On March 20, the ETSU Music Department presented the Faculty Brass Quintet at the ETSU Martin Center for the Arts.
The performance included faculty Brett Long, Sean Donovan, Justin Waller and Steph Frye-Clark, as well as guest Zach Silberschlag, principal trumpet of the Hawaii Symphony. The recital included pieces dating from the 16th century, up to a more modern era. Although the performance lacked a live audience, it was livestreamed online from Powell Recital Hall.
“Initially our student recitals were all recorded, as required by our NASM standards, and then we began to livestream events in an effort to share what we were doing from inside,” Cindy Godwin said, events coordinator for the ETSU Department of Music. “It has allowed us to continue to perform and provide a way for those people who want to view our events an outlet to do so.”
The quintet, which includes two trumpets, a horn, a trombone and a tuba filled the recital hall with rich sounds and a range of different voices due to the diverse nature of the brass family. All the pieces complemented each other nicely, creating a good flow from one song to the next. Even though the time periods of the music differentiates, the stylization of the music showed that there are no gaps in the timeless art.
Added effects in the last piece of the program, Escape, composed by Kevin McKee, provided a flourish to the closing of the recital. The musicians switch between their original instruments and a series of percussion instruments, such as drum, triangle and tambourine. The contrast between the complex, rich brass sounds and rhythms with subtle percussion influences brought out a lasting influence for the rest of the performance.
The Faculty Brass Quintet is still available to view, along with other music department performances, on the ETSU Music Department YouTube channel.
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