Brass quintet conducts clinic with Florida university students

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Adam M. Stump
  • Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AFNS) --  The U.S. Air Force Ceremonial Brass Quintet performed a clinic for 25 students from Palm Beach Atlantic University during a visit to the school Jan. 20 here.

The clinic involved the members of the Brass Quintet playing five pieces for the students, answering questions, and then working with the university's brass quintet to improve their playing style.

During the question-and-answer session, Tech. Sgt. Josh Lies, a trumpeter with the brass quintet, told the students that working together as a collective group is an important part of how the Ceremonial Brass Quintet improves. One of the other brass quintet members said another important aspect to improving was the age-old message of practice.

"Playing together is important," said Tech. Sgt. Aaron Moats, a trombonist with the ceremonial brass. "You can get a group of great musicians together who have never played together and they may be technically accurate, but it isn't exciting."

The reason, Moats explained, is the need for each member to be comfortable and improve in a group setting, which he said can be done by techniques like playing with eyes closed to listen to the music more clearly or pointing the instruments in different directions to hear a different sound.

Jacob Diedwardo, a senior and French horn major and a member of the brass quintet at the university, said the clinic was eye opening and greatly improved his group's performance.

"We had a great time playing with them," Diedwardo said. "We noticed a tremendous change in how we played from when we started to when we finished."

Master Sgt. Brett Miller, a French hornist with the brass quintet, said the community outreach program is a valuable part of the U.S. Air Force Band's mission.

"This was a fantastic experience," Miller said. "We try to steer them to be the best possible musician they can be. From what I saw, they have some very solid players."

The university's percussion instructor said having the brass quintet was a valuable experience for the students.

"You could hear the results," said Owen Seward. "The critiques and information was excellent. The students got something very positive out of this. It was a musical growth experience for them."

The ceremonial brass is nearing the end of its winter tour, with the theme of "American Song and Cinema." The tour features a world premier of a new work commissioned by the band and dedicated to the Tuskegee Airmen entitled "Red Tail Skirmish" by composer Bruce Yurko.

The Tuskegee Airmen were the first African American military aviators in the U.S. armed forces who trained in Tuskegee, Ala. Serving during World War II in the Army Air Corps, these Airmen were subject to racial discrimination. Despite these adversities, the Tuskegee Airmen -- referred to as "Red Tails" or "Red Tail Angels" because of the distinctive crimson pain on the tail section of their aircraft -- trained and flew with distinction, receiving the Congressional Gold Medal for valor and performance.

"Red Tail Skirmish" is a musical epic that depicts the tension, thrill and excitement of an aerial dogfight through a fast-paced work for the brass and percussion ensemble.

The program also features a Glenn Miller Medley entitled "Miller Time," arranged by former ceremonial brass member David Bandman, a retired master sergeant. The group is also playing a medley of works by film composer and former Air Force Band member John Williams entitled "Epic Themes."

The ceremonial brass' NCO in charge said the first show came off as a major success. The origins of the ceremonial brass trace back to 1964 when The United States Air Force Headquarters Command Band was incorporated into The U.S. Air Force Band as a ceremonial unit. It became an all-brass and percussion ensemble in 1985 and was renamed The Ceremonial Brass.

Since those early years, it has evolved into an organization consisting of world-class brass players, percussionists and a drum major. The ceremonial brass represent all Airmen while standing on the tarmac for the arrival of heads of state; providing full-honors during state funerals; and, marching down Pennsylvania Avenue during presidential inaugural parades.