About The Smoky Mountain Brass Quintet

Cultural ambassadors building international relationships through music.

Since its founding in 1993, the Smoky Mountain Brass Quintet has performed throughout the United States in venues such as Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, and internationally with tours of Russia, the United Kingdom, China, Germany, Jamaica, Prague, Hungary, Romania, Mexico, and South Africa.

The Quintet performs a wide variety of music ranging from Classical to Jazz, and Patriotic to Pop. In addition, works commissioned from regional composers for the Quintet have expanded the repertoire for all brass quintets.

The group dedicates time to the education of young musicians. Whether through mini-residencies, master-classes or our “instrument petting zoo” for elementary school children, members of the SMBQ use their talents to inspire tomorrow’s musicians.

Among its many community service performances, the SMBQ has helped to raise money for the new public library, the local arts council, and the Jackson County band program. The group also volunteers to entertain for causes such as Relay For Life and the Alzheimer’s Association.

Five accomplished artists, inspiring and entertaining performances, service, and education forge the cornerstones of the Smoky Mountain Brass Quintet.

http://www.smokymountainbrassquintet.com/

Air National Guard Band of the South Brass Quintet, consisting of two trumpets, trombone, horn, tuba and percussion, performs a wide range of musical styles.

The Brass Quintet performs music suitable for clinics, receptions, military ceremonies, public concerts, and schools - including a unique, educational concert program specifically designed for children. The musicians are active performers and music educators throughout the region.

The University of Florida Faculty Brass Quintet was re-established in 2019 with faculty members Paul Basler (horn), Randolph Lee (trumpet), Jemmie Robertson (trombone), and Danielle VanTuinen (tuba), with doctoral teaching assistant Ben Elgan (trumpet). The UFFBQ seeks to both champion masterworks of the brass quintet repertoire and to commission and perform exciting new works for our medium. Additionally, we aim to build new audiences for brass chamber music locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally. We are excited for our upcoming UFIBFC mini-recital and masterclass which kicks off the High School Brass Day event on Sunday, February 9th.

We invite you to the following upcoming events:

• The UFFBQ will perform a special community outreach concert at Oak Hammock on March 11th at 7:30 PM
• The UFFFBQ will perform our Spring Recital on campus at UF on March 23rd at 7:30 PM in MUB 101 featuring works by Plog, Ewazen, Bernstein, and others.

David Wakefield, horn, joined the American Brass Quintet in 1976 while he was a doctoral student at The Juilliard School. A member of the Aspen Music School faculty from 1976 to 2016 and the Juilliard School faculty from 1987 until 2018, he also served as Associate Dean for Performance Activities at The Juilliard School. Principal horn of the Little Orchestra Society, Mr. Wakefield has performed with the New York, Vienna, and Brooklyn Philharmonics, Houston Symphony, and regularly with the Orchestra of St. Luke's, the New York City Opera, and the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. He has premiered over 250 new works and worked closely with such composers as Milton Babbitt, Luciano Berio, Elliott Carter, John Corigliano, Jacob Druckman, Eric Ewazen, George Tsontakis, and Charles Wuorinen.

UFIBFC 2020 Featured Artist Clinic

David Wakefield, presenter

The University of Florida International Brass Festival and Conference 2020

Sunday, February 9th, 2020, 1 PM

UF School of Music, MUB 101

1 PM Collegiate Participant Presentation: An Introduction to Carmine Caruso's "Musical Calisthenics for Brass" - David Wakefield, presenter

Philip Martinson joined the faculty at Southwestern Oklahoma State University as Assistant Professor of Music in 2017. A tenured member of the Oklahoma City Philharmonic (second trombone), Martinson also performs as principal trombone of the Lawton Philharmonic Orchestra, and is active as a soloist, chamber and orchestral musician throughout the United States. Recent engagements include performances at the OK Mozart International Music Festival, American Trombone Workshop, International Trombone Festival (Austin, TX), Skidmore College, Oklahoma Baptist University, University of Akron and Malone University.

An active performer, Shelley Martinson has appeared as a soloist, orchestral and chamber musician throughout the United States. Martinson joined the faculty of Southwestern Oklahoma State University as Assistant Professor of Music in fall 2013, where she instructs courses in applied flute, flute studio, music history, and chamber music. A passionate educator, Martinson previously served on the faculty of the Skidmore Summer Flute Institute and the Florida State University Summer Music Program. She acted as Visiting Instructor of Flute and Chamber Music at Skidmore College prior to her appointment at SWOSU. Martinson serves on the board of the Oklahoma Flute Society (President) and is chair of the National Flute Association's Career and Artistic Development Committee.

David Schmidt is an Associate Professor of Music at Stetson University where he teaches Applied Trombone lessons, Brass Music Education Methods, and conducts the Stetson Trombone Choir and the University Brass Ensemble.  In addition, he also coaches chamber music and serves as the Coordinator of the Brass and Percussion Department.  Prior to his appointment at Stetson, he taught low brass and conducted bands, orchestras and jazz bands at various institutions, including the University of Saskatchewan, the University of Northern Colorado, the University of Texas – Arlington, Brevard Community College, Daytona Beach Community College and Bethune-Cookman College. 

Mr. Schmidt received the Bachelor of Music Education and Music Performance degrees from Baylor University and the Master of Music degree in Performance from the University of Northern Colorado.  His past teachers include Gordon Sweeney, Andrew Russell, and Buddy Baker.  As a trombonist, he was a founding member of the Dallas Wind Symphony and has performed with numerous regional bands and orchestras in the United States and Canada. 

A respected pedagogue, Mr. Schmidt is a frequent clinician and adjudicator at regional and state levels. Many of his students have won awards at local, regional and international solo competitions including those sponsored by the International Trombone Association, the International Tuba and Euphonium Association, the Leonard Falcone International Euphonium and Tuba Festival, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and the Eastern Trombone Workshop.  Many of his former students are currently successful music educators, members of military bands, while others are students at prestigious graduate institutions. 

Stetson University Trombone Choir

Formed in 1995, the Stetson Trombone Choir is comprised of seventeen undergraduate trombone music majors as well as non-music majors. The ensemble rehearses one hour per week and plays a concert in both the fall and spring semesters. In 2013, the ensemble was invited to perform at the International Trombone Association Festival held in Columbus, Georgia at Columbus State University.

Kerry Waldo is the Director of Bands at Rock Lake Middle School in Longwood, Florida. Mrs. Waldo graduated magna cum laude with her Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Stetson University in 2004. She has taught in the Seminole County Public School System for 15 years and is currently in her 10th year at Rock Lake Middle School. Ensembles under her direction have consistently earned superior ratings at Florida Bandmasters Association District Music Performance Assessments. She is the Director of the Altamonte Summer Band Camp and has taught at the Stetson Brass Camp since its inception in 2006. Mrs. Waldo is a member of the Florida Music Educators Association and the Florida Bandmasters Association, where she currently serves as the District Secretary. In addition to teaching, Mrs. Waldo enjoys performing with the Brass Band of Central Florida as the principal trombone player and is highly sought after as a trombone performer and clinician throughout the Central Florida area.