Ventures in Brass, with the Venice Symphony Brass Quintet at Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota

Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota will present Ventures in Brass, with the Venice Symphony Brass Quintet, Sunday, MARCH 28 at 3:00 p.m., outdoors at Nathan Benderson Park, 5851 Nathan Benderson Circle, Sarasota. Five noted area musicians, Aaron Romm and Alan Evans, trumpet; Robert Moore, French horn; Joe Offner, trombone; and Joseph Alvarez, tuba, showcase the brilliant sounds and versatility of brass instruments via works ranging from Bach and Handel to Leonard Bernstein and the Beatles. To ensure the safety of audience members, musicians and staff, in addition to the outdoor setting, all seating, (provided by Benderson Park), will be socially distanced, guests' temperatures will be taken upon arrival and masks or face coverings will be required. As a further safeguard, there will be no will call and tickets must be purchased in advance. Tickets are $35 and are available online at ArtistSeriesConcerts.org or by calling 941-306-1202, Monday - Friday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Anchored by the hearty sound of the tuba and capped by the metallic brilliance of two trumpets, brass quintets can convey bold passion, sweet delicacy, the liveliness of a dance band or the lush lyricism of a string quartet. While music for brass quintet was being written as early as the mid-19th century, it wasn't until the mid-20th century that brass ensembles really took off. "The end of World War II released a mass of stellar musicians departing army bands and seeking performance opportunities elsewhere," says Joseph Holt, director of artist programs for Artist Series Concerts. "Many of them joined orchestras but others yearned to play chamber music, which gave rise to groundbreaking groups like the American and Empire Brass Quintets and of course the renowned Canadian Brass. And that is when the brass quintet became an accepted type of ensemble and an offshoot of many orchestras, including right here in Florida."

The Venice Symphony's Brass Quintet is comprised of five acclaimed area musicians, including Venice Symphony principal trumpeter Aaron Romm, whose father Ronald performed with the Canadian Brass for almost 30 years. All five of the musicians have performed with major orchestras across the nation, and are a familiar presence to fans of the Venice Symphony, the Southwest Florida Symphony, the Sarasota Opera Orchestra and the Sarasota Orchestra. The quintet's program will run the musical gamut from classical to pop, including Bach's My Spirit Be Joyful, Handel's Arrival of the Queen of Sheba, selections from West Side Story, Sonny Kompanek's Killer Tango and Lennon and McCartney's Penny Lane.

"This is a fantastic group of musicians, well-suited to bringing out the wide range and unlimited possibilities of the brass quintet," says Marcy Miller, executive director of Artist Series Concerts. "And the wide-open space of Benderson Park will be the perfect place to safely enjoy their wonderful big brass sound."