Rodney Marsalis Philadelphia Big Brass to play David M. Player Center for the Arts

Contributed Photo: Rodney Marsalis brings his big band brass ensemble to the David M. Player Center for the Arts on Wednesday, Feb. 6.

SAFFORD – The Gila Valley Arts Council is proud to present the Rodney Marsalis Philadelphia Big Brass Band, Wednesday, February 6, 2019, 7:00 p.m. at the David M. Player Center for the Arts.

The Rodney Marsalis Philadelphia Big Brass is composed of some of America’s top brass musicians dedicated to bringing the joyous experience of great music to a wide range of audiences.

The Rodney Marsalis Philadelphia Big Brass is a family owned and operated business that had its beginnings on the streets of New Orleans. On the advice of Ellis Marsalis, the group created a concert format that breaks the usual barriers between genres and strives to create a connection between the audience and performers.

A group that always reflects the diverse makeup of men and women in the American culture, RMPBB is dedicated to the notion that music is a gift to be enjoyed by everyone. The group is especially dedicated to reaching out to the world’s youth and inspiring them to reach for their dreams. A veritable “dream team” of virtuoso brass players, associate artists have appeared on the world’s most prominent stages and performed with such groups as the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the Baltimore Symphony, the São Paolo State Symphony Orchestra, the Imani Winds, Canadian Brass, Empire Brass, Dallas Brass, and Boston Brass. The group burst onto the music scene with a debut performance in Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center in Verizon Hall, a residency for the Mann Center for the Performing Arts, and a special feature on the National Public Radio show, “All Things Considered.”

In recent years the group has been invited to perform in major music halls around the world including China’s National Center for the Performing Arts, Tanglewood’s Seiji Ozawa Hall, and several prominent halls in Brazil and Italy.

Performances by The Rodney Marsalis Philadelphia Big Brass range from solo trumpet, to brass quintet, to the full ten piece ensemble with percussion. Their programs include holiday concerts, family concerts, traditional brass concerts with optional organ or choir, themed concerts (American music, Baroque-Renaissance, contemporary popular music, Brothers on the Battlefield: The Power of Love, the Francis Johnson Project, the John Philip Sousa Project, etc.), as well as specially designed residencies, all available to suit the needs of every venue.

Tickets are currently on sale at Richards Music, 428-2442, Pollock’s Western Outfitters and online at www.saffordcenterforthearts.com or at the door. Adult ticket prices this year are only $10 or $15 and are all reserved seating. New this year are special prices for children and students at just $5. Adults can purchase tickets in the $10-$15 range and purchase children seats right next to them for only $5. GVAC is offering a great way for families to have quality time together.

The GVAC Fine Arts concert series is member supported. We graciously thank many of you, our individual donors who join as supporting members every year giving out of their personal pockets. Membership is vital to helping us make ends meet every year. Membership can range from as little as $25, $50, $100, $250, $500 to $1000, but every dollar is spent on the cost of bringing the artists here to not only perform a concert, but they also spend an extra day or two working with our school children with music workshops and school performances.  This school residency and public performance project was made possible by funding received from the Arizona Commission on the Arts, WESTAF (The Western States Arts Federation), and the National Endowment for the Arts. GVAC is also very grateful for the support received from the United Way of Graham County, Freeport McMoRan Copper and Gold, and the Arizona Community Foundation of the Gila Valley. Additionally a big thank you goes out to the Eastern Arizona Courier, MAJIK 100.7 KJIK-FM radio and the Gila Herald for promoting our events to the general public.