Recital
Wednesday, April 12, 2023
7:00 p.m., Holsclaw Hall, $10 Admission
Community engagement event
Thursday, April 13, 2023
9:00-10:00 a.m., Tanque Verde High School
UA masterclass
Thursday, April 13, 2023
11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Room 232, Fred Fox School of Music
Free Admission
Seraph Brass was founded by trumpet soloist Mary Elizabeth Bowden with the mission of elevating and showcasing the excellence of female brass players and highlighting musicians from marginalized groups both in personnel and in programming. Winners of the American Prize in Chamber Music, the group has been praised for their “beautiful sounds” (American Record Guide), “fine playing” (Gramophone), and “staggeringly high caliber of performance” (Textura). Now in its ninth touring season, Seraph primarily performs as a quintet, with a dynamic roster drawing from America’s top brass musicians. The group is currently in residency at the Walton Art Center’s Artosphere Festival, alongside the Dover Quartet. Seraph Brass is a Yamaha Performing Group and performs exclusively on Yamaha instruments.
2022-23 performance highlights include Anthony DiLorenzo’s Chimera for brass quintet and orchestra with the Florence Symphony in November, and performances at Chamber Music Raleigh, Chautauqua Institution, University of Toronto, Asheville Chamber Music Series, National Gallery of Art in D.C., Diehn Concert Series in Norfolk, UNC Greensboro, and extensive touring around the United States through Live On Stage. In 2023, Seraph will premiere the world premiere of a brass quintet with wind ensemble arrangement of Anthony DiLorenzo’s Chimera at the 2023 American Trombone Workshop with the United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own.” They will also perform the world premiere of a new concerto commission by Jennifer Jolley for Brass Quintet and Wind Ensemble with Texas Tech University. The group will return to Lieksa Brass week in Finland in Summer 2023.
Seraph performs a diverse body of repertoire, ranging from original transcriptions to newly commissioned works and core classics. The group has commissioned new pieces by Catherine McMichael and Rene Orth; both featured on the Silver Medal Global Music Award-winning debut album Asteria, along with Wolf for solo soprano and brass quintet by Joseph Hallman. The group regularly participates in commissioning consortiums, recently supporting works by Kevin Day, Mischa Zupko, and Lillian Yee. Seraph’s concerto performances have included Rick DeJonge’s Prelude and Fantasy and James Stephenson’s Dodecafecta.
Members of Seraph Brass are passionate about music education, and hold teaching positions at the University of North Texas, Shenandoah Conservatory, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In each of their tours, the group works to provide educational outreach to local schools, and they also offer a variety of entrepreneurship and career development workshops, in addition to traditional brass pedagogy and technique master classes.
Seraph has toured around the world, including performances at the Tafalla Brass Week in Spain, Lieksa Brass Week in Finland, the Busan Maru International Music Festival in South Korea, the Forum Cultural Guanajuato in Mexico, International Women’s Brass Conference, the International Trumpet Guild Conference, and a two-week tour across China. Recent touring highlights have included shows and residencies at the Lyric Chamber Music Society in NYC, Interlochen Arts Academy, Virginia Arts Festival, University of North Carolina School for the Arts, Michigan State University, Sarasota’s Artist Series Concerts, Dame Myra Hess Concert Series in Chicago, and Del Valle Fine Arts Presents in California. The group has also toured extensively as Allied Concert Services artists.
Members of Seraph Brass have performed with such esteemed ensembles as the London Symphony Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Boston Pops, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Marlboro Music Festival, Lucerne Music Festival in Switzerland, Britt Festival Orchestra, Richmond Symphony, Chameleon Arts Ensemble, and the Daejeon Philharmonic. Many members of Seraph Brass performed with Adele on her North American tour.
“Fine playing”
Gramophone Magazine
“This is a very fine brass quintet that makes beautiful sounds. “
American Record Guide
“As an ensemble, Seraph Brass delivers music both bright and warm, consistently
playing with satisfying tone qualities that, when delivered at their skill levels, make
brass music endearing.”
Harold Duckett, KnoxTNToday
“The high caliber of the playing is often staggering (see the high-energy roller-coaster of a ride that is Dilorenzo’s three-and-a-half-minute Go), and the recording also benefits from democratic representation. The trumpeters naturally form a front line, but Asteria is a recording where trombone, horn, and tuba are as prominently featured; certainly no small amount of credit for that must go to those responsible for the seven pieces’ arrangements. One comes away from the release marveling at the performances and the rich, soaring sound generated by the five musicians.”
Textura Magazine
“High notes, low notes, fast notes, slow notes: Seraph Brass can play them all and with remarkable skill.”
Gale Rose, Pratt Tribune
“The musical resumes of the members of Seraph Brass were highly impressive and their performing skills reflected as much. As someone who appreciates diversity of musical styles, an evening with Seraph Brass left me feeling richer, both intellectually and emotionally.”
McPherson Sentinel
“Seraph Brass is the next Boston or Canadian Brass.”
President of the Gallup Concert Association
“A great blend of fresh sounds and strong musicality.”
Jose Sibaja, Boston Brass
“Walls continue to crumble in the classical music world where women are still under-represented in professional orchestras and all the more so in the principal positions and brass sections. Five visually striking women in formal attire with shining brass instruments playing on a caliber above most of their male counterparts rang a note of victory in my heart. “
Gayle Williams, Sarasota Herald-Tribune