet formed in 1970 in Toronto, Ontario by tubist Charles Daellenbach and trombonist Gene Watts. The group performs internationally and has recorded more than 130 CDs and DVDs. They have commissioned, performed, and recorded hundreds of transcriptions and original works for brass quintet. Canadian Brass has a library of more than 600 compositions and arrangements specially and uniquely fashioned for them.

As of 2016, the quintet is composed of trumpeters Caleb Hudson and Chris Coletti, hornist Bernhard Scully, trombonist Achilles Liarmakopoulos and Charles Daellenbach.

Description and history

Canadian Brass on the marquee at Balaban and Katz Chicago Theatre

The "Kings of Brass," as described by the Ottawa Citizen, had their first European tour in 1972 with the Festival Singers.[1] The Canadian Brass (known for their unique performance attire of formal black suits with white running shoes) made its American debut at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC in 1975. A significant international visit was made in 1977 when they were sent to mainland China as a cultural exchange between Canada and China. The ensemble was chosen and sent on this cultural mission by then-Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau. They are now remembered in China as the first Western musicians allowed into China after the Cultural Revolution had suppressed Western art and music.

In 1979 Canadian Brass became the first chamber ensemble to solo the main stage at Carnegie Hall.[2] As The New York Times reported, their sold-out performance "clearly establishes the Canadian Brass as a main-stage attraction." In addition to their heavy international touring schedule for over 40 years, and their extensive recording catalog, they have been on the Billboard charts in each decade of their existence, recording with the majors RCA, BMG, CBS, Sony, Philips and Decca, occupying virtually all the spots open to brass players. Canadian Brass recordings are currently released by Toronto-based Opening Day Entertainment Group (ODEG), headed by Daellenbach.

The first recordings the Brass created were for the CBC radio transcription service, including their very first major concert in Toronto the summer of 1971. Record producer Eleanor Sniderman discovered the group and put the group on its first commercial LPs in 1973 and 1974, which then attracted major artist management in New York City. In 1977, the same year the Brass represented North America in Peoples Republic of China, a live radio broadcast on WQXR was heard by multi-Grammy award-winning producer Jay Saks, who was impressed, and brought the group to the prestigious RCA Red-Seal record label. The ensemble was then scouted by CBS records, soon to be Sony, where they recorded with the Berlin Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic and Boston Symphony brass players, establishing a repertoire that is now standard for expanded brass ensembles.

When the group's former manager, Costa Pilavachi, assumed the post of "Head of A&R" at Philips Records in the Netherlands, he lured the Brass to his new label, establishing a new European presence for the group. Then in 1992 the Brass joined BMG, releasing fourteen albums in eight years, including Bach's Goldberg Variations, for which the group won a German Echo award.

In the 1990s, Daellenbach started Opening Day Entertainment Group Inc., a Canadian independent recording label, which as of 2014 has released over 70 CDs for artists in a variety of genres.

The band has been named the "one of the most popular brass ensembles in the world" by The Washington Post.[3] Explaining the incorporation of humor into their stage act, Marty Hackleman said, "Chamber music can get tedious… There's not that much variety and color. We add color and dynamics to what we're doing with humorous numbers."[4]

This ensemble has appeared on all the major North American TV networks, Late Night with Johnny Carson, CBS Sunday Morning and most recently on Hunan TV in China with more than 500,000 viewers. Their awards range from three honorary doctorates to Grammy, Canadian Juno and German Echo recording awards. Most recently, founder Daellenbach was appointed to the Order of Canada, the country's highest civilian honour, in 2014.[5] He accepted this appointment, saying, "not only do I accept this appointment for my family and myself, but on behalf of the incredible colleagues that accompanied me on this unbelieveable musical journey ... firstly Watts, Mills, Romm, Page and Ohanian and now the '2nd generation' colleagues of today!"

Members

Current

Past

Trumpet

Trombone

Horn

Discography

DVD/VHS/Laser Disc

Music Videos

References

  1. ↑ "Canadian Brass". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2013-12-20.
  2. ↑ "Canadian Brass tubist and founder Charles Daellenbach - "Lifetime Achievement Award".:". Conn-Selmer. 2012-08-29. Archived from the original on 2013-12-12. Retrieved 2013-12-20.
  3. ↑ "Loudoun County music students inspired by top brass".
  4. ↑ "Canadian Brass live musicians' dream". Associated Press. 26 August 1984. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  5. ↑ http://www.gg.ca/document.aspx?id=15922
  6. ↑ "Chris Coletti's official blog". trumpetchrisblog.com. Retrieved 2013-12-20.
  7. ↑ Canadian Brass (2011-12-14), Flight of the Bumblebee - Canadian Brass, retrieved 2016-03-23
  8. ↑ Canadian Brass (2012-05-04), Bad Romance (Brass Romance) - Canadian Brass, retrieved 2016-03-23
  9. ↑ Canadian Brass (2014-10-01), Amazing Grace - Canadian Brass LIVE in Brooklyn, retrieved 2016-03-23

External links

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