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 When the American Brass Quintet gave its first public performance forty-five years ago, brass chamber music was still relatively unknown to concert audiences. That modest debut on December 11, 1960, marked the beginning of an international career for the ensemble that includes performances in Europe, Central and South America, the Middle East, Asia, Australia and all fifty of the United States; a discography of over fifty recordings; the premieres of over one-hundred new brass works, and the inspiration to a whole new generation of brass quintets worldwide. ABQ commissions by Samuel Adler, Bruce Adolphe, Daniel Asia, Jan Bach, Robert Beaser, William Bolcom, Elliott Carter, Jacob Druckman, Eric Ewazen, Anthony Plog, David Sampson, Gunther Schuller, William Schuman, Ralph Shapey, Melinda Wagner, Charles Whittenberg, and most recently by Huang Ruo and Steven Sacco, are considered among the most significant contributions to the brass quintet repertoire. Highlights from this season include premieres of new works by Paul Moravec and Joan Tower, volume two of the ABQ's recordings of the Civil War brass music of the 26th North Carolina Regimental Band, and the recent release of the recording In Gabrieli's Day, the music of 16th century Venice. The presentation of ABQ editions of historical brass music, programmed alongside challenging contemporary music, has become a trademark of ABQ performances, and has helped establish the American Brass Quintet as the leader in the field of serious brass chamber music today.
Equally committed to the promotion of brass music through education, the American Brass Quintet has been in residence at The Juilliard School since 1987, and at the Aspen Music Festival since 1970. Many young ensembles, including the Extension Ensemble, Manhattan Brass Quintet, Meridian Arts Ensemble, and Urban Brass Quintet have worked with the ABQ through these residencies, and have gone on to establish their own presence in the brass chamber field. Since 2001, the ABQ has offered its expertise in chamber music performance and training with a program of mini-residencies as part of its regular touring season. Designed to offer young groups and individuals an intense chamber music experience over several days, ABQ mini-residencies have been embraced by schools and communities throughout the United States and internationally.
Through its acclaimed performances, signature programming, extensive discography, and educational mission, the ABQ has created a legacy unparalleled in the brass field. Hailed as "the high priests of brass" by Newsweek, "positively breathtaking" by the New York Times, and "of all the brass quintets, the most distinguished" by the American Record Guide, the American Brass Quintet has clearly defined itself among the elite chamber music ensembles of our time.
Raymond Mase, trumpet
Trumpeter Raymond Mase enjoys a diverse career as soloist, chamber artist, orchestral player, and teacher. As a member of the American Brass Quintet since 1973, he has performed worldwide, premiered countless new works for brass, and has appeared with the quintet on over twenty-five recordings. he has contributed his own editions of 16th, 17th, and 19th century brass music on many of the ABQ recordings and was instrumental in the group's recordings using 19th century instruments. He is also a founding member of the New York Cornet and Sacbut Ensemble and the Summit Brass.
As soloist, he has appeared with the American Composers Orchestra, Boston Pops, Moscow Soloists, Naumberg Orchestra, New York Virtuosi, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Summit Brass, and the Bethlehem Bach and Aspen Music Festivals, and with numerous regional orchestras throughout the U.S. He appeared with the American Composers Orchestra in March of 1994 at Carnegie hall for the premiere of David Sampson's Triptych (written for Mase) which received stunning critical praise. Henri Lazarof's Summit Concertante, also written for Mase, was premiered with the Summit Brass in 1996 and recorded in June of 1997. He is featured as soloists on recordings by the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Summit Brass, the contemporary music group Parnassus, and on two solo compact discs entitled Trumpet in our Time and Trumpet Vocalise. As recitalist, he has been heard nationally with the popular trumpet and organ duo Toccatas & Flourishes.
Mr. Mase serves as co-principal trumpeter of the New York City Ballet Orchestra, American Composers Orchestra, Westchester Philharmonic, and has performed and recorded with many New York based ensembles including the New York Philharmonic, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Speculum Musicae, Orpheus and Music Sacra. He is the Chairman of the Brass Department at The Juilliard School and also serves on the faculty of the Aspen Music Festival. He can be heard on over 100 recordings and as soloist on the Deutsche Grammophon, Summit, Koch, Cambria and MHS labels.
Kevin Cobb, trumpet
Kevin Cobb is originally from Bowling Green, Ohio where he began trumpet studies at the age of 10. His first solo appearance was at age 15 with the Toledo Symphony. In 1993, he graduated from the Curtis Institute of Music with a Bachelor's degree studying with Frank Kaderabek, and two years later received his Master's from the Juilliard School as a student of Mark Gould. While in school, he toured Japan as solo trumpet with the chamber ensemble Music from Curtis. In early 1998, he also toured the US as solo trumpet with the Israel Camarata, Jerusalem where he was praised for his "beauty of tone and perfect intonation" by the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Also as a soloist, he has recently played with I Musici de Montreal in conjunction with the Vermont Symphony. In New York, Mr. Cobb is an active freelancer with organizations like the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, New Jersey Symphony, and New York City Ballet. A former member of the Manhattan Brass Quintet, performs with New York Big Brass, on Broadway, and in radio and TV commercial recordings.
David Wakefield, horn
While still a doctoral student at the Juilliard School, David Wakefield became a member of the American Brass Quintet and joined the faculty of the Aspen Music Festival. Recently observing his 28th year with the American Brass Quintet, he now serves on the horn and chamber music faculty at the Juilliard School, and has played thousands of concerts all over the world in a career notable for its depth and variety.
He has performed as a member of the Quintet throughout North and South American, Europe, the Far East and at such distinguished international festivals as Shiraz in Iran, Edinburgh in Scotland, Casals in Puerto Rico and Nagoya in Japan. He has performed on radio and TV around the world, including nationally televised performances attended by Presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. And as a member of the American Brass Quintet, he was one of the first American brass players invited since the Cultural Revolution to teach and perform in the Peoples Republic of China.
Principal horn of the Aspen Festival Orchestra, and the Little Orchestra Society, he was also principal horn with Concordia: A Chamber Symphony, P.D.Q. Bach, and the Joffrey Ballet. In addition, he has performed with the New York Philharmonic, the Vienna Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony, Houston Symphony, the Metropolitan Opera, and Orpheus Chamber Ensemble, St. Luke's Chamber Ensemble, New York City Ballet, Brooklyn Philharmonic, and Opera Orchestra of New York. He has also performed extensively on Broadway and in commercial recordings.
A passionate advocate of new music, Mr. Wakefield has premiered over 250 new works. He has worked closely with such composers as Elliott Carter, Jacob Druckman, Charles Wuorinen, Milton Babbitt, David Sampson, Eric Ewazen, Ellen Taafe Zwilich, William Schuman, Virgil Thomson, Luciano Berio, Robert Starer, William Bolcom, Vladimir Ussachevsky, Hans Abrahamsen, Shulamit Ran, and George Tsontakis. As a member of The Music Project, Parnassus, the New Music Consort, and the Princeton Contemporary Players, he has recorded for Deutsche Gramophon, RCA, Columbia Records, Nonesuch, New World, Crystal, Japan Victor, Delos, CRI, and Opus One Records.
He lives in New York City with his wife, flutist Bärli Nugent, and their children Nan and Spencer and was Senior Associate Dean at The Juilliard School for five years.
Michael Powell, trombone
Michael Powell is one of the most sought after trombonists in New York City. Since 1983, Mr. Powell has been a member of the celebrated American Brass Quintet. He performs and records regularly with the Orchestra of St. Luke's, The Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Little Orchestra Society, and Aspen Festival Orchestra. Mr. Powell has performed as soloist with the Orchestra of St. Luke's, Kansas City Philharmonic, the Aspen Music Festival, and the New Hampshire Music Festival. He also performs on Broadway and records for radio and television, and has recorded on many major record labels. He has performed with such diverse ensembles as The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Speculum Musicae, The New York Chamber Symphony, The Fairfield Orchestra, The June in Buffalo New Music Festival, Music Today, Musical Elements, the Classical Band, the New York Cornet and Sacbut Ensemble, PDQ Bach, and Tidewater Quintet. From 1978 to 1982 he was principal trombonist of the Kansas City Philharmonic. He has taught master classes in trombone and chamber music all over the world. Recently Mr. Powell commissioned and recorded the Sonata for Trombone and Piano by Eric Ewazen, with the composer as pianist. He is on the faculties of The Juilliard School, Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University, SUNY at Stony Brook, and the Aspen Music School.
John D. Rojak, bass trombone
John Rojak joined the American Brass Quintet in 1991, with which he has been touring internationally, recording, and teaching, including residencies at the Juilliard School in New York and the Aspen Music Festival.
He is an original member of the orchestra for Broadway's Les Misérables and the New York Pops, as well as the bass trombonist for the Orchestra of St. Luke's, Orpheus, Little Orchestra Society, and Solisti New York. Mr. Rojak has recorded with the New York Chamber Symphony (including Strauss' complete Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme), St. Luke's (including John Adams' Nixon in China), Orpheus, and Solisti NY (including Stravinsky's L'Histoire du Soldat - English and Chinese versions), and has been heard on numerous jingles and soundtracks.
As a soloist he was invited to be the first bass trombonist to have a residency with Quad City Arts, performing recitals and informances for groups ranging from Kindergarten to senior citizens. In 1997 Mr. Rojak gave several masterclasses in Japan which included students from their most prestigious conservatories. He has been adjudicator for Concert Artists Guild, the Fischoff Chamber Music Competition, and the Manhattan School of Music Concerto competition.
He received a BM from Juilliard and was a fellowship student at the Tanglewood and Waterloo Music Festivals. His teachers have included John Coffey, Don Harwood, and Sam Pilafian. In addition to Juilliard and Aspen, he is on the faculties of Rutgers University and the State University of New York at Purchase.
Recent solo recordings include "The Romantic Bass Trombone" with pianist Robert Koenig, Rhapsody for Bass Trombone and Strings by Eric Ewazen with the Czech Radio Chamber Orchestra, and Walter Ross' Trombone Concerto No. 2 with the New York Chamber Symphony.
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