The Music of James Pugh & Daniel Schnyder
The Graham Ashton Brass Ensemble
| "... his ensemble of Manhattan's finest brass players is, on this
showing, as smooth and subtle as you'll ever hope to hear"
Peter Grahame Woolf, Musical Pointers |
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"OK, I’ll stop holding back and tell you what I really think
... The Graham Ashton Brass Ensemble has produced an exceptionally
fine recording ... beautiful, spacious, playful, and mysterious. I
have listened to it many times and it is better every time."
Calvin Smith, International Horn Society |
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"succeeds on every level: extraordinary musicianship, clear and sonorous recorded sound, fresh and interesting repertoire."
Chris Gekker, The Brass Player (New York) |
Signum Records are delighted to present this world-class ensemble, led
by trumpeter Graham Ashton. This group of talented New Yorkers have
performed the works of James Pugh and Daniel Schnyder in concerts across
the globe.
The relationship between these two composers and the Brass Ensemble has
developed far beyond mutual friendship and respect. Since the year 2000,
when James Pugh first wrote "And Flights of Angels" for the group, the
ensemble have seldom performed a concert without a selection of his and
Daniel’s music. Both James and Daniel now write many pieces exclusively
for these players, and have created a close and successful partnership,
both on stage and off.
The world of brass music is relatively under-explored, and James Pugh
(Professor of Trombone at Purchase College, State University of New York)
and Daniel Schnyder (Composer-in-Residence with the Milwaukee Symphony
Orchestra) have specialised in a repertoire that is both fun, challenging
and extremely versatile.
A champion of brass ensemble music, Graham Ashton reformed the Graham
Ashton Brass Ensemble (GABE) upon relocating to New York in 1999. The
ensemble quickly made its mark by drawing together an eclectic mix of
Manhattan's most distinguished brass players from the Orchestra of the
Metropolitan Opera, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and American
Symphony. GABE made their New York début in 2000 at the 25th Anniversary
conference of the International Trumpet Guild.
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