Meet Class Notes Artist: Summit Hill Brass Quintet

The Summit Hill Brass Quintet always has a lot of fun playing together. They have been in existence for over forty years, they've recorded several albums and performed many, many concerts, proving that playing music with one's friends is a key to ensemble longevity. They especially enjoy playing for kids, and are particularly keen to impart the unique functions of brass instruments, as well as their musical possibilities and historical connections.

Did you know, for instance, that the tuba has a "whale range"? Okay, this isn't an official term, but the range of the instrument — from extremely low to almost uncomfortably high (on such a low instrument) — is reminiscent of the sounds that whales make when they talk to each other (at least that's what tubist Scott Anderson thinks). Because of its extreme size and low range, the tuba is always the instrument in the brass quintet that most fascinates children.

Another popular demonstration is that of the trumpet mutes. This performance features demonstrations on four different types of mutes: straight, cup, Harmon, and plunger. The first three mutes are inserted into the bell, muting the color of the trumpet, each one giving the sound a different degree of a buzzy, tinny effect. The plunger mute (which incidentally is often literally a toilet plunger with the stick removed) is not inserted into the bell, but is held at the end of the bell whilst the player moves it in an open and closed motion, giving the "wah-wah" effect often heard in jazz music. The plunger comes in handy in the performance of Saint Louis Blues.

A particular goal of school curricula these days is the integration of different subjects with the aim to make a lesson as well rounded as possible. If you are teaching music, how can you relate it to science, or to social studies, or to practicing writing skills? Summit Hill Brass Quintet emphasizes how understanding history behind their medley of Civil War music can add much to the listening experience. Of course, the American Civil War was one of the most tragic events in our nation's history, but many songs relating to battle came out of that time — most of which are still quite well known today (including When Johnny Comes Marching Home and The Battle Hymn of the Republic.) In fact, the bugle (a relative of the trumpet) was essential to the military lifestyle, and though no longer used on the battlefield today, is still a very important factor in military ceremonies. Different bugle calls, performed by both Pam Humphrey and Dave Baldwin (using a Harmon mute, creating a very high-pitched buzzy sound) dictated what the soldiers were supposed to do next, whether it was a set of directions on the battlefield or within the daily routine of camp life. These signals were always very loud, so as to carry over the confusion of and chaos of battle, or across the vastness of the camp. The most famous bugle melody, "Taps," closes this Civil War medley; it signalled the end of the day and was used to send the troops back to camp. It eventually became a standard component of military funerals in 1891, and is also performed in other ceremonial capacities including those for raising flags.

The Summit Hill Brass Quintet demonstrates that brass ensembles can play a wide-range of musical styles from many different eras. Most of the pieces that they perform are not actually original brass quintet compositions, but have been arranged by first trumpeter Dave Baldwin for the ensemble: two trumpets, French horn, trombone, tuba. For every piece, the quintet asks their student audience to listen for a particular element in the music. For the Bach Fugue in G Major — a form of composition similar to a round — the kids must listen for the "subject" (the main theme) that reappears throughout the piece played by all of the different instruments. The ensemble assists with this by each member standing whenever he or she is playing the subject. In Escape, there is a "ritardando" (slowing down) and an accelerando (speeding up) hidden in the middle section. In Saint Louis Blues, there are various effects including the aforementioned plunger mute and the unique capabilities of the trombone, as well the swing style rhythm prevalent in jazz music. Demonstrating that brass quintets have no problem interpreting rock 'n roll, the reggae-influenced Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da, with its "um-chuck" rhythm, gives the students an insight into how one style of music from one country can highly influence another style from a different country.

However, undoubtedly the piece that excites the students the most is the closer: the theme music from The Simpsons. It is a pillar of American broadcast media, and as such, children are able to recognize it after only a few bars. In this way it also helps to convey an important message: music is a really important factor in our culture. It's everywhere from concert halls, radio, television, movies, advertising. It's a great tool to enhance the human life experience whether it was composed 500 years ago or last year. And anyone, regardless of age, has the potential to compose music and contribute to the musical catalogue of the world.

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