High Bridge Brass - High Bridge Brass (2020)

Distinct from traditional brass quintets, High Bridge Brass performs on instruments usually associated with brass bands-cornets, alto (tenor) horn, euphonium, and tuba. The homogenous timbre created across five octaves enables High Bridge Brass to create a seamless sound that richly bridges the ensemble together.

High Bridge Brass is named for three bridges, among many, called High Bridge. The first spans the Kentucky River near the place of our first performance at the Great American Brass Band Festival in Danville, KY, and connects Nathan’s house in Wilmore to Mark’s farm outside Harrodsburg. The second is the oldest standing bridge in New York City, near Chris Martin’s home. The third is in Virginia, not far from Chris Tiedeman and Hiram. High bridges stand as testaments to humanity’s yearning to connect across deep divides, and our willingness to attempt the impossible toward this end. While we are spread out across the country, High Bridge Brass is drawn together by a shared desire to make music at the highest standards among the company of friends and to connect with audiences in meaningful and intimate performances.

Five world-class brass musicians (including Principal Trumpet of the NY Philharmonic & Chicago Symphony) are brilliant!

The homogeneous timbre created across five octaves enables HBB to create a seamless sound that richly bridges the instruments together. It is with this sound in mind that Ewald and Böhme set out to compose the pieces featured here.

Christopher Martin has been praised as ''brilliant…impeccable'' by the New York Times and a musician of ''effortless understated virtuosity'' by The Chicago Tribune. He is the Principal Trumpet of the New York Philharmonic, was previously Principal Trumpet of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for eleven seasons.

Mark Ridenour was appointed the Assistant Principal Trumpet of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 1994 and has been Acting Principal since 2016.

Nathan Miller is a performer, conductor, scholar, and educator. He serves as professor of musicology at Asbury University, where he also directs the orchestra and chamber music programs and teaches horn. Nathan is additionally the solo hornist for the Lexington Brass Band and Saxton's Cornet Band.

Hiram Diaz is a euphoniumist, trombonist, vocalist and music educator. A second generation Cuban American, he studied at Miami's New World School of the Arts, the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and the University of North Texas.

Christopher Tiedeman began his musical training at age 7. A gifted young tubist, Chris won the International Tuba and Euphonium Conference's Young Artist Competition in 2000.

Composers:
Victor Ewald, Brass Quintet No. 1 in Bb minor, Op. 5 (in three movements)
Victor Ewald, Brass Quintet No. 3 in Db major, Op. 11 (in four movements)
Oskar Böhme, Brass Sextet in Eb major, Op. 30 (in four movements) Cornet soloist, Matthew Harding

Review
''…brilliant…impeccable…'' –The New York Times