UF’s School of Music will host the 2016 International Brass Festival starting Saturday through Monday.
This is the first time UF will have the festival, which is free for the public. Randolph Lee, a UF assistant trumpet professor, came up with the idea last year as a way to showcase UF’s trumpet department.
“I wanted to have a ‘trumpet party,’ a concert or something,” Lee said. “I needed to make it sound as big as it was, so we called it the International Brass Festival.”
Lee said organizing the event was stressful.
“Filling out all the paperwork and organizing everything from string ensembles to catering has been difficult,” Lee said. “But overall it’s been a good experience.”
Internationally recognized guest artists will perform at the three-day event, including Joe Jamerson and the Gainesville Brass Quintet, the Potsdam Brass Quintet, Luis Araya and Roger Blackburn.
Lee and the UF Trumpet Ensemble will also be performing, he said.
Rosemond Fabien, a UF electrical engineering sophomore, said he will perform as a member of the trumpet ensemble.
“Dr. Lee has been doing a lot for us so that we have a lot of the logistics and all we have to do is show up and play,” the 20-year-old said. “I’m excited to learn some stuff from the people who are coming to perform.”
Katie Campbell, a UF industrial and systems engineering senior, said she will be attending the festival for at least one of the days. She said she loves music.
“I’ve played instruments my entire life,” the 22 year-old said. “I played the piano and the violin, and I also played in the bell tower for three years, last time being last Spring.”
Campbell said she doesn’t really know what to expect, but she is sure the performances will be amazing.
“I’m just really excited for the brass trumpet performances,” Campbell said. “I’ve never played any brass instruments, but I love the way they sound.”
9 a.m.Warm-up with Dr. Randolph Lee
10 a.m. Life on the Road Master Class with Luis Araya
11 a.m. Music and Entrepreneurship Master Class with the Gainesville Brass Quintet
11:45 a.m. Music with an Outside Field Master Class with Joe Jamerson
1 p.m. Brass Chamber Music Master Class with the Potsdam Brass Quintet
2 p.m. Orchestral Trumpet Master Class with Roger Blackburn
3 p.m. at the University Auditorium: Potsdam Brass Quintet Recital
5 p.m. at the Music Building, Room 101: Trumpet Celebration Concert with Guest Artists
