The Quad City Wind Ensemble (QCWE) and season sponsors Edward Jones and Modern Woodmen announce a free holiday concert featuring the Big River Brass Band (BRBB).  The concert will be Sunday, December 14 at 3:00 p.m. in the Galvin Fine Arts Center, 517 W. Locust St., on the campus of St. Ambrose University in Davenport, IA.  The event is free and open to the public.  This is the 3rd year the BRBB has been featured during the holiday QCWE concert.

The QCWE was founded in 1987 by Dr. Charles B. DCamp of St. Ambrose University, and has become one of the finest adult bands in the nation. In 2012 the QCWE was the Community Division winner of The American Prize in Band/Wind Ensemble Performance.  For additional information, please visit www.qcwindensemble.org, or http://www.facebook.com/qcwindensemble.  Please contact Tyné Rieck, QCWE Public Relations at info@qcwindensemble.org for further information about the Quad City Wind Ensemble.

The BRBB was co-founded by Ed Butterfield, retired band director for Rock Island High School and Jerry Miller, John Deere retiree.  Miller saw a picture of the Deere Cornet Band in a book about Deere's history and decided to revive a brass band using Deere employees in order to carry on the Deere tradition.  Ed Butterfield later retired as director and was succeeded by current conductor Brian Burke. Since 2006, regular concerts have been played in Aledo, Geneseo, Rock Island, Moline, Bettendorf, and at the Festival of Trees in Davenport. The BRBB plays in the style of European brass bands and draws literature from classic brass band, jazz arrangements for brass band, and continues to search for new music.  For additional information, please visit their facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/bigriverbrassband

 

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The Quad City Wind Ensemble (QCWE) and season sponsor Edward Jones announce a free fall concert featuring Master Gunnery Sergeant Kurt Dupuis, "The President's Own" Marine Band principal trumpeter.  The concert will be Sunday, October 26, at 3:00 p.m. in the Galvin Fine Arts Center, 517 W. Locust St., on the campus of St. Ambrose University in Davenport, IA.  Master Gunnery Sgt Dupuis will also conduct a Masterclass on Saturday, October 25th, from 12:00-3:00 p.m., also at the Galvin Fine Arts Center.  Both events are free and open to the public.  All are encouraged to bring their instrument to the Saturday masterclass.

Master Gunnery Sgt. Dupuis, of Rochester, N.H., joined "The President's Own" United States Marine Band in September 1992. He was named principal trumpet in 1997.

He began his musical instruction at age 8 and studied with Terry Detwiler, former Marine Band solo cornet. He graduated in 1985 from Spaulding High School in Rochester, N.H. and earned a bachelor's degree in music from Boston University in 1990 where he also pursued graduate studies. His teachers included Roger Voisin, Peter Chapman, and Dr. Robert Stibler. In addition, he has received extensive coaching from Rolf Smedvig, Timothy Morrison, Jeff Curnow, and Susan Slaughter.

Prior to joining "The President's Own," Master Gunnery Sgt. Dupuis was a fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center in Lenox, Mass., and was a participant at the Grand Teton Orchestral Seminar in Jackson Hole, Wyo., for two summers. He also was a member of the Atlantic Brass Quintet, winners of the Coleman International Chamber Music Competition, Summit Brass International Chamber Music Competition, and the Rafael Mendez International Chamber Music Competition. The quintet toured the U.S. and Canada under Columbia Artist Management and coached at the Empire Brass Seminar at the Tanglewood Institute. Master Gunnery Sgt. Dupuis has performed in conjunction with the Empire Brass both at Carnegie Hall in New York and at the Bermuda Arts Festival.

Master Gunnery Sgt. Dupuis currently resides in Alexandria, Va.  He has been featured as a soloist with both the Marine Band and Marine Chamber Orchestra, frequently conducts masterclasses at universities and has published an article in the International Trumpet Guild and The Brass Herald.

"Marine Band principal trumpet Master Gunnery Sgt. Kurt Dupuis' performance with the Quad City Wind Ensemble is in a volunteer capacity."

The Marine Band is America's oldest continuously active professional musical organization. Founded in 1798, the band has performed for every U.S. president since John Adams. Known as "The President's Own" since the days of Thomas Jefferson, the Marine Band's mission is to provide music for the President of the United States and the Commandant of the Marine Corps.

The QCWE was founded in 1987 by Dr. Charles B. DCamp of St. Ambrose University, and has become one of the finest adult bands in the nation. In 2012 the QCWE was the Community Division winner of The American Prize in Band/Wind Ensemble Performance.  For additional information, please visit www.qcwindensemble.orghttp://www.facebook.com/qcwindensemble, or contact Tyné Rieck, QCWE Public Relations at info@qcwindensemble.org.

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