The St. Louis Brass Band will present the inaugural Gateway British Brass Band Festival in their Missouri home city on the weekend of the 1st/2nd November.

Based at Ritenour High School, the own-choice contest has drawn eight competitors from across the Midwest and Mid-South, making it one of the largest brass band events in the region this year.

Year of planning

Dr. John Bell, Music Director of the St. Louis Brass Band told 4BR: "This event is the culmination of an entire year of planning. We're excited to partner with the North America Brass Band Association (NABBA) to bring this new event to the brass band world and hope to build it so that in future years we attract bands from across the United States."

The festival will also include masterclasses and clinics on the Friday evening, including a session presented by NABBA President Tony Granados and Dr. John Bell on the revised NABBA judging system.

Excited

It is to be used for the first time at the Gateway Festival, with Tony Granados telling 4BR: "NABBA is really excited to welcome and support the new Gateway Brass Band Festival.

With the development of a new scoring approach it will be really fascinating to see how the bands like it."

St. Louis Brass Band, under Dr. Bell, will also perform a concert on Friday evening (8.00pm) featuring Tony Granados as guest conductor and French horn virtuoso Prof J.D. Shaw, courtesy of Conn-Selmer.

Judges

The experienced team of adjudicators for the event include Dr. Kenneth Kroesche, Professor of Low Brass & Music Director for the Oakland University Brass Band, Dr. Sharon Huff, Professor of Euphonium Emeritus, Millikin University, and Professor J.D. Shaw, Professor of Horn at the University of South Carolina.

Dr. Jennifer Moder-Bell, Director of Bands and Associate Professor of Music Education at McKendree University and solo trombone in the St. Louis Brass Band, will serve as the Section Award adjudicator.

NABBA is really excited to welcome and support the new Gateway Brass Band FestivalNABBA President, Tony Granados.

Exceptional

Dr. Moder-Bell added: "The St. Louis Brass Band prides itself on quality performance and education. We are proud that our festival combines both of these aspects so that the participating ensembles not only have an exceptional performance venue in which to perform but also learn from our world class adjudicators."

The events open at 9.00am with the Open/Educational session, with the five band Championship Section starting at 1.30 pm. The Championship Section bands will perform a minimum 20-minute own-choice programme in their 45-minute time window.

Participants:

Arkansas Musicworks Brass Band
Chicago Brass Band
Dublin Silver Brass Band
East Central University Brass
Eastern Iowa Brass Band
Ft. Zumwalt High School Brass
St. Louis Brass Band
St. Louis Youth Brass Band

Further information

A complete schedule is available at: www.stlbb.org