Empire Brass

West High Auditorium
7:30PM
Wednesday, January 28, 2009

The Empire Brass enjoys an international reputation as North America’s finest brass quintet, renowned for its brilliant virtuosity and the unparalleled diversity of its repertoire. The five musicians -- all of whom have held leading positions with major American orchestras -- perform over 100 concerts a year in cities such as New York, Boston, Chicago, Washington, London, Zurich and Tokyo. With their bestselling recordings on the Telarc label they have introduced an even larger audience worldwide to the excitement of brass music from Bach and Handel to jazz and Broadway. They will hold a three day residency, holding 4 workshops throughout the district, as well as an evening concert on Jan 28, 2009 at the West High Auditorium.

"They simply have no competition when it comes to the beauty and clarity and accuracy and balance and interaction of their playing--the first phrase of any Empire Brass performance live or on recording sends a thrill of pleasure through your nervous system."

-- Boston Globe

"If there is a brass quintet that has more charisma, virtuosity and imagination than the Empire Brass, it hasn't yet played Chicago. "

-- Chicago Tribune

"Lavishly endowed in technique and musicianship. Individually and collectively they proved brilliantly virtuosic, with lips of steel and willing, musical spirit. "

-- Los Angeles Times

"The players played and excited, no thrilled the silver-haired Brass buffs just as much as they did the droves of young teeny-boppers who packed Casals Hall. Even in such an outstanding group, the first trumpet was exceptional. Every brass player should try to imitate the beauty of his style -- the way his vibrato made the tone sing, and the extraordinarily sensitive way he shaped each note. "

-- Tokyo Japan Times

"...astounding virtuosity, amazing agility, wonderful purity of tone."

-- New Yorker