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Bridge Brass was a by-product of the Lethbridge Community Band Society ( LCBS.ca) which was founded in 1987. The quintet had its first performance in early 1990.
Don Robb and Ken Lewis, both Trumpeters have played with the group since its inception. Karly Lewis is our French Horn musician. She has played for almost all of the group’s history except for a few years while she studied in Calgary. She returned permanently to the group in 2004. The most recent additions go back more than a decade with René van de Vendel (2004), on Euphonium and Andrew Manzara (2009), on Tuba.
Over the years we have had many fine players join us at various times and our lives are much richer for these great experiences. The quintet has a great bond with each other, and a common desire to play and share our music. We love it, and each of us has grown musically because of this group and our experiences.
Our library of music is now quite substantial, and covers just about any kind and style of music. We have played for conventions, weddings, church services, choir collaborations, concert settings, in 1996 Alberta Winter Games, facility openings. And we have commissioned new works and premiered new pieces. For over 30 years we have played for the Catholic Central High School Graduation Mass,
We have joined Vox Musica, Foothills Brass and even had the pleasure of sharing performances with the great Canadian trumpet virtuoso, Jens Lindemann . And in the early 2000's we experienced and enjoyed a very personal relationship with Canadian Composer and arranger Howard Cable. That led to several gratuitous commissions for our group focused on the talents of each of the members. Music is about experiences and we have certainly had them and enjoyed them.
In 2019, the Quintet travelled with the LCBS ( LCBS.CA) ensembles to Scotland where it performed in the magnificent St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh and in the beautiful Troon Cathedral to name a few.
In 2019 we were active in organizing and participating in CancerBlast, a local philanthropic pairing of brass music with funding cancer research at the University of Lethbridge. That project raised over $53,500.00. It was a tribute to Ryan Anthony whom some of us met at a conference - and included his great friend Jens Lindemann.
And in 2021 we were very honoured to have a video we did in the fall , "The Covid Cow Concert", selected to be part of a national fundraising campaign for African relief as part of the Stephen Lewis Foundation.
Photos - Donna Kroeger
Photo venue -courtesy of Mortar and Brick and the artists they represent.
PC
94935