Tag Archives: Lake Wobegon® Brass Band

British-style brass bands at #VBF2021

Over the years, Vintage Band Festival has presented music from just about every genre of the brass band repertoire. From Alphorn trios, woodwind quartets (with French horn), trombone shout bands and marching bands to  living history re-enactor bands, German and Finnish brass ensembles, New Orleans jazz and the big band sounds of the 1940s, it all works! #VBF2021 will showcase two British-style brass bands on July 31 on Bridge Square in Northfield.

 SHELDON THEATRE BRASS BAND

Sheldon Theatre Brass Band

The Sheldon Theatre Brass Band was founded in 1989 as the resident performing ensemble at the newly-restored, turn-of-the-century T. B. Sheldon Theatre in Red Wing, MN. The band is made up of cornets, trombones, tenor horns, euphoniums, tubas and percussion. In addition to regular performances at the Sheldon Theatre, the band performs at a variety of venues throughout Minnesota and western Wisconsin and has performed at many brass band festivals throughout the United States, including the NABBA championships and the Great American Brass Band Festival. The band is conducted by James Kurschner and has performed at every Vintage Band Festival.

LAKE WOBEGON BRASS BAND

Lake Wobegon Brass Band

The Lake Wobegon© Brass Band is a British-style Brass Band from Anoka, MN. The British style is a tradition noted for its characteristic dark, mellow tone. The name Lake Wobegon© does come from Garrison Keillor’s radio show, A Prairie Home Companion, and was allowed on the stipulation that the band perform at a picnic sometime for Keillor. The ensemble gives concerts throughout Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and the Dakotas and has toured twice in Great Britain. The band is led by Mike Halstenson. Lake Wobegon© Brass Band is a Vintage Band Festival veteran performer.

Check out the rest of the band roster of #VBF2021 and the complete schedule at www.vintagebandfestival.org.

“Recalling History Through Its Sights and Sounds” via the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota

Read a recent blog post about the Vintage Band Festival via the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota here.

“Minnesota Festival to Feature Vintage Bands” via Leisure Group Travel

Note: This article can be found on Leisure Group Travel‘s website. Read more Vintage Band Festival coverage here and here.

The Vintage Band Festival, set for Aug. 1-4 in Northfield, Minn., once again will present performances from a wide variety of brass bands. A rich history is found in British-style brass bands. Two Minnesota-based bands in this tradition will appear at the Vintage Band Festival in August — the Lake Wobegon® Brass Band and Sheldon Theatre Brass Band.

Sheldon Theatre Brass Band

Sheldon Theatre Brass Band

This band style began during Britain’s industrial era, when newly invented brass valves were being mass-produced. The resulting cultural change took “playing in a band” to a new level, inspiring challenging contests that enlivened the working communities, heightening spirits and creating a category of band music all its own. Today the North American Brass Band Association embodies this tradition passed down through the centuries, while many heritages continue to embrace British-style music throughout the world.

Read more here.

Press Release: Brush Up On Your Brass!

Vintage Band Festival
www.vintagebandfestival.org

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Brush Up On Your Brass!
Vintage Band Festival Aug. 1-4, 2013

NORTHFIELD, MN (March 23, 2013) – The Vintage Band Festival is once again proud to present performances from a wide variety of brass bands. A rich history is found in British-style brass bands. Two Minnesota-based bands in this tradition will appear at the Vintage Band Festival in August — the Lake Wobegon® Brass Band and the Sheldon Theatre Brass Band.

This band style began during Britain’s industrial era, when newly invented brass valves were being mass-produced. The resulting cultural change took “playing in a band” to a new level, inspiring challenging contests that enlivened the working communities, heightening spirits and creating a category of band music all its own. Today the North American Brass Band Association embodies this tradition passed down through the centuries, while many heritages continue to embrace British-style music throughout the world.

An important distinction with British-style brass band instruments is that they were standardized and transposed to the treble clef, meaning you could pick up just about any instrument and you wouldn’t have to learn new fingering (just adjust to the new mouthpiece) – for example playing a Soprano Cornet (E♭) could be taught like a Flugelhorn (B♭) or a Tenor Horn (E♭) according to the notes on the staff.

Populated by music educators and serious amateurs from around the Mississippi River shores, the Sheldon Theatre Brass Band of Red Wing plays a regular series of performances at the T.B. Sheldon Auditorium as a “house band” and also performs concerts in other regional communities. They have played at the National Brass Band competition and even hosted the event in Red Wing one year. They also appeared at the Great American Brass Band Festival in Danville, Kentucky. This will be the band’s third appearance at the Vintage Band Festival.

The Lake Wobegon® Brass Band formed in 1992 and is cosponsored by Anoka-Ramsey Community College and the Anoka Brass Band Association. When Garrison Keillor was contacted regarding the band’s name, he responded, “I’m happy to give my permission. The only condition is that you will let me know when the band is formed…and that at some mutually convenient time, you’ll play at a picnic for me. Good Luck.”

The band’s many notable performances include the 35th anniversary show for A Prairie Home Companion and a number of music educators’ conferences.

“We had a blast being a part of the Vintage Band Festival in 2006 and 2010 and look forward to a chance to be a part of the festivities again in Northfield this summer,” said Chris Ravndal, the band’s executive manager and principal solo cornet.

The Vintage Band Festival is a four-day celebration featuring bands from across the US and abroad. Over 100 concerts fill the streets of historic Northfield and will be staged at satellite sites throughout southern Minnesota on August 1-4. The Festival offers a variety of genres, ethnic influences, and period-style performances. Visit http://vintagebandfestival.org/ for more information.

Find the VBF on Facebook at “Vintage Band Festival” and Twitter at @vintagebandfest.

8/25/08 - Red Wing, Minn. - Sheldon Brass Band

Sheldon Theatre Brass Band

LWBB_Wayzata_Church_4

Lake Wobegon® Brass Band

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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