Winchester Unitarian Society's Music in the Sanctuary series opens its 2026–2027 season with a performance by the acclaimed Beacon Brass Quintet on Friday, October 30th, at 8:00 PM.
Hailed as "one of the nation's finest chamber ensembles," Beacon Brass is noted for covering an enormous spectrum of music, from classical to contemporary. The program spans roughly 400 years, from Purcell's "Fanfare in C" and Bach's "My Spirit Be Joyful" to Duke Ellington's "Sophisticated Lady" and favorites from Leonard Bernstein's "West Side Story." Also on the bill are crowd-pleasing sea chanteys, swing tunes, and a nod to Halloween with Tchaikovsky's "The Witch."
Although brass has stirred crowds dating back to the Baroque and Renaissance, the modern brass quintet is a 20th-century invention, born of the notion that brass instruments can play with the intimacy and refinement of a string quartet. With two trumpets, a French horn, a trombone, and a tuba, Beacon Brass brings home the stunning power, versatility, and surprising delicacy of brass.
Music will be performed by Dana Russian and Dana Oakes on trumpet, Kevin Owen on French horn, Hans Bohn on trombone, and Donald Rankin on tuba. The ensemble has performed in concert throughout the United States and on radio and television. The group’s members also play with numerous orchestral groups, including the Boston Pops, Boston Ballet Orchestra, Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra, Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, and Boston Lyric Opera, among others.
The concert will be held in the Winchester Unitarian Society sanctuary, 478 Main Street, Winchester; it will also be live-streamed. Admission at the door or online is $20 for adults and $5 for students. The venue is handicapped accessible, and street parking is available. For more information and the live-stream link, visit https://www.winchesteruu.org/ongoing-activities-groups/concert-series/ or call 781-729-0949.