Horns will sound as the WSU Brass Quintet shows its versatility when they perform Thursday night in Bryan Hall Theatre.

The quintet includes David Turnbull, Matt Aubin, Christopher Dickey, Denise Snider and Chris Wurst. The concert will begin at 8:00 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

“The WSU Brass Quintet existed when I first arrived here at WSU 17 to 18 years ago,” Turnbull said. “However, the group experienced considerable turnover and we lacked full-time people on horn and tuba. Over the summer, our new director of the School of Music hired full-time people in these two areas and the group was reborn.”

Turnbull said the group members needed to get to know each other as quickly as possible.

“We selected standard pieces that most experienced brass players know,” he said. “This helped us develop a large repertoire rather quickly. My experience with this group has been terrific.”

Aubin said his experience in the group has been incredibly rewarding.

“I have learned a great deal from the other faculty members and I feel like our rehearsals are focused, efficient and fun,” he said. “I hope that the listeners hear the differences in the various types of repertoire that we will perform. The program showcases the versatility of brass instruments.”

Dickey said the WSU music community needs a staff quintet.

“The group is a response to the musical needs of a thriving university music community,” he said. “An ensemble such as this is meant to serve as a model for performance, professionalism and to expose the audience to repertoire they may have never heard.”

According to a WSU News press release, brass quintet repertoire peices from the Renaissance period to the 20th century will be featured during the performance. The performance will be divided into two parts, the first including works such as “Scherzo” by John Cheetham and “Contrapunctus IX” by J. S. Bach. The
performance will conclude with the repertoire standard, “Quintet No. 3,” by Victor Ewald.

“I’m hoping that the audience just sits back and enjoys good brass playing in a nice acoustical environment, Turnbull said. “Also, it doesn’t hurt that our repertoire has what I refer to as ‘listenability.’”

Dickey said the time he spends with the quintet is among his most cherished throughout the week. 

“Our group works well together, we enjoy each other’s company and I find that brass quintet is a musical outlet I need in my career as a teacher,” he said. “The music we perform is very rewarding on a personal level, and I take great pride in sharing that music with an audience.”

Aubin said he believes it is important for students to hear professional models on any instrument. He hopes students will be inspired to model their own playing off of some the group’s characteristics.

“I would encourage anyone and everyone to attend,” Turnbull said. “A good audience helps elevate the level of performance. The audience members are part of the performance whether they realize it or not.”