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The 2013 festival just concluded. You may wish to bookmark this link to attend the next one, it was an excellent event with a number of great performances. Roger Lewis had about ten new Miraphone horns there and I was the early bird alone in the room. I would have paid 40 dollars just to do that.

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Especially since I'm from the Chicago area, I sooo regret that my work schedule prevented me from attending. I've heard from several of my brass colleagues that it was an excellent experience. One high brass player was particularly impressed with Oystein Baadsvik's performance.

But on the bright side...

I am glad that my employer not only permits, but ENCOURAGES me to take time off from the store so that I can accept paid performance engagements--some of which require significant driving distance and/or multiple days with rehearsals, etc. But that also means that I need to budget those days off. Elective, non-compensating activities such as attendance at the Chicago Brass Festival are sacrificed when other performance opportunities are on the horizon within the same 12-month period.

Did Roger have the Siegfried in the Miraphone display? Impressions...especially from those who tried a Siegfried for the first time?

Since Chicago Brass Band performed, did Yamaha show their Neo series of horns aimed at brass banders? How was the BBb bass in the Neo series? I've never seen a review of the Neo series from an American since brass bands, wile growing in popularity in the States, are still more prevalent in other parts of the world.

I did not see Yamaha there so I didn't get a chance to play any. Unfortunately I was not able to bring the Siegfried due to space issues in the truck. I did have quite a few horns there though: the Norwegian Star, the 5050 and 1258 euphoniums, the 1291 BBb, the 186 BBb and CC, a gold brass 188, the 1293 and the Bruckner, the Petrushka and a Firebird. It was a lot of fun and there were a lot of great people to meet. Definitely worth attending.

Roger

The new instruments aimed at brass band players have not penetrated the tuba section in the band. Two are using vintage horns, the rest are modern but unlike each other.

Students prefer a much larger horn than the performers, I learned that much.

The Alliance quintet gave a fine performance, more subdued than the Boston Brass but the polish and preparation was good enough to be exciting to hear. Boston Brass has some frantic arrangements, done well throughout. The degree to which they make it look easy is very impressive.

Rex Richardson raised the bar for trumpets in particular, but for musicians in general too, with both technique and pure gusto. Oystein Baadsvik teaches a wonderful masterclass, and is an entertaining performer as well. I admire his sound and technique very much.