The 2001-2002 Great Performers Series concludes at the Performing Arts Center at Rockwell Hall with the acclaimed River City Brass Band performing a program entitled "Star Spangled Brass" on Friday April 19, 2002 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are $29.50 general public; $25.00 for seniors; and $15.00 for students. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at the Rockwell Hall Box Office, 1300 Elmwood Ave. or by calling 716-878-3005. Box Office hours are Monday to Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.



Based in Pittsburgh, the River City Brass Band is considered to be one of America?s most successful concert bands. It has won critical and popular acclaim nationally and abroad for its superb performances of a wide variety of musical styles and repertoire, and for its appealing concert format. Comprised of 28 professional musicians, this season marks the RCBB's 20th year of entertaining audiences.



With its rich array of virtuoso brass players and percussionists, the River City Brass Band can produce the full, rich sonorities of a symphony orchestra, the delicate, intimate sounds of a chamber ensemble, the toe-tapping brilliance of a military band and the swinging rhythms of a big band. The RCBB concert at Rockwell Hall will be a celebration of the American spirit.



River City Brass Band concerts are pleasing to a very wide spectrum of the concert-going public, with performances presented in a relaxed, informal and entertaining style. A popular feature of RCBB concerts are conductor Denis Colwell's witty remarks - informing and educating the audience and enriching the concert experience.



The River City Brass Band takes a great deal of pride in preserving and enriching its musical heritage by placing particular emphasis on the performance of music by American composers, and through the performance of new works, including some commissioned by the RCBB. In addition, the Band has performed the American premieres of numerous brass band works by British composers, including Sir William Walton, William Mathias, Gordon Jacob, Malcolm Arnold, Philip Sparke and Sir Arthur Bliss.



Currently, the RCBB has one of the most active schedules among American touring ensembles, performing 60 or more concerts on tour each year. The Band toured overseas in 1988 when, together with The Chicago Symphony Orchestra, The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and The Twyla Tharp Dance Company, it represented the United States at the celebration of Australia's Bicentennial. During its month-long tour "down under", the RCBB won rave reviews for its performances at the Adelaide Festival, the Sydney Opera House, Melbourne's Moomba Festival, the Queensland Performing Arts Center in Brisbane, and the New Zealand International Festival of the Arts.



The RCBB?s newest recording, All American is it?s first for Summit Records. Prior to that, the Band had released twelve recordings on its own label.



The River City Brass Band's concert is part of the WNED-FM 25th Anniversary Concert Series. The concert is sponsored by M&T Bank, WBFO, and Adelphia Media Services and is partially supported by a grant from Pennsylvania Performing Arts on Tour, a program developed and funded by The Vira I. Heinz Endowment; the William Penn Foundation; the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency; and the Pew Charitable Trusts; and administered by Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation.