American Brass Quintet

Currently in its forty-ninth season, the American Brass Quintet has been internationally recognized as one of the premiere chamber music ensembles of our time. The ABQ's rich history includes performances in Europe, Central and South America, the Middle East, Asia, Australia and all fifty of the United States; a discography of over fifty recordings; the premieres of over one-hundred contemporary brass works, and in the last decade, mini-residencies that have brought the ABQ's chamber music expertise to countless young musicians and institutions worldwide. ABQ commissions by Samuel Adler, Bruce Adolphe, Daniel Asia, Jan Bach, Robert Beaser, William Bolcom, Elliott Carter, Jacob Druckman, Eric Ewazen, Anthony Plog, Huang Ruo, Steven Sacco, David Sampson, Gunther Schuller, William Schuman, Ralph Shapey, Joan Tower, Melinda Wagner, and Charles Whittenberg, are considered among the most significant contributions to the modern brass quintet repertoire. In the last two seasons, the ABQ has premiered new works by Robert Dennis, Robert Maggio, Paul Moravec, David Sampson, and Adam Schoenberg, and released two new recordings—Cheer Boys Cheer (volume two of civil war brass music of the 26th N.C. Regimental Band), and Jewels (ABQ concert favorites). During the 2007-2008 season, the ABQ premiered and toured Two Elements for brass quintet and piano by Grammy-winning composer-pianist Billy Childs commissioned for the ABQ by a grant from the New York State Music Fund. This year the ABQ will premiere a new work by Gordon Beeferman (the first of four brass quintets by emerging composers funded by a grant from the Jerome Foundation), a new piece for brass quintet and organ by Justin Dello Joio, and will complete their ninth recording for Summit Records to be released in celebration of the ABQ’s fiftieth-anniversary season in 2010.
       
Equally committed to the promotion of brass chamber music through education, the American Brass Quintet has been in residence at The Juilliard School since 1987 and at the Aspen Music Festival since 1970. Many young ensembles, including the Extension Ensemble, Manhattan Brass Quintet, and the Meridian Arts Ensemble, have worked with the ABQ through these residencies, and gone on to establish their own presence in the brass chamber music field. Since 2001 the ABQ has offered its expertise in chamber music performance and training with a program of mini-residencies as part of its regular touring season. Designed to offer young groups and individuals an intense chamber music experience over several days, ABQ mini-residencies have been embraced by schools and communities throughout the United States and internationally.

Through its acclaimed performances, diverse programming, commissioning, extensive discography and educational mission, the ABQ has created a legacy unparalleled in the brass field. Hailed as "the high priests of brass" by Newsweek, "positively breathtaking" by The New York Times, and "of all the brass quintets, the most distinguished" by the American Record Guide, the American Brass Quintet has clearly defined itself among the elite chamber music ensembles of our time.