Canadian Brass at The Markham Theatre

Five tremendous brass musicians — each a virtuoso in his own right — form the legendary Canadian Brass. With an international reputation as one of the most popular brass ensembles today, Canadian Brass has truly earned the distinction of “the world’s most famous brass group.”  The Markham Theatre is delighted to present an evening of light classics, jazz and popular melodies from – Bach to Dixeland, as the Canadian Brass present an program that includes Scheidt’s Galliard Battaglia, Canzon Prima a 5 by Giovanni Gabrieli, Chorale Prelude No. 10 and Waltzes for Piano by, and the Hungarian Dance No. 7 from Johannes Brahms; Tribute to the Ballet and Killer Tango  both by Sonny Kompanek, Del Staigers’ Carnival of Venice and a trio of pieces from J.S. Bach including "Little" Fugue in G minor, Dixie Bach and Air on a G String.

 

Friends Chuck Daellenbach and Gene Watts first came together in 1970 to form a brass quintet — a chamber music setting not entirely new, but never before having garnered the success and storied career Canadian Brass would achieve over the next 40 years. Initially, Gene took on the role of developing new repertoire while Chuck was the moving force in marketing, publishing and managing the group. Three empty chairs were quickly filled and together, the group’s imagination and consummate musicianship elevated the art of the brass quintet to what it is today. Here was not only an opportunity to explore the possibilities of an all-brass chamber group but a challenge to bring the sound and the excitement of brass music to new audiences.

 

With a discography of over 90 albums and an extensive world-wide touring schedule, Canadian Brass is an important pioneer in bringing brass music to mass audiences everywhere. They have sold well over 2 million albums worldwide, and are notably the first brass ensemble from the West to perform in the People’s Republic of China (where they returned for a 5-city tour to great acclaim in the spring of 2010) as well as the first brass group to take the stage at the venerable Carnegie Hall. They have also performed in Australia, the Middle East, the Soviet Union and South America. On numerous occasions Canadian Brass has been invited by the Canadian Government to play for visiting heads of states, becoming one of Canada’s greatest resources and musical ambassadors. Millions of television viewers have had Canadian Brass come into their homes with appearances on The Tonight Show, Today and Entertainment Tonight. They have appeared as guest artists on Evening at Pops with John Williams and the Boston Pops, Beverly Sills’ Music Around the World, numerous PBS specials, including a celebrated appearance on Sesame Street, and are frequent guests of many major symphony orchestras.

Canadian Brass is Chuck Daellenbach (tuba), Christopher Coletti and Brandon Ridenour (trumpets), Achilles Liarmakopoulos (trombone) and Eric Reed (horn).