Brassology

Brassology, the extraordinary octet brainchild of trumpeter Brandon Ridenour and trombonist Marshall Gilkes, is an octet beyond measure or comparison.

After shaping the outfit’s concept in conversation, personnel discussions logically ensued. And in seeking like-minded souls with versatility and virtuosity to match their own, Ridenour and Gilkes established their roster. Michael Rodriguez, a leading light in the jazz world, and Chris Coletti, another noted Canadian Brass alum, fill out the trumpet roster. Eric Reed, of American Brass Quintet and Orpheus Chamber Orchestra fame, covers the musical middle ground with his horn. Tim Albright, a protean pro with innumerable credits from jazz to Broadway to classical environs, joins Gilkes in the slide section. Demondrae Thurman, a revered figure in orchestral circles and the Chair of the Brass Department at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music, brings a broad range of expression with his euphonium. And Carol Jantsch, the longtime Principal Tuba in the Philadelphia Orchestra, holds down the low end with supreme skill and verve.

Brassology is completely committed to removing barriers.