Canadian Brass

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.”

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.

The varied Canadian Brass repertoire features brass standards as well as a wide-ranging library of original arrangements created especially for them. These include the works of Renaissance and Baroque masters, Classical works, marches, holiday favorites, ragtime, Dixieland, Latin, jazz, big band, Broadway and Christian music as well as popular songs and standards. Having started with a very limited base, Canadian Brass has created their own musical world by transcribing, arranging and commissioning more than 200 works, including critically acclaimed compositions from Michael Kamen, Luther Henderson, Bramwell Tovey, Don Gillis and more. They have transformed a previously neglected group of instruments with a limited repertoire into a versatile and vital ensemble that can play everything from Gabrieli to Gershwin! Canadian Brass is especially noted for their famous Holiday Concerts at Christmastime and was at the forefront of re-establishing Scott Joplin with today’s audiences through their research, arrangements and recordings of his “rags” and other works.

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, with 1.2 million sold in the Nielsen Soundscan era alone (since 1991). They continue to score Billboard chart positions--most recently with their rousing recording of patriotic songs and marches, Stars & Stripes: Canadian Brass Salute America, which spent 8 weeks in the Top 25 on the Billboard Classical Chart during the summer of 2010, peaking at #2! Touring legends with an enthusiastic fan base, the Canadian Brass play to packed houses everywhere throughout the USA, Canada, Japan and Europe. They were 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.

Masters of concert presentations--from formal classical concerts to music served up with lively dialogue and theatrical effects--Canadian Brass has developed a uniquely engaging stage presence and rapport with audiences. Whatever the style, the music is central and performed with utmost dedication, skill and excellence. The hallmark of any Canadian Brass performance is entertainment, spontaneity, virtuosity and, most of all, fun.

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 were the featured artists on the soundtrack to the 1988 film The Couch Trip, starring Dan Aykroyd and Walter Matthau. Consummate artists, the quintet has also created unique and interactive videos that have gained an international audience including a series of DVDs featuring the brass in concert and teaching. They are on the cutting edge of technology offering their fans multimedia airplay, downloads, streaming opportunities as well as digital applications with iPhone and other smartphone carriers. Their facebook fans number nearly nine thousand, growing daily!

Education plays a key role in the story of Canadian Brass and each member is uniquely attuned to training the next generation of players. On their travels around the world, they often pause for master classes and are more than happy to work with students and young audiences. Canadian Brass is chamber quintet-in-residence at the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, California, and has created an innovative brass summer course at the Eastman School of Music. A vital part of their outreach is their role as clinicians for Yamaha Corporation, where music comes alive by validating its purpose through performance and personal association, as well as their support and interaction with El Sistema, the acclaimed global music education program. They have also made available a library of brass music for performers of all levels as well as learning tools, all in conjunction with the Hal Leonard Corporation.

Since 1998 Canadian Brass has been an exclusive artist at Opening Day Entertainment Group. Their CDs and DVD are distributed in the US by E1 Entertainment and in Canada by Universal Music Canada. Canadian Brass is represented by The Agency Group.

Canadian Brass is Chuck Daellenbach (tuba), Christopher Coletti and Brandon Ridenour (trumpets), Keith Dyrda (trombone) and Jeff Nelsen (horn).

With four decades under their belts, Canadian Brass continues to thrill audiences around the world--and they don’t look like they are letting up anytime soon! Show less