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Kids get a musical lesson
The internationally acclaimed Dallas Brass ensemble traveled to Fort Scott on Tuesday and spent the day offering workshops and rehearsals for local musicians prior to their evening performance.
The esteemed ensemble performed at the Danny and Willa Ellis Family Fine Arts Center on the Fort Scott Community College campus last night as part of their "Music in Schools" tour which brings the group to communities and schools across the country. As part of the program, the Dallas Brass offered a workshop for local musicians and student rehearsals throughout the day yesterday.
The FSCC band, the Fort Scott High School band and a select handful of Fort Scott Middle School band students accompanied the Dallas Brass in performing "An American Tableau" -- a medley tribute to America.
During the rehearsal, group founder Michael Levine said the performance was the first of its kind.
"We are so excited to be here today. We've been looking forward to this for I don't know, like a year," Levine told students on Tuesday afternoon during rehearsals. "You all are a very special group for a number of reasons. For one, the fact that we have college students, high school students and middle school students all playing together and that has never happened before so I'm like really excited."
After the group rehearsal, the Dallas Brass gave students a preview of the night's performance before conversing informally with the young musicians.
The ensemble also heard FSHS band students perform their pieces for an upcoming music festival and offered tips and advice.
Founded in 1983, the ensemble includes the director, Levine, on trombone; D.J. Barraclough, trumpet; Chad Willis, trumpet; Juan Berrios, French and alto horn; Paul Carlson, tuba; and Sergio Carreno, percussion. The group's repertoire includes classical masterpieces, Dixieland, swing, Broadway, Hollywood and patriotic music. They've released six recordings and have appeared worldwide.