The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Faculty Brass Quintet will partner with UAB Hospital for a monthly series of free “First Thursday” pops concerts in the hospital atrium.
The first performance is scheduled for noon on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2013. The one-hour concerts are scheduled for Oct. 3, Nov. 7, Dec. 7, Jan. 9, Feb. 6, March 6, April 3 and May 1, 2014. This partnership between UAB’s medical and academic sides aims to create a more relaxing and healing environment for patients, guests and caregivers at UAB Hospital, while supporting music education in the Birmingham community, said Jordan DeMoss, associate vice president of University Hospital. The series is sponsored by the UAB Hospital Auxiliary, which also raises awareness of UAB and its medical and musical programs to high school students by providing support for Birmingham area school programs.
Members of the UAB Brass Quintet are UAB Assistant Professor of Music Steven Roberts, D.M.A., and Assistant Professor of Music James Zingara, D.M.A., trumpets; instructor Martin Cochran, D.M.A., euphonium; instructor Jeff Koonce, trombone; and instructor Scott Robertson, tuba. This Department of Music group is unique, not only because it is the only year-round faculty brass quintet in the state, but also because it carries a euphonium, rather than a French horn, as its alto voice.
Last season, the UAB Faculty Brass Quintet performed 25 times in recitals, master classes and school programs. These concerts included performances at the 2012 UAB fall commencement ceremonies and the annual 2013 UAB Brass Symposium, when they performed with world renowned trumpet soloist Vince DiMartino. In October 2012, the Quintet was invited by the Latvia Academy of Music in Riga to tour the country. The group traveled to the Latvian cities of Riga, Talsi, Limbazi, Smiltene and Valmeira – more than 700 miles – and performed five formal recitals, three children’s concerts and two university master classes in five days to more than 1,600 people.