Seraph Brass - Asteria (2018)

Seraph Brass is a dynamic brass quintet drawing from a roster of America’s top female brass players. Committed to engaging audiences with captivating programming, Seraph Brass presents a diverse body of repertoire that includes original transcriptions, newly commissioned works, and well-known classics.

Seraph Brass has toured throughout the United States, Mexico, and Europe. They have performed multiple concerts at the Lieksa Brass Week in Finland, and they were the featured ensemble at the International Women’s Brass Conference. Seraph has performed concerts at the Forum Cultural Guanajuato in León, Mexico, Dame Myra Hess Concerts in Chicago (IL), Gettysburg Concert Association (PA), Mary Baldwin University (VA), Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach (FL), SUNY Cortland (NY), Jamestown Concert Association (NY), and they have toured extensively as Allied Concert Services artists. Seraph is on the roster of the Manhattan Music Ensemble. They performed with the Rowan University Wind Ensemble, performing Rick DeJonge’s Prelude and Fantasy under the direction of Joseph Higgins. Many members of Seraph Brass have performed with Adele on her 2016 North American tour.

Enthusiastic about education, Seraph has developed strong relationships with Venezuelan “El Sistema” programs in Philadelphia and Washington D.C., performing fundraising concerts for Play-On Philly! and Bridges: Music Through Harmony. Seraph has given residencies at Stephen F. Austin University, University of Virginia, Wittenberg University (OH), Western and Eastern Illinois Universities, Metropolitan State University of Denver (CO), Penn State Erie (PA), Marywood University (PA), and the Dreyfoos School of the Arts (FL).

Seraph has commissioned and premiered new works including “Wolf” for solo soprano and brass quintet from Philadelphia-based composer, Joseph Hallman. For this debut studio album, Seraph has commissioned new works by Catherine McMichael and Rene Orth. They have also premiered Lucy Pankhurt’s Ouroboros with euphonium soloist Hélène Escriva at the International Women’s Brass Conference. Seraph also has many original arrangements by trumpeter Jeff Luke, featured on this album and Seraph Brass Live!

Members of Seraph Brass have performed with such esteemed ensembles as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Musicians from Marlboro, Luzern Music Festival in Switzerland, National Symphony, Brass Band of Battle Creek, Lake Luzern Music Festival (NY), Daejeon Philharmonic in Korea, and Auckland Philharmonia in New Zealand. They hold positions in the Richmond Symphony, Tucson Symphony, Louisville Orchestra, Artosphere Orchestra, Tennessee Tech University, University of North Carolina at Pembroke, Louisiana State University, University of Richmond, and North Carolina School of the Arts.

Tracklist:
01. Scherzo (from "A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op. 61")
02. Holberg Suite, Op. 40: I. Praeludium
03. Holberg Suite, Op. 40: II. Sarabande
04. Holberg Suite, Op. 40: III. Gavotte
05. Holberg Suite, Op. 40: IV. Air
06. Holberg Suite, Op. 40: V. Rigaudon
07. Asteria: I. Andromeda, The Chained Princess
08. Asteria: II. Virgo, Lover of Justice
09. Asteria: III. The Pleiades, The Sailing Queen and Her Daughters
10. Leaguered in Fire, Lagooned in Gold
11. Suite Espanola No. 1, Op. 47: I. Granada
12. Suite Espanola No. 1, Op. 47: II. Sevilla
13. Suite Espanola No. 1, Op. 47: III. Asturias
14. Go
15. Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2, S.244/2