Washington Symphonic Brass makes its Strathmore debut with a festive holiday program conducted by National Philharmonic Maestro Piotr Gajewski. Founded 16 years ago by the late Milton Stevens and Phil Snedecor, the nation’s premier brass ensemble is composed of virtuoso musicians from the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra and U.S. service bands.
Trumpet player Snedecor, a member of BSO, is the ensemble’s music director and masterful arranger of a diverse repertoire spanning five centuries. He is equally gifted as the composer of numerous works heard in concert and on recordings.
“We’ve planned an exciting program of Christmas and Hanukkah favorites as well as some things that are out of the box,” Snedecor says. “There will be excerpts from Bach’s ‘Christmas Oratorio’ and traditional English songs like ‘Greensleeves,’ the ‘Wexford Carol’ and ‘A Little Barley Corne.’ Although Respighi’s ‘Ancient Airs and Dances’ isn’t specifically a holiday work, it’s very festive court-type music from the Renaissance.”
Snedecor’s imaginative arrangements transform the sound of 17 brass players into a full symphony by reproducing parts originally written for all orchestra members, even strings.
The ensemble’s six recordings have something for everyone. “Dances With Brass” encompasses symphonic dances by such odd companions as Björk, de Falla, Ginastera, Shostakovich, Bernstein and Prima. “Nielsen on Brass” features works by prolific Danish composer Carl Nielsen with organ accompaniment.
Following the Strathmore concert, WSB next offers “Great Music for the Cathedral” with organist Paul Skevington and the Fairfax Choral Society. The season ends on a note of vivid contrast with “Classic Rock: For Brass” featuring trumpet soloist Vincent DiMartino and the music of Chicago, Queen, Pink Floyd and other hit songs from the musicians’ younger years. Both concerts will be held at National Presbyterian Church in Washington and major venues in Virginia and Maryland.
If you go
The National Philharmonic presents the Washington Symphonic Brass in a Special Holiday Brass Concert conducted by Maestro Piotr Gajewski
Where: Music Center at Strathmore
When: 7:30 p.m. Monday
Info: $29 to $40, free for children ages 7 to 17; 301-581-5100; strathmore.org
