CV and Rosemont Students Perform With LA Phil Musicians at Brass and Jazz Bash

The fourth annual "Brass and Jazz Bash," presented by the Crescenta Valley Arts Council, proved to be an unforgettable evening for more than 300 people in attendance on Friday, Feb. 11. (Full disclosure: the author is Publicity Chair for the CVAC.)

As has become tradition, the event was held at the and was conducted by retired Los Angeles Philharmonic trumpeter Rob Roy McGregor. In a casual setting, musicians from the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, USC, Caltech, Colburn School, Cal State Northridge, , and other local schools regaled the community with yet another extraordinary concert.

Performers with a passion for their art were all gathered together, and everyone from young music students to seasoned professionals were able to play together. McGregor's witty and dry sense of humor set the tone for the evening, as he casually addressed the audience as though we were gathered in his own living room.

The performance began with three trumpets announcing the commencement of the program, as if beckoning royalty. The idea of a "Bash" is to assemble a group of disparate musicians who have never played together and ask them to perform music from various genres.

“We never know exactly what will happen, but we’ve never been disappointed,” said McGregor.  He would announce the number of instruments needed for each piece, and the performers brave enough to volunteer would assemble on the stage. Only after all the musicians were in place would McGregor distribute the sheet music.

McGregor's comment before the first number perfectly encapsulated what everyone in the audience was thinking: this could be a musical train wreck. Much to the audience's enjoyment, however, the performers created aural nirvana. Even though they had no time to rehearse, each musician played his or her part perfectly. The performers had obviously shared the audience's concern about the expected outcome of this musical experiment. The post-performance smiles on the musicians' faces displayed their surprised jubilation that the cacophony had been harmonious instead of horrific. The approving roars from the audience filled the hall and gave the performers confidence to continue.

The highlight of the evening was hearing 50 musicians, from middle-school students all the way to expert musicians, play together in perfect unison despite the fact many of them had never even met each other. They formed into three brass choirs, which together played a beautiful piece by Italian composer Gabrieli. 

It was incredible to watch the mayhem of trying to organize 50 musicians, but the end result was nothing short of a masterpiece. Rod Yonkers, the Rosemont Middle School Music Director, led a group of students in several numbers, and their talents were astounding--beyond what I would have expected from middle school students. Local talent was on full display.

The Crescenta Valley High School Jazz band performed a spirited rendition of Putting on the Ritz, and Glendale High students performed the theme song to the Tetris video game.  I could actually see the little Tetris pieces falling in my mind's eye.  Simon and Garfunkel's Scarborough Faire was presented by The Pasadena Youth Orchestra.

Crescenta Valley High School Music Director Mathew Schick asserted his feeling "that being involved in the annual 'Bash' provides our students the unique opportunity to play in the community with professionals in the area who will, by playing alongside of our students, inspire our students to grow musically.  Kids listen to a huge variety of music these days and much of it is contemporary popular music. In jazz band, they play music which is not in the popular mainstream culture. By performing jazz as well as classical music among professionals, our students will gain a deeper appreciation for jazz and acoustic music."

The Crescenta Valley Arts Council brings the "Brass Bash" to the community every February as part of an ongoing effort to promote appreciation for the arts in our community.  The Arts Council's mission statement is "to encourage artistic awareness and creative expression through exhibitions, programs and educational offerings ... by perpetuating the arts as an expression of cultural vitality and identity in the Crescenta Valley." 

For information about upcoming events sponsored by the Arts Council, visit the Arts Council's website. 

Patch will release more photos from this event on Thursday in our Viewfinder column.