Zenith Brass Ensemble
Encyclopedia
Zenith Brass rehearses in Troy, MI (northern Detroit suburb) on Tuesday evenings from 7 to 9 p.m. from September to May. They perform concerts in November, March and May each year. The concerts feature a wide variety of music designed to be educational for its members and enjoyable for the audience.
Since its inception, Zenith has drawn members from over 73 different school music programs over a wide area. Membership is a supplement to those school music organizations. Zenith gives first priority to its members' commitment to their school music programs. Members are regular participants in the solo and ensemble festivals and study with the best brass teachers in the area.
The Zenith Brass Ensemble is designed for proficient, motivated players. They perform a large amount of music with a minimum of rehearsal.
Zenith was the subject of a feature article in the Local News section of the Detroit Free Press in May, 2008. Zenith was also featured in articles in the Oakland Press, the Royal Oak Tribune and the Macomb Daily in November, 2000.
History
Drum and bugle corps (modern)
A drum and bugle corps, also known as a drum corps, is a musical marching unit consisting of brass instruments, percussion instruments, and color guard. Typically operating as independent non-profit organizations, drum corps perform in competitions, parades, festivals, and other civic functions...
. He has had an interest in British brass bands dating back to his college days at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. Studying that movement through books, scores and recordings, he came to appreciate the potential of the large brass ensemble. A trip to London for the 1975 International Brass Band Championships in Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
provided a first hand view of the brass band movement.
When Petty concluded his long career with outdoor marching groups, he wanted to dedicate his efforts to concert music in the form of a brass ensemble. He founded the Zenith Brass Ensemble in 1995 to provide an opportunity for outstanding area youth brass players to make music together and develop their skills in the homogeneous atmosphere of similar instruments.
Starting in 1995 with sixteen players recruited from private teachers' studios, the organization has grown to its current size of 35 members. The Zenith Brass Ensemble has become well known and respected among the area's band directors, private teachers and professional musicians. The Ensemble continues to attract and recruit the very best youth brass players in the area and strives to make continuous improvement in its performance levels.
Although the literature for brass ensemble is small compared to orchestra and wind band, Zenith Brass has found and performed over 365 selections for brass ensemble in its short history.
On May 20, 2006, the Zenith Brass Ensemble celebrated its Tenth Anniversary Season with a concert including alumni. Pictured is the combined group of 66 musicians following their performance of Stars and Stripes Forever.