3rd Coast Brass is bringing ‘A Very Brassy Christmas’ to two historic venues
Back by popular demand, 3rd Coast Brass will present “A Very Brassy Christmas” with two performances in the Chicago area this December. This holiday concert series features a festive program brought to life by a 10-piece brass ensemble of four trumpets, two horns, three trombones, and a tuba.
Audiences can expect an exhilarating evening of music, from favorite holiday films to classic brass repertoire and cherished Christmas songs.
The first concert takes place at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6, at the historic Woodstock Opera House, 121 W. Van Buren St. in Woodstock.
Later in the month, 3rd Coast Brass makes its debut at the beautiful Epiphany Center for the Arts in Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood, making it an ideal event for anyone enjoying holiday festivities downtown. The concert will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 19, at the center, 201 S. Ashland Ave.
Tickets for the Woodstock concert are $25-$30. Tickets for the Chicago concert are $30, $80 for a VIP table for two, or $160 for a VIP table for four.
For tickets, go to www.thirdcoastbrass.org/a-very-brass-christmas-2024.
“Our ensemble features some of the finest brass musicians in the Chicago area,” said Mark Fry, bass trombonist and leader of 3rd Coast Brass. “I wanted to create a program that goes beyond traditional holiday offerings, showcasing the power and versatility of brass.”
This year’s diverse program includes music from beloved holiday films like ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ and ‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service,’ classic works like Corelli’s Christmas Concerto and pieces by Giovanni Gabrieli and William Byrd, as well as cherished Christmas songs both sacred and secular, including “Fantasy” on “Adeste Fideles,” “The Christmas Song,” “Carol of the Bells,” “The First Noel,” and many more.
About 3rd Coast Brass
3rd Coast Brass is the premier brass ensemble in the Chicago area, with members who perform with some of the nation’s top orchestras, including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Cleveland Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Houston Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and many others. Their mission is to honor the rich history of brass ensembles worldwide while also exploring groundbreaking repertoire for the future.
In May 2024, 3rd Coast Brass made its official debut as a symphonic brass ensemble with a program featuring Gunther Schuller’s Symphony for Brass and Percussion and Modest Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition” in an arrangement by Elgar Howarth. This performance, a tribute to the renowned Philip Jones Brass Ensemble, served as the season finale for Chamber Music on the Fox’s 10th Anniversary and marked a milestone in the ensemble’s journey.
As a quintet, 3rd Coast Brass was the featured chamber ensemble at the Pine Mountain Music Festival in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula in 2012. Over their two-decade history, the ensemble has performed widely across the Chicago area and the Midwest, appearing in configurations from quintets to full symphonic brass and percussion ensembles, bringing the power and beauty of brass music to diverse audiences.
For more information about “A Very Brassy Christmas” and to purchase tickets, visit the 3rd Coast Brass website, www.thirdcoastbrass.org.