Old Pueblo Brass Band In Tucson, AZ USA since 1996

The Old Pueblo Brass Band was formed by its members in 1996 under the baton of J. Franklin Dow, director emeritus. The British format for a brass band was utilized with the use of Cornets instead of trumpets, alto and tenor horns instead of French horn, for example. The usual instrumentation of the band consist of 27 players. This in the English tradition, with a full complement of players, generally comprises 8-10 cornets (including 1 soprano), 1 flugelhorn, 3 tenor horns, 2 baritones, 2 euphoniums, 3 trombones (2 tenors and 1 bass), 4 tubas (2 Eb and 2 Bb ) and percussion. The Old Pueblo Brass Band has its roots in Tucson's desert, but its musical heart beats in the fine brass tradition of Britain. The ensemble bills itself as a British-style brass band, which in its truest sense means that instruments are limited to cornets, flugelhorns, tenor horns, baritones, euphoniums, trombones, tubas and percussion as noted above. No trumpets or French horns here. That's how founder J. Franklin Dow intended it when he formed the band in 1996. His widow, Martha, says the 28-musician ensemble, under the direction of conductor Barbara Chinworth, plays five or six concerts a year, most of them at nursing homes or private events. Music written for Brass Band allows a varied program of traditional tunes, themes, music from Broadway musicals, marches as well as other favorites for your enjoyment. The formula for introducing the British Brass Band to the American Scene was something old, something new. The British Brass Band appeared first in England in 1815 and is thriving today around the world. The something new is musically fresh original compositions as well as stimulating arrangements of familiar and well known transcriptions of classical literature, which are creating a lot of interest across the United States. At this time, there are two British style Brass Bands in the state of Arizona, the Salt River Brass in Phoenix and the Old Pueblo Brass Band in Tucson.

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history - 23 July 2007