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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 Chautauqua Institution, 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
Hidden Perspectives
Chris E. Hass – You Do You
Zoe Cutler – Personality Test
Ryan Jones – Sleepy Hollow
Edgar Girtain – Thank You For Your Service
– Intermission –
Gilson Santos – Maculele
Reena Esmail – Khirkiyaan
Florence Maunders – Fleeting Images
"Hidden Perspectives" showcases some of our favorite brass quintet repertoire that has not yet made its way into the traditional canon. Written in the 21st century, the music represents a wide array of identities and experiences. Central to Mirari’s mission is highlighting works written by unknown or emerging composers, 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 musically depicting one of five different personality types as defined by the composer. There is humor, virtuosity, and a variety of styles in this clever, engaging multi-movement work. Along with Chris Evan Hass’s joyful You do You, the contemplative Sleepy Hollow by Ryan H. Jones, and Edgar Girtain’s somber, reflective Thank You For Your Service sheds light on some relatively unknown composers who bring their artistry and fresh perspective to chamber repertoire.
The concert features two winners of Mirari’s Call for Scores Competition. First is the exciting Maculele by Gilson Santos and Fleeting Images by Florence Maunders, a driving, high-energy closing piece inspired by UK club/electronic music. We round out the second half with Reena Esmail’s richly evocative Khirkiyaan. This program delicately balances innovative repertoire with listener satisfaction so that it is appropriate for any audience.
Mind the Gap
Jennifer Higdon – Fanfare
Jan Koetsier – Quintet
Vittoria Aleotti – Madrigals
Florence Maunders – Fleeting Images
– Intermission –
Anthony Barfield – Gravity
Ryan H. Jones – Sleepy Hollow
Cait Nishimura – When Clouds Break
Collier Jones – Four Movements for Five Brass
“Mind the Gap” is inspired by the phrase delivered to passengers traveling on the London Underground (AKA “the tube”). Intended as a warning, the phrase is repeated at every stop to help riders traverse the space between the stationary platform and the moving train. With this program, we explore the space between standard and innovative, groundbreaking repertoire, displaying that both can exist side-by-side in complete harmony.
Brass quintet classics like Jan Koetsier’s Quintet and Charles Collier Jones’s Four Movements for Five Brass anchor the two halves of the program, while newer works are incorporated to create a seamless concert celebrating music for brass quintet. Sleepy Hollow and a set of madrigals, arranged by Mirari trombonist Sarah Paradis, feature expressive lyricism while Anthony Barfield’s Gravity and Jennifer Higdon’s Fanfare deliver the virtuosity and power one expects from a brass quintet. Fleeting Images won Mirari’s Call for Scores Competition in 2021, and Cait Nishimura’s When Clouds Break is a new addition to our repertoire. We are delighted to champion these impressive new works. “Mind the Gap” is a winning juxtaposition of old and new, standard and innovative.
Celebrated Classics
J.S. Bach – Contrapunctus IX
Victor Ewald – Brass Quintet No. 1
Michael Kamen – Quintet
Jan Koetsier – Quintet
- Intermission -
Wilke Renwick – Dance
Collier Jones – Four Movements for Five Brass
Alexander Arutiunian – Armenian Scenes
Rodgers & Hammerstein – The Sound of Music
"Celebrated Classics" is our nod to the long and storied history of the brass quintet. We feature concert music with traditional structures and tonal language. Spanning from the sublime to the profane; from the absolute to the programmatic, Mirari takes the audience on a journey that begins with Bach and ends with a musical. What you have here is truly a “greatest hits” playlist for brass quintet.
This program begins with a composer who may need little to no introduction. A transcription of J.S. Bach’s Contrapunctus IX sets the tone for what the brass quintet is capable of achieving in concert. Next is one of the earliest pieces written for the ensemble, the Quintet No. 1 by the Russian Romantic composer Victor Ewald. Michael Kamen’s short, expressive Quintet emphasizes the ensemble’s warmth and lyricism. The first half concludes with the charming and memorable Quintet by Jan Koetsier.
The vibrant Dance by Wilke Renwick leads to the standard Four Movements for Five Brass by Collier Jones. Noted for its neoclassical style, one might think they are hearing music written by Mozart, Haydn, or Beethoven but with a newer, more contemporary flair. What follows is Alexander Arutiunian’s Armenian Scenes, each movement depicting Armenian culture and tradition. What better way to conclude a program than with Jack Gale’s expert arrangement of familiar tunes from The Sound of Music. Yes, you can (and should) sing along if you know the words! This program will delight lovers of more traditional classical chamber music!
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.
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:
- PHRASE AND FLOW
- FEARLESS PERFORMANCE
- INSTRUMENTAL YOGA
- THE ENTERPRISING ARTIST
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.
Pursuing 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!