NORTHAMPTON — Brass in Bloom, a new festival celebrating brass music, will launch for the first time on Saturday, May 3, at the Bombyx Center for Arts & Equity.
The event is open to the public, free of charge. The day will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and feature performances, workshops and presentations by brass performers and teachers from throughout the region and beyond.
Bombyx board member and French horn player Ira Brezinsky told Reminder Publishing as a founding member of the Bombyx Brass Collective, he has always wanted to see if a festival celebrating brass instruments was possible in tandem with the center. Between the Bombyx group and a different brass band he plays for, Brezinsky’s passion for the type of instrument has fueled his efforts to bring a celebration to the community.
“I just had the idea a couple years ago to do this festival, so I applied to the Massachusetts Cultural Council for festivals and grants, and we received a grant. We had originally hoped to do this a year ago, but it got put off,” said Brezinsky. “The idea is to just bring in folks that play brass instruments or like to listen to brass music, want to learn more about their own playing, or just what brass music is all about. We just want to bring them together for the day or any portion of the day to have fun with it.”
The day kicks off at 10 a.m. with a keynote presentation by acclaimed trumpet player and composer Phil Snedecor from the Hart School of Music, and continues with presentations by the UMass Graduate Brass Quintet, Bombyx Brass Collective featuring Eric Berlin, Hartt Trumpet Ensemble, Amherst College French horn instructor Jean Jeffries, Jeff Connor of the Boston Brass Quintet, trombonist Dr. Taylor Hughey, UMass Faculty Trio featuring trombonist Greg Spirodopolous and more.
The day concludes with a headline performance by The Jazz Bones and Friends from 4:30-6 p.m.
“If you are a brass player, you’re coming for a full experience. There’s opportunity for learning, opportunity for engaging with performances, opportunity to try instruments,” said Bombyx Executive Director Cassandra Holden. “There’s really an opportunity for wherever you are in your musical journey to plug in, to learn, to hear some incredible music, to connect with the community. That’s what it’s about.”
The featured sponsor of the event, Gerry’s Music Shop, will host Brass-a-Palooza simultaneously at the event. Gerry’s Music Shop owner Jim Provost said the Brass-a-Palooza has been the biggest day of sales for the business has been when they have hosted it annually the past six plus years.
He added an opportunity like this year will allow for the shop’s largest single-day sales of the year to possibly see even more success as brass musicians and students will have the opportunity to demo more than 100 brass instruments, from intermediate to professional grade.
“We have certainly known Ira for over 35 years and are certainly well aware of his energies, passions and talents and we know that when he comes up with an idea, it’s not just going to be an idea, it will be an idea worth the investment of time and its going to be extraordinarily successful,” Provost said. “We thought why not combine our large scale sales event with a large scale educational and performance event, and we can partner our efforts together to make certain that it’s as successful for everybody as possible.”
Provost added events like this are important for the community at large as it showcases the power of music and community.
“Music is a thread that links us all together. It doesn’t matter where you are in life. Music brings out the emotions in all of us. Happiness, sad, joy, and to be a part of that and be included in the day with all the musicians that are going to be presenting on that day. In all honesty it sounds kind of sappy but me and my family have been doing this since 1974 when we purchased Gerry’s Music Shop and it is who we are,” Provost said. “The biggest purpose [for his work] is to make sure music is accessible to everybody and I think the Bombyx Center is a great venue to do that in.”
Food will be available during the festival through Chef O’Brian Tomalin, formerly of Sierra Grille and Building & Brewing, offering a grilled cheese sandwich pop-up for Brass in Bloom attendees as well as the community at large. Lunch and dinner will be available with vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options are also being offered.
The menu of food will include a “Philly” style grilled pork, a Cubano, chicken or tempeh banh mi, chicken torta or portobello.
The event is made possible by the generous support of the Massachusetts Cultural Council, local cultural councils in Amherst, Hadley, South Hadley and Whately, Mellowship Entertainment, Eastern States Exposition and donors.
To register for the event, visit tinyurl.com/65m26767 and to make a donation, visit bombyx.live.
“It’s just something that we love doing. Some folks enjoy playing recreational softball or basketball or what have you, and some folks enjoy playing music together so that’s what this is about,” said Brezinsky.
