The History of the Name

Classic Brass. Catchy title, isn’t it? Better than NWP (insiders joke sorry). So how did we come up with the name?

Back in our college days, Matt wanted to form an ensemble of musicians who would get together, play music, and have fun together. Based on his experience marching in drum corps and his fondness for brass bands, he decided that this ensemble would be made up entirely of brass players and would play classical brass music. Hence the Classic Brass Ensemble was born.

The goals for this ensemble were very noble. This group was to be made up entirely of students of the university we were attending and the surrounding school systems who had an interest in music. It was to be run by students, and its primary goal was to help the students of all ages become better musicians. This was accomplished through a variety of means. First, the students were able to perform in a small ensemble setting and improve their skills that way. Second, the students were encouraged to compose music, arrange music, and conduct their pieces with the ensemble. Third, with the age differences between the university students and the high school students who were in the organization, we were able to share experiences to help the younger students and give them encouragement. We were also learning how to teach these students on a one on one basis, which would benefit us later. Lastly, if the students wanted, they could have the opportunity to learn to play other brass instruments. This last skill was important, as a majority of the students involved were aspiring music teachers.

While the venture was initially a success and was able to survive for a couple of years, the politics of the music department ultimately caused the group to be disbanded. Gradually many of the members moved on to other ventures or other schools. When Matt transferred to NKU, he had wanted to get the group started again in a fresh school with a fresh start. Unfortunately, that dream never materialized.

Now as we are teaching lessons to students, we find that it is now more important than ever to help students become better musicians. Through this blogging technology we are now able to reach a broader expanse of people. As teachers of music, we want to help other teachers become better teachers. We want to help students become better musicians. Through this blog, we hope that you find tools and resources that will help to accomplish those goals. Welcome to Classic Brass.