Great American Brass Band Festival
announces 2013 theme
DANVILLE, Ky. - "Slides Rule," a celebration of the trombone, serves as principal theme for the 24th annual Great American Brass Band Festival in Danville, Ky., June 7-9, 2013.
Considered by some 'The King of Instruments," the trombone plays a major role in brass bands, and will be especially featured throughout the weekend.
Top-flight exponents of the 'slush pump' like Wycliffe Gordon and Scott Hartmann - along with the Millennium Brass, Brett Baker (England), and bass trombonist Dr. Martin McCain - will head up an impressive line-up of trombone soloists. Trombone choirs will include both the excellent, award-winning Black Dyke Youth Trombone Quartet from the United Kingdom and the outstanding Commonwealth Trombones, a gathering of trombone professors and selected top students from nearly every Kentucky university music department.
The GABBF always has a strong patriotic component, one that will be filled in stellar fashion by one of America's finest military bands, the U.S. Army Field Band and Chorus from Washington, D.C., which is making its first appearance at the GABBF. Traditional favorites in the wind band category include the host Advocate Brass Band and the 202nd Army Band.
The array of brass bands for 2013 runs the gamut from the professional River City Brass Band of Pittsburgh, Pa. to several superb New Orleans jazz brass bands, including the return of Stooges Brass Band.
British-style brass bands have always made the festival one of the best in the world and this year the groups will include the Georgia Brass Band, Lexington (KY) Brass Band, and from Kansas City, the Fountain City Youth Brass Band.
Every year, an excellent Salvation Army brass band comes to town, and this year the Oshawa Temple Band from Ontario, Canada will carry on that great tradition. The band will fill its major role in the Sunday morning worship service.
The Festival will host once again a Brass Symposium during the day Friday - this year, focused on the trombone and its music. Bayou and Brass follows that evening in downtown Danville, with lots for everyone to enjoy. All the concerts throughout Saturday and Sunday are free and open to the public. The festival closes with a Grand Finale in Newlin Hall Sunday afternoon, featuring our guest trombonists and the US. Army Field Band and Chorus in what should be a true musical spectacular.
Complete schedules and details will be listed on
gabbf.org.
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