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Artist WebsiteBIOGRAPHY
Engaging and eclectic, the Mirari Brass Quintet brings a spirit of joyful collaboration and innovation to music spanning many centuries and genres. Commissioners of multiple new works for brass, the group performs a spectacular tight-rope act, balancing intensity with levity and refined virtuosity with pure fun.
Founded in 2009, Mirari has performed extensively across the United States, forging connections with audiences through lively and polished performances. The group has performed and presented in 35 states on concert series as well as residencies at numerous universities including Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, University of Utah, University of Tennessee at Knoxville, University of Kentucky, Ohio State University, Cornell University, SUNY-Potsdam, and many more. Mirari has also been featured at a number of major conferences and festivals including the International Tuba and Euphonium Conference, the International Trombone Festival, and the International Trumpet Guild Conference. In 2017, the group made its first international trip to China, performing concerts and presenting educational programs in Beijing, Haerbin, Dalian, and Chongqing.
Since its inception, Mirari has added nearly two dozen works to the brass quintet repertoire, with group members also contributing a number of arrangements and original compositions. Their debut album, Spires, adventurously contextualizes works from the Renaissance and Baroque periods, re-imagines jazz standards, and features their commission from Rome Prize-winner and Guggenheim Fellow Eric Nathan. Their second album, Renewed, Reused, Recycled, features music not originally written for brass quintet and was released by Summit Records in 2018.
Beyond the recording studio, Mirari initiated a consortium between numerous universities and The Ohio State University Wind Symphony, which resulted in Clint Needham’s In These Hallowed Halls, a four movement concerto for brass quintet and wind ensemble. Their most recent project is a Chamber Music America Residency grant to partner with Capital Area Alliance for the Homeless and Community of Note based in Baton Rouge, LA.
In addition to their commitment to outstanding performance, the members of the Mirari Brass Quintet share a unique passion for music education and are all collegiate professors of music. The group spends extended time interacting with young musicians through masterclasses, group and individual instruction, and specialized clinics. Through their educational endeavors, the quintet examines all aspects of life as an artist and helps to foster the development of complete musicians. Individually, the group members have been on faculty at colleges, universities, music festivals and camps all over the United States and overseas. As a way to share their knowledge and experiences with musicians and music lovers alike, Mirari created a podcast, Mirari: UNMUTED, available on Spotify and iTunes.
As a central tenet of the group, and by their name’s definition, all Mirari members share an admiration and respect for each other as performers, educators, and human beings.
PROGRAMS
Mind the Gap
Anthony Di Lorenzo – Go!
Steph Frye-Clarke – Two English Madrigals
Ryan H. Jones – Sleepy Hollow
Eric Ewazen – Colchester Fantasy
- Intermission -
Florence Maunders – Fleeting Images
Joan Tower – Copperwave
Ian Lester – Three Episodes for Brass Quintet
Chick Corea – Spain
“Mind the Gap” is a program inspired by the phrase delivered to passengers on the London Underground (aka “the tube”). The phrase is a warning repeated at every stop to help riders traverse the space between the stationary platform and the moving train. With this program, we traverse the space between standard and innovative, groundbreaking repertoire, displaying that both can exist side-by-side in complete harmony.
With brass quintet standards like Joan Tower’s Copper Wave and Eric Ewazen’s Colchester Fantasy (each movement is named for a British pub!) anchoring the halves of the program, Mirari incorporates new works for quintet by up and coming composers as well. Sleepy Hollow and Four English Madrigals celebrate the lyrical qualities of brass while Tony Di Lorenzo’s Go! and Chick Corea’s Spain bookend the concert with the virtuosity one expects from the brass quintet. Fleeting Images and Ian Lester’s Three Episodes for Brass Quintet were winners of Mirari’s Call for Scores competition in 2021 and 2020, respectively, and we are so excited to champion these amazing new works. This program is the perfect mixture of old and new, standard and innovative.
Hidden Perspectives
Anthony Di Lorenzo – Go!
Anthony Barfield – Gravity
Ryan Jones – Sleepy Hollow
Zoe Cutler – Personality Test
- Intermission -
Florence Maunders – Fleeting Images
Ian Lester – Three Episodes for Brass Quintet
Reena Esmail – Tuttarana from Khirkiyaan
Joan Tower – Copperwave
"Hidden Perspectives" showcases some of our favorite brass quintet repertoire that has not yet made its way into the traditional canon. The repertoire all comes from the 21st century, representing a wide array of identities and experiences. Central to Mirari’s mission is to elevate works by composers from underrepresented populations and this program does just that. Zoe Cutler’s Personality Test serves as the centerpiece of the first half. It features each member of the quintet playing the part of one of what Cutler defines as the five different personality types. There is humor, virtuosity, and a variety of styles in this clever, engaging multi-movement work. Along with Anthony Barfield’s tuneful and rhythmic Gravity, Tony Di Lorenzo’s fiery Go!, and the majestic Sleepy Hollow, the first half brings light to some relatively unknown composers who bring their unique artistry and fresh perspective to chamber repertoire.
The second half begins with two winners of Mirari’s “Call for Scores,” Fleeting Images by Florence Maunders, a driving, high-energy opener inspired by UK club/electronic music and the wildly chaotic but captivating Three Episodes for Brass Quintet by Ian Lester. We close with two incredibly evocative works to close the program, Reena Esmail’s Tuttarana and Joan Tower’s Copperwave. This program delicately balances innovative repertoire with listener satisfaction so that it is appropriate for any audience.
Celebrated Classics
J.S. Bach – My Spirit Be Joyful
Morley Calvert – Suite from the Monteregian Hills
Alex Noppe – Elegy
Victor Ewald – Brass Quintet No. 1
- Intermission -
Wilke Renwick – Dance
Clara Schumann, arr. Luke – 6 Lieder, op. 13
Jan Koetsier – Brass Quintet, Op.65
William Grant Still, arr. Luke – Bayou Home
Leonard Bernstein – Suite from West Side Story
"Celebrated Classics" is our nod to the long and storied history of the brass quintet, and features concert music with traditional structures and tonal language. Spanning from the sublime to the profane; from the absolute to the programmatic, Mirari takes our audience on a journey that begins with Bach and ends with Bernstein.
This program is packed full with masterworks for the brass quintet, including one of the earliest pieces written for the ensemble by the Romantic Russian composer, Victor Ewald. Along with Wilke Renwick’s vibrant Dance, Morley Calvert’s humorous Suite from the Monteregian Hills, and Jan Koetsier’s charming Quintet, this is truly a “greatest hits” playlist for brass quintet. While the majority of the program was written specifically for five brass, we’ve taken some favorite vocal works by composers like William Grant Still and Clara Schumann and have adapted their gorgeous melodies to fit the brass quintet. Sticking with vocal music, the program closes with Jack Gale’s expert arrangement of music from Leonard Bernstein’s masterpiece, West Side Story. For lovers of more traditional classical chamber music, this program is right up your alley!
ENGAGEMENT
Elementary School Outreach
THE SCIENCE OF SOUND
How do brass instruments work? What are the differences between them? How do you make so many sounds? These are some of the questions we are often asked by young students, and we will demonstrate the answers through a range of interactive games
MIRARI BRASS GOES TO THE ZOO!
Story time with the brass quintet. Along with narration, we play two animal-based works for quintet that introduce students of all ages to the sonic possibilities offered by brass instruments. The first, Anthony Plog’s Animal Ditties, is a lighthearted and humorous set of Ogden Nash poetry, featuring such fun movements as the Ant, the Python, the Rhinoceros, and the Mule. The second is “The Race” by Gwyneth Walker, a contemporary retelling of “The Tortoise and The Hare.” We welcome a teacher or school principal to be the narrator for this piece! In the middle of the program, we will have time for questions from the students.
Specialized Lectures/Demonstrations
The Mirari Brass Quintet offers a variety of lecture/demonstrations on more specialized topics. These can be tailored as necessary to suit the needs of any given audience, and can be mixed and matched as well.
Topics include:
- CREATIVE IMPROVISATION
- PHRASE AND FLOW
- FEARLESS PERFORMANCE
- INSTRUMENTAL YOGA
- THE ENTERPRISING ARTIST
- FORM AND FUNCTION: MUSIC OF AND FOR THE PEOPLE
Master Classes
The Mirari Brass Quintet has decades of collective educational experience, and loves to work with students of all levels, whether they specialize in brass or simply have a general interest in music and performance. The Mirari can work one-on-one, with small groups, or with large audiences. In addition to the traditional master class setting, in which specific pieces are used to bring focus to larger performance concepts, the Quintet can also speak as a group on areas of expertise. These topics can be geared towards audiences of all ages and ability levels, and can be mixed and matched to suit the needs of any event:
- BRASS FUNDAMENTALS
- CHAMBER MUSIC FUNDAMENTALS
- MUSIC BUSINESS AND MARKETING
- THE ART OF PERFORMING
Band Clinics
The members of the Mirari Brass have for years worked with students of all ages across the United States and around the world. With your band program, we can set up a customized residency experience with a variety of different activities. Some of these specialized activities are detailed below, but we can also work with the full ensemble on your concert music. We will be happy to sit side-by-side with your students, conduct the ensemble, or make comments Typically a short Mirari Brass performance for your students will accompany a residency. Each of these activities works equally well with high school, junior high, or middle school ensembles.
BREAKOUT SESSIONS
Fundamentals Classes (30 – 60 minutes): We will individually take out the trumpet, horn, and low brass sections and work with them on air support, sound production, articulation, flexibility, and other basic concepts.
Brass Sectionals (30 – 60 minutes): We can work individually with brass sections on their band music, teaching them technical as well as musical concept.
MINI CLINICS FOR THE FULL BAND
Breathing, Posture, and Yoga for Musicians (30-45 minutes): Find out how proper body alignment, air support, and physical fitness can improve music making for everyone! We will take your students through simple stretching and breathing exercises designed to reduce tension and perform with a beautiful sound.
How to Play Music in College (30-45 minutes, High Schools Only): Geared towards any student looking to play music at the college level regardless of their major. Learn about the opportunities available to students, how to select a college, the audition process, and important tips for success as a music major. The members of the Mirari Brass collectively have nearly 50 years of college teaching experience!
Creative Improvisation (30-45 minutes): We will take your students through a variety of games and exercises that build creativity in style and musical expression. They will have opportunities to each be leaders, soloists, and ensemble members and learn how to communicate and collaborate with each other in an experience unlike any they have had before! Students on any instrument or voice can participate and no prior experience in improvisation is necessary.