By Dominika Burdova
On Sunday, Jan. 30 at 7:30 p.m., the Gardner-Webb Department of Music hosted Brass Fest featuring the Carolina Brass’s 25th Anniversary concert in Hamrick Hall’s Blanton Auditorium.
The concert kicked off with a song called, “Carolina in the Morning” by Kahn, arranged by Arthur Frackenpohl, followed by “The Phantom of the Opera” by Andrew Lloyd Webber, arranged by Jack Gale.
After an intermission the band continued with the “Trumpet Voluntary.” The second part of the evening was full of songs well-known for the general public while the band wrapped up the night with an outstanding version of a song “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Freddie Mercury, arranged by Seb Skelly, followed by “Just Closer Walk”, arranged by Don Gillis.
The audience could see the top-level artists who performed throughout the whole world.
Members of the band also serve as professors across the area, sharing their knowledge with students. We don’t have to go far to meet one – Tim Hudson is a Yamaha Performing artist and an Associate Professor of Trumpet at Gardner-Webb University. This Indiana University Alumni is a founder of Carolina Brass.
Robert Campbell, who is also a member of the Winston-Salem Symphony, teaches horn at multiple universities including Gardner-Webb, together with David Wulefeck, the Principal trombonist.
Antonio Marti, who has roots in Spain, has many orchestral experiences, including The Tokyo Symphony and JONDE (Youth Spanish National Orchestra), where he was performing among a few talented musicians playing his instrument, trumpet.
On Sunday night we could also see Matt Ransom, the Principal tuba and John R. Beck, a percussionist, a former member of the United States Marine Band.
The next event which is going to be hosted by the Gardner-Webb Department of Music will be the spring musical “Quilters”, directed by Stafford Turner and conducted by Patricia Sparti. You can join the event on Feb. 24 – 26, at 7:30 p.m. and also on Feb. 27, at 2:30 p.m., again in the Dover Theater.