The buzz about brass

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This article was published 13/04/2024 (416 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Get ready Steinbach for an evening of great turn of the century classical music and humour as Quebec quintet Buzz Brass is coming to town.

“They put a little bit of a twist on classical music, they’re doing classical music with their brass (instruments),” said Tara Schellenberg, performing arts coordinator for Steinbach Arts Council, which is hosting the event. “Not all of it is expressly written for brass. Some of it will be familiar classical music and they do it all with their brass instruments. They’re very funny in their presentation style of this kind of, what we might think of as, more formal or sometimes even – dare I say – stuffy classical music. They just bring a lot of fun and energy to it.”

The quintet of musicians met while at the University of Montreal about 22 years ago and have played just under 2,000 concerts. They will play 130 this year alone. The group was formed by trumpet player Sylvain Lapointe and consists of trumpeters Lapointe and Federic Gagnon, French hornist Pascal Lafreniere, trombonist Jason De Carufel, and bass trombonist Sylvain Arseneau.

“We kind of specialize in the music that was composed in the turn of the 20th century,” said Lapointe. “We’re good at playing this music and we love this music that has been written at the end of 1800s and start of the 1900s. We chose that music because we love it and we’re pretty sure that the audience will appreciate it.”

He said the band plays chamber music and that the use of brass instruments in what has traditionally been seen as a string instrument scene, became popular for brass in the 1950s.

“But it’s more delicate to play a brass. You can play a violin for eight hours a day and it will be fine, but you cannot play eight hours of brass in your day because it’s too difficult for the lips. We’re five and it’s a good thing we’re not just four because we can give each other a break for a few bars here or there.”

Lapointe said the band likes to play classical music but wants to keep it accessible and entertaining for the audience with the use of familiar tunes and humour.

“We will talk about the composers, about the works. We will get the audience some insights and fun facts about the composers, the period, and the music that was composed and also about our life as professional musicians touring all around the world,” he said.

“There’s a couple of anecdotes that are really funny and they’re fun facts that you can’t believe that this exists because most of the time classical music is put like on the prestigious (pedestal), but composers and musicians are human so there are plenty of really ordinary people stories but really funny stories about those composers.”

Some of the composers the quintet will play include Bach, Ravel, Liszt, and Piazzolla.

The group has won the Prix Opus and the Association Quebecoise de L’industrie du Disque and the Trille Or Awards. They were among the Top 10 picks at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. They have collaborated with established symphony orchestras including those in Gatineau, Winnipeg, Quebec City, and Ottawa’s National Arts Centre Orchestra.

“I want people to come and see the concert and not be intimidated or afraid of classical music. It’s great fun and they can go and see our YouTube channel or our website, there’s plenty of nice video there if they want to know who we are ahead of the concert. They can go there and see that we’re funny and accessible and we’re there because we love music and we just want to share our love for that music for the people,” said Lapointe.

The brass quintet will play at Grace Mennonite Church located at 430 Third Street in Steinbach on April 17. Tickets are $30 for adults and $15 for students and can be purchased at on SAC’s website. The band will play at 7:30 p.m.