By Mary-Justine Lanyon
Music students at Mary Putnam Henck Intermediate School and Rim of the World High School had the unique opportunity on Friday, Jan. 30 to work with the members of the Southern California Brass Quintet in a series of workshops.
Under the sponsorship of the Arrowhead Arts Association, the quintet came to Rim High to work with the students in master classes. Later that day, the quintet joined the students on stage in the high school’s Performing Arts Center for a concert that left the audience speechless.
Charlotte Ford, the MPH music director, said the quintet taught the students how to sit well and offered them some career advice. They told the students that, even if they don’t plan to make music their career, it will serve them well in life.
Kari Stebbing, the Rim High music director, noted that “after a general Q&A in the auditorium, the SCBQ members each took a different group in the morning. Each room was uniquely geared toward those students and, as such, each group worked on different things. I heard Gabe and Iona telling the Advanced Band about professionalism and breathing techniques, while Adam elected to teach his group how to play ‘Star Wars’ by ear. Steve was working on good rhythm and articulation techniques when I was in that room. It changed every time I went by the rooms and the kids remained engaged the whole time!
“The members of the Quintet later said that they really enjoy working with our kids and that this type of opportunity is so important for such a small community. An emphasis was placed on the high school students being very respectful, organized and in tune,” Stebbing said.
At the evening concert, the MPH advanced band took the stage first. Joined by the Quintet, they played “Rain” by Brian Balmages, who Ford said is a favorite composer of hers. As the piece progressed, the audience could hear the rain falling and the crashing of the thunder. One audience member commented that “this sure didn’t sound like an intermediate school band!”
As the stage was reset for the Rim High wind ensemble and concert band to take their seats, Stebbing thanked the drama stage crew for helping out.
The combined band played “Aevia” by James Curnow, a very spirited piece.
After a bit of rearranging, the wind ensemble and the Quintet played “Aventura” by James Swearingen.
During a brief intermission guests were able to purchase snacks, the proceeds of which were intended to go to AAA. However, Ken Camarella, the AAA vice president, called out that they would be returned to the music program.
Stebbing called Camarella to the stage before the Quintet took the stage following the intermission. “You have two great teachers at MPH and Rim High,” Camarella said. He noted that initially Arrowhead Arts didn’t do anything with the schools.
“Over the years, we saw the need to work with the schools – tuning pianos, giving private music lessons, helping to purchase new uniforms. What your children are getting is fabulous. Music improves their brains,” Camarella said.
The Quintet then took the stage and played six pieces: “Amparito Roca” by Jaime Texidor Dalmau; “Original Dixieland One-Step,” arranged by Jack Gale; “Raiders Digest,” a medley of John Williams tunes arranged by Charles Warren; “Puttin’ on the Ritz” by Irving Berlin, arranged by Stephen Roberts; “Viva La Vida” by Cold Play, a piece the Mountain Top Strings often play; and the “William Tell Overture” by Gioachino Rossini, arranged by James Mattern.
“The students have been wonderful,” said Drew Ninmer, who leads the quintet. “You parents and guardians should be so proud. We are thankful to Arrowhead Arts for bringing us up here and supporting us.
“We were so thrilled to spend the day at Rim,” he added. “The students were incredibly receptive to our coaching. They are very talented and thoughtful students.”
Founded in 2013, the Southern California Brass Quintet grew out of the desire to form a professional group with some of the finest brass players that Southern California has to offer. The members have held orchestral positions across the globe as well as performing on hundreds of TV and film scores. They also hold teaching positions at many Southern California colleges and universities.
The SCBQ includes Drew Ninmer and Adam Bhatia on trumpet; Gabriel Sears, tuba; Steve Suminski, trombone; and Iona Pay, French horn. They are part of the larger Southern California Brass Consortium.
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