Capital BrassWorks News

Parkdale Church Update

cbw — Wed, 02 May 2012 06:04:47 +0000

The fire was small in size but could have been much worse. The time of day it occurred worked in the group’s favour because it gave them time to notify as many people as they could, come up with an alternative date (no easy feat given the number of musicians involved) and re-book the church.

The hydro and natural gas was turned off in the church when a few members of the group arrived to see what was going on in the morning. There was no telling when the utilities would be turned back on. The Sanctuary, although undamaged, had a very strong smell of smoke which would not have been cleared away in time for a concert, even if the light and heat were turned on.

No instruments or music was damaged, thank God! Everything had been left in the Sanctuary after yesterday’s two rehearsals in preparation for today’s dress rehearsal and concert.

Here are a few pictures of this morning’s event:

Tour de France Concert Postponed

cbw — Tue, 01 May 2012 15:15:51 +0000

Dear fans and friends, due to the unfortunate fire at Parkdale United Church the morning of the concert (May 1, 2012), this concert has been postponed to June 12, 2012. Details on time and venue will follow. We appologize for any inconvenience this may cause. For those that have already purchased tickets online, please keep your tickets for the new date. If you have any questions, please contact us.

Great reviews for Brass Britannia!

cbw — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 06:37:32 +0000

Brass Britannia, Capital BrassWorks’ latest recording, has received rave reviews from both the International Trombone Association and the International Trumpet Guild.

If you haven’t purchased your copy yet, you can order it right off the web site by going to the Recordings page and clicking on the “Add to Cart” button next to the Brass Britannia CD information. Payments are processed using PayPal.

Festive Brass 2011 a Success!

cbw — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 04:48:01 +0000

Thank you to all who came out last week to our Festive Brass 2011 concert! It was a definite success with one of our largest crowds yet and a good dose of festive tunes to usher-in the Holiday Season. The Centretown Emergency Food Centre received donations at the concert which exceeded $1,000 and were matched dollar for dollar by an anonymous donor. What a wonderful way to show your support for the Centertown community.

On behalf of Capital BrassWorks, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! And don’t forget to set aside some time on May 1, 2012, for our French Festival concert!

Capital BrassWorks performs. Photo credit: Floralove Katz

Members of Capital BrassWorks perform. Photo credit: Floralove Katz

Trombones and Trumpets front and centre. Photo credit: Floralove Katz

Angus Armstrong conducts. Photo credit: Floralove Katz

Julie Nesrallah narrates "'Twas the Night Before Christmas". Photo credit: Floralove Katz

Early Festive Cheer

cbw — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 07:26:40 +0000

Canada’s National Art Center Orchestra (NACO) has been on an Atlantic Canada Tour since November 13. Many Capital BrassWorks members are also part of NACO and are therefore on tour at the moment. Despite a busy concert schedule, they still managed to find time for a little fun backstage at the Arts and Culture Centre in St. John’s Newfoundland.

Here are a few members showing off their festive cheer in a wonderful picture taken by their good friend Fred Cattroll during intermission:

Members of Capital BrassWorks put on their festive cheer

Left to right: Elizabeth Simpson, Karen Donnelly, Don Renshaw, Douglas Burden, Jill Kirwan, Steven van Gulik.

We hope you’ll be able to join them and the rest of the group at their up-coming Festive Brass 2011 concert on the evening of November 30th. It’s a great way to usher-in the Holiday Season!

Music Previews Now Available

cbw — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 06:40:25 +0000

Capital BrassWorks is proud to finally add previews of their latest recording, Brass Britannia. If you haven’t checked-out their newest CD release, not only can you read what is performed on it, now you can hear it too!

Concerts for 2011-2012 Season Posted

cbw — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 20:34:33 +0000

Capital BrassWorks is proud to present two new concerts for their 2011-2012 season. Tickets can now be purchased online!

Welcome David Moulton; Thank You Colin Traquair

cbw — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 01:04:10 +0000

Capital BrassWorks is pleased to announce that trombone/euphonium player David Moulton has officially joined the group, after filling in for the last year or so. He replaces Colin Traquair, who has made a tremendous contribution to CBW since co-founding it (with Tom Annand) over ten years ago. Colin has written many arrangements, including the massive Pictures at an Exhibition, recorded by the CBC for our second CD, From Russia with Brass. His work for the group has also included the design of numerous posters and the layout for all of our CD booklets. Colin’s playing, whether on trombone or euphonium, has always been a major feature of CBW concerts and recordings, but most of the effort required to keep a large brass ensemble afloat is hidden, iceberg-like, from public view. Colin’s work, both on stage and behind the scenes, will be greatly missed. We owe him a huge debt of thanks, and wish him well.

Westben Concert Time Updated

cbw — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 02:33:40 +0000

For those of you who had seen the previous announcement for Capital BrassWorks’ Westben Festival concert, please note that the start time has been updated to 2:00pm.

Dramatic Brass Concert a Success

cbw — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 18:32:55 +0000

Thank you to everyone who came to see and hear the Dramatic Brass concert last Friday. The concert also doubled as the CD release of Capital BrassWorks’ fourth recording, Brass Britannia!

Amy Horvey plays Trumpeter's Lullaby during Dramatic Brass

This concert was the first to be held at Parkdale United Church in Ottawa. The venue provided a larger stage and the opportunity for the group to experiment with different placements. For instance, Karen Donnelly performed her solo from The Bluebird (also featured on the new CD) while standing behind the audience which gave her parts the impression of being off in the distance, much like a singing bird which you can hear but cannot see.

To all of those who came to the concert, Capital BrassWorks would very much like to hear your feedback on the new venue, whether positive or constructive. Please add a comment to this post, send a tweet or give feedback via email.