American Brass Quintet

When the American Brass Quintet gave its first public performance in 1960, brass chamber music was relatively unknown to concert audiences. That modest debut, on December 11, 1960, marked the beginning of an international concert career for the ensemble that Newsweek magazine calls "the high priests of brass."

The quintet—Raymond Mase and Kevin Cobb, trumpets; David Wakefield, horn; Michael Powell, trombone; and John D. Rojak, bass trombone—has been in residence at Juilliard since 1987. Its members teach individually, coach brass chamber music ensembles, and perform frequently, often with their students. The quintet has performed on major concert series and festivals throughout the United States, as well as in Europe, Central and South America, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia. Highlights of the 2002-2003 season include appearances at Lincoln Center, Wolf Trap, and with the orchestras of Istanbul and Ankara, Turkey. They are also members of the artist-faculty at the Aspen Music Festival and School.

The American Brass Quintet’s commissioning project, which now numbers more than 100 works for brass quintet by composers such as William Bolcom, Elliott Carter, Jacob Druckman, David Sampson, Gunther Schuller, and Virgil Thomson, among others, have added more than 100 works to the repertoire and firmly established this ensemble's commitment to the ever growing field of brass chamber music.