The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Music will present its third annual Brass Symposium on Friday, Feb. 14, and Saturday, Feb. 15. The Brass Symposium is a two-day event with clinics, rehearsals and performances by high school and college students. Featured clinicians this year include GR Mouthpieces consultant Alexa Yates and Alabama Symphony Orchestra members David Pandolfi, principal horn; Andy Miller, principal tuba; and Ryan Barwise, second trumpet, along with UAB brass faculty.Highlights of the UAB Brass Symposium are the high school honors ensembles. Students will prepare pieces for performance in an all-brass-instrument environment, where specific techniques involved with improving brass listening and ensemble skills are taught. The honors ensembles are open to all motivated trumpet, trombone, horn, euphonium and tuba players of high school age, with recommendation from their directors. Recommendations can be either in the form of a letter accompanying the registration form or an email, which should be sent to jzingara@uab.edu. Exceptional eighth-grade students may also participate.
Registration for the Brass Symposium is $50 and includes seven hours of instruction, three clinics, a Friday evening faculty recital, a medal and a 2014 Symposium T-shirt. Those in the honors ensemble will be featured in the Saturday afternoon Festival of Brass Concert and will participate in the mass finale concert with the UAB Brass Choir. The registration deadline is Feb. 7.
Two free, public performances will be offered. The UAB Faculty Brass Quintet featuring James Zingara and Steven Roberts, trumpets; Martin Cochran, euphonium; Jeff Koonce, trombone; and Scott Robertson, tuba, will perform at 8 p.m. Feb. 14 at UAB’s Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center, 1200 10th Ave. South.
The culminating Festival of Brass Concert will take place in UAB’s Mary Culp Hulsey Recital Hall, 950 13th St. South, at 3 p.m. Feb. 15. This program will feature the UAB Brass Choir under the direction of Zingara, with ensembles and several honors brass ensembles made up of area high school students. The event will conclude with a mass finale of more than 100 performers. Admission to both concerts is free and open to the public, although seating is limited. For further information, please call Zingara at 205-934-6625 or email jzingara@uab.edu. Visit the UAB Department of Music online at www.uab.edu/cas/music.