Brassy Christmas

Charles T. Downey, At Strathmore, Washington Symphonic Brass sound their holiday horns
Washington Post, December 20, 2012

One of the benefits of life in Washington is a surfeit of talented brass players, employed by the area’s orchestras and military service bands. Many talented musicians from the Army and Marine bands, and some from farther away, were featured in the Washington Symphonic Brass’s Christmas concert at Strathmore on Tuesday night. Some of these players will be heard on Christmas Day itself, playing at services in the city’s churches.

Phil Snedecor, the lead trumpeter and artistic director, contributed many of the carol arrangements, which avoided most of the chestnuts in favor of tunes from France, Finland and Poland. Commercial favorites were snuck into medleys, like the Hollywood-style “Christmas Memories,” which had a hilarious bit for tuba in “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” and kazoo parts added to “The Chipmunk Song.” [Continue reading]

Washington Symphonic Brass
With National Philharmonic Chorale
Music Center at Strathmore