It’s all about the music.
Maestro Denis Colwell may not compare his “old-fashioned” style to chart topper Eminem, but to him the music is enough.
“I’m not a celebrity who is going to bring in 16,000 people or get on stage and dance,” Colwell said. “That’s not what we do. For us, it’s all about the music.”
It is a collection of upbeat tunes and a wide variety of musical styles that made the River City Brass Band so popular, even today.
The band, led by director and conductor Denis Colwell, was founded in 1981, in Pittsburgh. They have played all over the country and are one of the few brass bands left in America.
The combination of 25 brass players and three percussionists give the band the ability to play music ranging from swing to classical masterpieces and even Broadway show tunes.
The River City Brass Band will take the stage tonight at 8 p.m. in Kobacker Hall at the Moore Musical Arts Center.
Tickets are still available for students and the public, and can be purchased at the door for $38, $30, or $22, depending on the location of seat. Today at noon student tickets will be available for $10 with a valid BGSU ID at the box office.
The band will be the first concert to kick-off this year’s Festival Series, and is one of 500 activities planned throughout the year.
The concert will include pieces conducted by Leonard Berstein, Morton Gould, and a piece from the musical, Showboat.
The River City Brass Band will also perform a special collaboration with students from the Bowling Green Wind Ensemble.
This gives aspiring students the opportunity to play with professionals and learn in the process.
Bruce Moss, director of the Wind Ensemble, said his students realize the importance of this concert and are up for the challenge.
The River City Brass Band will arrive today leaving the two bands little practice time together.
“The students know that people are paying money to see them play,” Moss said. “I keep telling them, you can’t afford to screw up. I know when it comes time, they’ll go great.”
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