ERIKETA COST
Special to The Leader
From 1600s Baroque music to 1940s Dixieland, the Canadian Brass Quintet has all kinds of decades to transport Fredonia students back to for their upcoming concert.
The internationally known group is coming to Fredonia on Sept. 21.
Their story starts in 1970 with two friends Chuck Daellenbach and Gene Watts. The two came together to play chamber music and eventually formed a quintet.
The marketing, publishing and managing of the business was predominantly done by Daellenbach, while Watts primarily created new repertoire.
The group has blossomed with many projects and accomplishments over the 48 years they’ve been in the business.
They have created over 130 albums, sold over 2 million albums worldwide and have created many original compositions and arrangements.
Touring worldwide is an integral part of the group’s schedule. They’ve been to many places in the U.S. as well as Canada, Japan, Europe, Australia, the Middle East, the Soviet Union and South America.
But there’s more to their agenda than just touring and performing. The group places a high value on teaching and mentoring students and musicians of all levels. They hold masterclasses regularly, and they’ve even created their own summer course at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester.
Members of the quintet are Chuck Daellenbach on tuba, Christopher Coletti and Caleb Hudson on trumpet, Achilles Liarmakopoulos on trombone and Jeff Nelson on horn.
Second year graduate and Fredonia french horn player Jodie White looks up to the group and offered some thoughts on the event.
“Fredonia has always had a way of bringing professional working musicians to campus and the Canadian Brass is no exception. As one of, if not the most famous brass quintet ever formed, I as well as many other students, are excited to hear their stories and learn the determination and dedication needed to be working full time in the music field,” said White.
Brass player or not, students at Fredonia have a lot to say about their excitement for the concert.
“I have known about Canadian Brass for a few years now. After watching many of their performances online, I am excited to finally see them perform live — and in Fredonia. Canadian Brass has a reputation for great variety of repertoire, engaging performances and quality playing,” said pianist and junior music education major Taras Logvis.
For the concert, Fredonia’s faculty member Dr. Ji Hyun Woo will be featured in this event.
“We will play Rimsky- Korsakov’s ‘Procession of Nobles’ and Faure’s ‘Cantique de Jean Racine.’ Neither is arranged by them,” said Woo.
About two years of planning have gone into this event.
Among other faculty members who are especially involved in the process is Jefferson Westwood, the program coordinator and director of Rockefeller Arts Center.
“Jefferson Westwood has been planning this event for two years, and he invited me to play with them (Canadian Brass) to celebrate the Schlicker pipe organ,” Woo said.
Conductor of Wind Symphony, Donna Dolson, has also been especially part of the process.
“She (Dolson) is working hard with our brass students to prepare for the Canadian Brass event,” said Barry Kilpatrick, professor of Trombone and Euphonium.
The concert will be held in the King Concert Hall, from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Sept. 21.
There will also be a Master Class in King Concert Hall, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Sept. 20.
The event has been funded by the Williams Visiting Professorship Endowment of the Fredonia College Foundation.