The Mirari Brass Quintet will play at the David M. Player Center for the Arts on Nov. 15.
Contributed Article/Courtesy Gila Valley Arts Council
SAFFORD – The Gila Valley Arts Council is proud to present the Mirari Brass Quintet on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2023, at 7 p.m. at the David M. Player Center for the Arts.
Engaging and eclectic, the Mirari Brass Quintet brings a spirit of joyful collaboration and innovation to music spanning many centuries and genres. Commissioners of multiple new works for brass, the group performs a spectacular tight-rope act, balancing intensity with levity and refined virtuosity with pure fun.
Mirari Brass’ repertoire is not just classical music but includes music from a variety of genres from classical J.S. Bach and Leonard Bernstein to Chick Corea, the master of modern jazz.
“The Mirari Brass Quintet presented a virtuosic program that thrilled and inspired our audience. Equally at home performing everything from Renaissance transcriptions to Charles Mingus charts, the ensemble is quickly establishing itself as one of the premier groups of its kind.” – Dr. James Bolton (University of Louisiana – Monroe)
Founded in 2009, Mirari has performed extensively across the United States, forging connections with audiences through lively and polished performances. The group has performed and presented in 35 states on concert series as well as residencies at numerous universities including Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, University of Utah, University of Tennessee at Knoxville, University of Kentucky, Ohio State University, Cornell University, SUNY-Potsdam, and many more. Mirari has also been featured at a number of major conferences and festivals including the International Tuba and Euphonium Conference, the International Trombone Festival, and the International Trumpet Guild Conference. In 2017, the group made its first international trip to China, performing concerts and presenting educational programs in Beijing, Haerbin, Dalian, and Chongqing.
Since its inception, Mirari has added nearly two dozen works to the brass quintet repertoire, with group members also contributing a number of arrangements and original compositions. Their debut album, Spires, adventurously contextualizes works from the Renaissance and Baroque periods, re-imagines jazz standards, and features their commission from Rome Prize-winner and Guggenheim Fellow Eric Nathan. Their second album, Renewed, Reused, Recycled, features music not originally written for a brass quintet and was released by Summit Records in 2018.
Beyond the recording studio, Mirari initiated a consortium between numerous universities and The Ohio State University Wind Symphony, which resulted in Clint Needham’s In These Hallowed Halls, a four-movement concerto for brass quintet and wind ensemble. Their most recent project is a Chamber Music America Residency grant to partner with Capital Area Alliance for the Homeless and Community of Note based in Baton Rouge, LA.
In addition to their commitment to outstanding performance, the members of the Mirari Brass Quintet share a unique passion for music education and are all collegiate professors of music. The group spends extended time interacting with young musicians through master classes, group and individual instruction, and specialized clinics. Through their educational endeavors, the quintet examines all aspects of life as an artist and helps to foster the development of complete musicians. Individually, the group members have been on faculty at colleges, universities, music festivals, and camps all over the United States and overseas. As a way to share their knowledge and experiences with musicians and music lovers alike, Mirari created a podcast, Mirari: UNMUTED, available on Spotify and iTunes.
As a central tenet of the group, and by their name’s definition, all Mirari members share an admiration and respect for each other as performers, educators, and human beings.
Tickets are currently on sale at Richards Music, 928-428-2442, online at www.saffordcenterforthearts.com, or at the door. Adult ticket prices are only $15 or $20 and are all reserved seating. GVAC is still proud to offer special prices for children and students for only $5.
GVAC is able to keep its ticket prices low because of the support we receive from several sources. We graciously thank our individual donors who join as supporting members every year. 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 and Greenlee Counties, Freeport McMoRan Corporation, and the Arizona Community Foundation of the Gila Valley. For more information please call Tom Green, at 928-428-2146.
