Spring Break
The Center City Brass Quintet invigorates audience
Eric Nigosanti
Issue date: 3/18/09 Section: Focus
The whole audience felt a rush of emotion during the high energy piece "Fire Dance" performed by the Center City Brass Quintet Tuesday at the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts. Originally composed by one of the group's own, Anthony DiLorenzo, the music captured the danger and passion one would associate with such a risky activity. After that high-octane piece, there did not seem to be a musical work that the five-piece ensemble on stage could not handle, including playing adapted arrangements of J.S Bach's "Fantasie" and "Contrapunctus IX."
Although played nothing like Bach could ever have imagined, the CCBQ's brass instruments gave a bolder feeling to the Baroque pieces.
The Center City Brass Quintet is a renowned quintet in its own right, but individually, the members of CCBQ have earned their own acclaim, proven by the positions they all hold at major music conservatories and universities. The ensemble includes: Anthony DiLorenzo and Geoffrey Hardcastle on trumpet, Richard King on the horn, Steven Witser on trombone and Craig Knox on tuba. It is also noteworthy that Tuesday was the homecoming performance of tuba player Knox, who was born and raised in Storrs and was also the spokesman of the group that night.
"I loved the whole performance and I also liked the local leader from Storrs," said UConn civil engineering professor Norman Garrick.
A piece that showed off each member's individual talent was the three-movement piece "Quintet" by 20th-century composer Sir Malcolm Arnold. This piece highlighted the contrast between the low sounds of the trombone and tuba versus the higher sounds of the trumpet. "Quintet" also had a variety of styles, from smooth melodies, to harsher chords and ending with a staccato rhythm.
"I liked the piece 'Quintet,' where everything is playing off each other," said Joseph Bushey, a civil engineering professor. "I also thought the leader (Knox) was very charismatic and added a local flavor to the performance."
Although played nothing like Bach could ever have imagined, the CCBQ's brass instruments gave a bolder feeling to the Baroque pieces.
The Center City Brass Quintet is a renowned quintet in its own right, but individually, the members of CCBQ have earned their own acclaim, proven by the positions they all hold at major music conservatories and universities. The ensemble includes: Anthony DiLorenzo and Geoffrey Hardcastle on trumpet, Richard King on the horn, Steven Witser on trombone and Craig Knox on tuba. It is also noteworthy that Tuesday was the homecoming performance of tuba player Knox, who was born and raised in Storrs and was also the spokesman of the group that night.
"I loved the whole performance and I also liked the local leader from Storrs," said UConn civil engineering professor Norman Garrick.
A piece that showed off each member's individual talent was the three-movement piece "Quintet" by 20th-century composer Sir Malcolm Arnold. This piece highlighted the contrast between the low sounds of the trombone and tuba versus the higher sounds of the trumpet. "Quintet" also had a variety of styles, from smooth melodies, to harsher chords and ending with a staccato rhythm.
"I liked the piece 'Quintet,' where everything is playing off each other," said Joseph Bushey, a civil engineering professor. "I also thought the leader (Knox) was very charismatic and added a local flavor to the performance."
Be the first to comment on this story