Famed Dallas Brass to play locally

Dallas Brass is coming to town, and they're ready to make a difference through music.

The ensemble will be playing in the Sidney High School auditorium on Monday, Sept. 15 at 7 p.m., and local band students will have the opportunity to join them on stage.

Founded in Dallas by Michael Levine in 1983, Dallas Brass has appeared with symphony orchestras all over the nation, including the Cincinnati Pops, the New York Pops and the Philly Pops, playing in such venues as Carnegie Hall, the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and overseas.

The band has shared the stage with Bob Hope, played for presidents and has had their music used numerous times in the TV show "The Young and the Restless."

Despite their level of fame, the ensemble enjoys playing at high schools and middle schools just as much as they like playing shows at renowned music halls.

"Every night is a privilege," Levine said. "Russia, Moscow, Tokyo, Rome – people are people, wherever they are. Every one is the best."

"We love reaching people of all ages, from children all the way up to seniors."

Calling themselves "a brass group for the common man," their repertoire includes classical masterpieces, Dixieland, swing, Broadway, Hollywood and patriotic music.

"We're a band on a mission," he said. "We try to entertain, educate, motivate – and those are really the three complimentary pieces of this thing."

Levine started Dallas Brass with a few other musicians and toured the country. After seven or eight years of touring, the band realized they wanted to reach more kids.

The band is especially interested in getting kids motivated about music. They hold clinics with local band kids the day of the concert.

"We'll rehearse all day," Levine said. "Play a couple tunes for them, get to know them. Get behind the scenes."

"It was almost a trick to get kids to come," he laughed. "They end up totally jazzed, having a blast."

Levine believes music has the power to brings kids together, give them a feeling of camaraderie and a sense of belonging.

"Band is so much more than a class," he said. "Music enriches a person's life."

Levine started out playing at weddings and social events, but became disillusioned by the realization he was simply playing background music to people who weren't really listening.

He said that although he felt those musicians had a very important purpose, it wasn't for him.

"I felt like I was missing something," he said. "I wanted a more direct connection to the audience."

He made the transition to concert music where, he said, "people sit and listen."

Dallas Brass concerts always have an educational component for the audience, as they teach about the music and the artists. They like to interact and get the audience involved.

"We try to break down that invisible wall that so often seems present in classical concerts," Levine said. He likes the audience to sing along.

Levine said that Monday's concert will have a wide array of music to enjoy, including some big band, bluegrass, Henry Mancini, western, ragtime and classical.

Besides the band students who will join the ensemble on stage, the Omaha Airforce Quintet will also give a special performance.

"To me, the ultimate goal for us when we come in is just to get the kids pumped up, motivated. I feel like that's our job."