The trumpet, horn and trombone come in a number of varieties and each is capable of a myriad of sounds. The music they produce together can range from solemn, to bright, to patriotic, to majestic and everything in between.
All of these sounds will be on display when The Honolulu Brass Quintet performs the Hawaii Concert Society’s season-ending concert at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 7, at the University of Hawaii at Hilo Performing Arts Center.
The wide-ranging program covers works from influential 16th and 17th century composers to 20th and 21st century American composers including some who are Emmy and Juno Award-winners.
“This program is easily the most widely varied in every aspect I can think of,” says quintet member Kenneth Hafner, who along with JoAnn Lamolino plays trumpet in the quintet and also in the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra. The group also includes Anna Lenhart, principal hornist of HSO; Jason Byerlotzer, principal HSO trombonist; and Rudi Hoehn, acting principal bass trombone of HSO. All of the musicians are also members of Chamber Music Hawaii.
On the program are madrigals by Renaissance composers, one of Bach’s best-known compositions, his “Little Fugue,” and quintessentially American compositions by Virgil Thomson, William Schuman and Bramwell Tovey.
The concert begins, and ends, however with music by Massachusetts-born, Emmy Award-winning composer Anthony DiLorenzo.
The opening piece, “Fire Dance,” is a dazzling showcase of brass musicality and technique, while the finale, “Hawaiian Bliss,” brings the audience back home to paradise.
Three years ago, Honolulu Brass commissioned DiLorenzo to arrange a suite of Hawaiian music for its 40th anniversary. The Hilo concert will close with this piece. DiLorenzo had worked on projects that range from a 300-member choir to solo trumpet, including the Marvel Avenger films and others. Hawaii’s music, however, was new for him.
What he came up with is a piece that features Hawaiian songs from the last 40 years in an arrangement that showcases their melodies and harmonies.
“There’s actually a retro feeling to all of these,” DiLorenzo said. “They sort of bring you to a blissful state. All of this music just makes you enjoy the moment. Not just for the listener but for the players to enjoy the time while they’re playing.”
Tickets for the March 7 Hilo concert ($25/20/10 – general/60+/student) are available at The Most Irresistible Shop in Hilo, Music Exchange, and the UH-Hilo Performing Arts Center box office. Remaining tickets will be available at the door on the evening of the concert, from 6:45 p.m.