Courtesy of the Office of Cultural Affairs

The River City Brass Band consists of 28 members 10 of which are cornetists,
four tuba players, three trombonists, three horn players, two euphoniums, three
percussionists, one fluegel-horn player and two singers. The ensemble plays
more than 100 concerts a year, with over half being played in their homestate of Pennsylvania alone.

River City Brass Band pays first visit to Boone

Janelle Silverman - Entertainment Beat

Nationally acclaimed River City Brass Band will perform Friday at 8 p.m. in Farthing Auditorium, presented as part of the 2001-02 Performing Arts Series by the Office of Cultural Affairs.

The 28-member brass ensemble consists of 10 cornetists, four tuba players, three trombonists, three horn players, two euphoniums, three percussionists, one fluegel-horn player and two singers, according to a press release from the Office of Cultural Affairs.

The band is originally based out of Pennsylvania and made its debut in 1981 under director and founder Bob Bernat at the Pittsburgh Symphony’s British Festival.

The band is currently under the direction of conductor Denis Colwell, who joined the band in 1982 as a cornetist.

Colwell was named associate conductor by Bernat in 1991 and became the conductor in 1994. He is currently the director of the Carnegie Mellon Wind Ensemble at Carnegie Mellon University, where he studied trumpet as an undergraduate and graduate student.

The ensemble is the first American professional concert band to be organized in more than 25 years, according to the press release. River City Brass Band has been touring throughout the United States since 1987 and is currently touring the Southeast, said Denise Ringler, director of marketing and public relations for the Office of Cultural Affairs.

“[The band] took the initiative and contacted us,” said Ringler.

The Pennsylvania Commission on the Arts contacted Cultural Affairs to see if there was room in the Performing Arts program for River City to perform. “They wanted to reach out to North Carolina,” she said.

The band plays 56 concerts a year in Pennsylvania alone and performs 60 or more concerts a year outside its home state, said Ringler.

The ensemble has played at multinational corporate events, the Sydney Opera House and Australia’s Bicentennial Celebration. River City Brass Band has also been awarded grants from the National Endowment of the Arts.

However, the band has never made a trip to Boone. “The brass musicians here are excited about it,” said Ringler. “We haven’t done this branch of music in awhile.”

The band’s performance will focus more on popular music during its show at Farthing, she said. Instead of classical music, River City will perform more traditionally American styles.

Songs such as “America, the Beautiful” and “Georgia on My Mind” will be performed, along with Broadway show tunes and familiar folk songs, said Ringler.

After the Sept. 11 tragedy, the band wants to celebrate the spirit of Americans and play patriotic songs that represent U.S. traditions. The band wants the audience to enjoy itself, rather than be serious, said Ringler. “It will be an evening of entertainment and fun,” she said.
“They are one of the most successful bands performing today.”

Tickets for the performance are $16 for general public, $14 for seniors and Appalachian State University faculty and staff, $8 for students, and $6 for children 12 and younger.

As part of the Performing Arts Series, Appalachian State students can purchase a “Student Flex Card” that can be used for six tickets to any show at a 10 percent discount.

For more information, call 262-4046.