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SPREAD THE WORD........BRASS BAND at the new Dozier Centre for the Performing Arts!

Parts to "Atlanta Impressions" (a ZIP file)

GYSO Home Page

  Download Audition Application For All GYSO Ensembles Here

 We've received some International press! Read more....

 Brass Band Guide for GYSO members (a handbook/user manual)

 Warm-Ups and Chorales

 Brass Band Links

 See our Feature in "The Bridge"

 See the rest of Dr. Tom's family in a new Dozier Center ad

 GYSO Brass Band Solo Competition Info!


Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am extremely pleased to announce that a new Youth Brass Band will be starting in September of 2006 at the spectacular Dozier Centre for the Performing Arts in Kennesaw, GA.

This facility is absolutely state-of-the-art. The Dozier Family Foundation has spared no expense in creating what will surely be a hub of the Fine Arts community in Georgia and beyond. Within this one complex are recording studios, practice rooms, lounges,black box theatre, ensemble rehearsal rooms, music library, classrooms, and a fabulous 630-seat hall.
It is scheduled for a Grand Opening in August of 2006. Please keep your eyes and ears open for further details.

A primary focus of this wonderful venue will be EDUCATION. They are committed to establishing a Community Arts Center that will be dedicated to just that end.......serving the community.


Three new ensembles are being established in full support of  the Georgia Youth Symphony Orchestra ("GYSO"-artistic director, Dr. Michael Alexander), each with the aim of providing a stimulating environment for the young musicians of this region:

The GYSO Strings (artistic director, maestro Jim Palmer)
The GYSO Brass Band (artistic director, yours truly, Dr. Tom Gibson)
The GYSO Percussion Ensemble (artistic director, John Lawless)

 The brass band will seek to staff itself with the very finest brass players ranging in age from 15-21 years. This will be a sincerely committed ensemble and will perform to the very highest of standards. In fact, it is very likely that we will enter to compete in the NABBA Competition in our very first year. I fully expect this group to have a professional sound. As artistic director, I am interested in providing a deeply meaningful musical experience for young players that might have professional aspirations.
Most of you know of my passion for Brass Band. It's more than a musical passion, although it is my favorite performance vehicle. The culture of Brass Banding has captivated me and I needed an outlet. In speaking with Brass players from across the region, we all agreed that the community is ripe for Brass Banding......thank you Dozier Family Foundation!

It is our mission to educate not just the students in the ensemble, but their friends, neighbors, and families, too, about this wonderful musical tradition. 

 I have enlisted the very best Brass teachers and players from this area to coach. The coachings will be weekly so these unfamiliar instruments and mouthpieces will very quickly become second nature. The hired coaches include members of the Atlanta Symphony, Atlanta Ballet Orchestra, Atlanta Opera, The Cobb Symphony Orchestra, and the Georgia Brass Band. Nothing but the very,very best.

The group will be known as the Georgia Youth Symphony Orchestra (GYSO) Brass Band.

The Dozier Family Foundation, Ken Stanton Music, and Yamaha Corporation have teamed up to purchase all new instruments for this group!
(B-flat tubas and trombones excluded).

This is a priceless gift and a tremendous gesture of kindness by all parties. 
It's incredible......a huge debt of gratitude is owed to the people of the Dozier Centre for the Performing Arts for expressing such passion for Brass Band and such vision for this community.
It is my vow to make sure their money is well spent.

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For those of you that do not know, a Brass Band differs from the typical Brass Ensemble we usually hear in the US. Brass Bands are tremendously popular in Britain and have been since the early days of the Industrial Revolution. The GYSO Brass Band will be patterened exactly on this British model. A terrific local example of traditional Brass Band is the Georgia Brass Band, with whom many of you may be familiar.

These bands do not use Trumpets, for example, but opt for the more mellow and sweet tone of the cornet. We will employ 1 E-flat Soprano Cornet and 10 B-flat Cornets.
French horns, too, are traded for the E-flat Alto horns (sometimes also referred to as Tenor Horns). We will have 4 of these.
Baritones and Euphoniums are used, side by side, 2 of each!
Trombones usually number 4 tenors and 1 bass.
2 B-flat Tubas and 2 E-flat tubas

Add to that 3 percussionists and the band is complete.
Every member of the band (except Trombonists and B-flat Tubists....sorry) will have use of a BRAND new Yamaha instrument. This instrument will be theirs for the season (they will obviously exercise great responsibility in the care of these beautiful musical tools, right everybody?).
Players will be encouraged to take the instruments home and practice....a LOT:-)

Auditions will take place on September 9 and 10 (September 12 and 13 only if needed) at the new Dozier Centre for the Performing Arts (on Stilesboro Road just north of Barrett Parkway. Adjacent to Mt. Paran Christian School but not affiliated).
Rehearsals are presently scheduled from 3-6pm on Sundays, beginning Sep. 17.
All performances will be in the amazing new hall at the Dozier Centre (just WAIT 'til you see it).

Please stay tuned for further details. You may refer all interested parties to me at:

tom@trombonelessons.com

Please alert your friends, colleagues, and students about this exciting possibility. I give you my word:

This will be a fantastic experience for everyone involved! Our community will quickly become immensely proud of its GYSO Brass Band. There simply is no better music for Brass players and listeners alike! It's a blue-collar tradition of making "community music" that is moving and enjoyable for everyone.
Toe-tapping, hand-clapping, tear-jerking, heart-throbbing music that CONNECTS with people.....that's what we're all about.

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If you would like to learn more about Brass Bands and the fabulous tradition of Community Bands, here are some of my favorite links: