December 23, 2012, 2:00pm-4:00pm in the Richardson Auditorium in Alexander Hall

Students still on campus on December 23^rd are in for a musical treat, and one of the brass variety. Part of the university’s holiday public events schedule, the Princeton Brass Ensemble will be playing “A Holiday in Brass,” a musical concert featuring a selection of popular holiday songs and a New Year’s medley.

The Princeton Brass Ensemble is only two years old, founded in May 2001 by a group of freshmen brass instrument players. Their first performance was at the 2010 Princeton winter concert, where their performance was very well received by students. Since then, the group has grown from its humble beginnings to become a major musical presence in New Jersey, Philadelphia, and the greater New England region; the band regularly books performances outside of Princeton at community centers, other colleges, schools, and private events. According to its promotional brochure, the band’s “signature style is that of great energy and exuberance” – probably helped along by boisterous brass instruments and percussion. The group is conducted by Dr. Stephen Arthur Allen, who serves as resident conductor, composer, and music director.

The Princeton Brass Ensemble is a group in the “British-style” as opposed to the “American-style” brass ensemble. American-style brass bands are typically of the jazz variety, while British-style brass bands are characterized by a range of both brass and percussion instruments and are considered a more modern form of the traditional brass ensemble. Typical instrumentation includes a soprano cornet, a flugelhorn, and a bass trombone; and several tenor horns, baritones, tenor trombones, euphoniums, basses, and percussion. The current 2012-2013 Princeton Brass Ensemble leadership includes two euphoniums, two French Horns, three trombones, one trumpet, one tuba, and one percussion player. While the current ensemble does not follow the British-style in the strictest sense (limited by which instruments members actually play), it is still a British-style brass band in the sense that its instruments are a mix of brass and percussion instruments.

On its website, the band’s sound is described as “vibrant and dynamic … yet one that is free of hard edges.” This rounded out tone is due to the fact that all of their instruments have a conical shape, rather than cylindrical (with the exception of the trombone).

Its musical style follows more in the range of British-style as well, with its modern flair and more contemporary musical repertoire. The music selection for performances is always decided by current membership. Over the years, the band has shown that far from being confined to a single genre, its repertoire extends to anything and everything. The Princeton Brass Ensemble has played everything from “Pirates of the Caribbean” by Hans Zimmer to music from the “Canadian Book of Advanced Quintets.”  Many of the pieces are arranged by members within the ensemble.

Since its humble beginnings, the group has now become a fixture at various university events, including the Admissions and Administration receptions, Dean’s Date events, the Rocky Classical Music Hour, Open House, and Holiday Caroling Around Campus. The group is a member of the North American Brass and Association (NABBA) and competed for the first time in 2005 in the Honors section and winning the title in 2011.

Will you be going to see the “Holiday in Brass” concert? Let us know in the comments!

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