Diamond Brass Quintet to perform virtual concert

The Diamond Brass Quintet

The Diamond Brass Quintet is comprised of players who are passionate about brass and have appeared in many local and regional concerts, including their popular annual Christmas concert. Due to the ongoing pandemic, the Rocky River Chamber Music Society will present the Quintet's concert virtually. It will include music by Bach, Ewald, Stravinsky, Ewazen and DiLorenzo.

The artists will perform on Monday, Oct. 12, at 7:30 p.m. in the outstanding acoustical environment of West Shore Unitarian Universalist Church in Rocky River. The rest of us will be at home listening and/or viewing on either Facebook Live or YouTube.

To obtain access to the concert, use one of the following links shortly before the beginning of the concert:

The Quintet’s two trumpet players have performed and taught extensively throughout northern Ohio. Amanda Bekeny has studied with Jack Gallagher at The College of Wooster, John Aley and Alan Campbell at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Tim Leasure at The Ohio State University, and David Burkhart at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

Nina Bell studied with Charlie Geyer and Barbara Butler at Northwestern University, and with Cleveland Orchestra Principal Trumpet, Michael Sachs, at the Cleveland Institute of Music.  Both Nina and Amanda hold positions in CityMusic Cleveland Chamber Orchestra.

Hornist Greg Hillis has played with many symphonies and chamber music groups including Cleveland POPS Orchestra, Cleveland Opera Theater, Ashland Symphony, Cleveland Philharmonic, and the Heritage Brass Quintet. Greg is a founding member of the woodwind sextet, Ekklésia, and he enjoys playing with theater groups across the region.

Born and raised in Germany, trombonist Sebastian Bell began his formal musical training in Frankfurt and Berlin before arriving at the Cleveland Institute of Music where he studied under Massimo La Rosa and Edward Zadrozny.  Sebastian has performed with The Cleveland Orchestra, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and the Cincinnati Symphony. He is enthusiastic about teaching and has served on the music faculty of Hiram College.

J.c. Sherman is known as a “one-of-a-kind” musician who travels with his tuba nationally and internationally. He is an instructor of tuba and euphonium at Cleveland State University, and performs regularly with the Cleveland POPS and the Blossom Festival Band. Sherman is a brass craftsman who builds and restores antique instruments for clients all over the world. In addition to his many classical music performances, he is also an accomplished jazz musician.

In this its 62nd season, the Rocky River Chamber Music Society remains firmly committed to the presentation of concerts for Northeast Ohio audiences, whether virtual or in person.  Donations are always welcome. For further information visit the RRCMS website at www.rrcms.org, or follow RRCMS on Facebook and Twitter.

Carol Jacobs

Carol Jacobs is a retired archivist, librarian, and curator who resides in Westlake and serves on the board of the Rocky River Chamber Music Society.  

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Volume 12, Issue 18, Posted 10:20 AM, 09.15.2020