UNITY CENTER Concert Series

Smoky Mountain Brass Quintet ~ 7:30 pm. Since its founding in 1993, the Smoky Mountain Brass Quintet has performed throughout the southeastern United States bringing audiences a wide variety of music, ranging from Early Renaissance to Rock. The quintet’s repertoire includes Classical Masterpieces, Dixieland, Swing, Broadway, Hollywood and Patriotic music.
The group dedicates time to the education of young musicians and serves as Quintet in Residence at Western Carolina University. Whether through workshops, master-classes or school shows, members of the SMBQ use their talents to inspire tomorrow’s musicians. A Smoky Mountain Brass concert is for the entire family with the intent to treat audiences to a unique musical experience that captivates all ages. The ensemble's lively repartee, touched with humor and personality, delights audiences with an evening of boisterous fun, exciting knowledge and an enthusiastic love of music, all deftly exhibited by five talented brass players. In June 2007, SMBQ played at Weill Recital Hall in Carnegie Hall in NYC. In 2006 the SMBQ completed a new recording titled, "Short-Cuts". In May 2005, they played in Russia at the Third International Romantic Trumpet Festival. www.smbq.com	Brad Ulrich, trumpet David Ginn, trumpet Travis Bennett, french horn Dan Cherry, trombone Mike Schallock, tuba
Artist Biographies: Dr. P. Bradley Ulrich, Professor of Music, has been the Trumpet Professor at Western Carolina University since 1989. Dr. Ulrich received his Bachelor of Music Degree in Trumpet Performance from the Florida State University where he studied with Bryan Goff. His Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees in Trumpet Performance and Literature were awarded from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, where he studied with Ray Sasaki and Michael Tunnell. He has had additional lessons with Raymond Mase, George Vosburgh, Adolphe Herseth, James Thompson, Vincent DiMartino and Chrispian Steele Perkins. Maintaining an active performing career, Dr. Ulrich is currently Principal Trumpet with the Hendersonville Symphony Orchestra and Second Trumpet with the Asheville Symphony Orchestra. He has formerly held positions in the Greenville Symphony Orchestra (SC), Brevard Chamber Orchestra (Principal Trumpet), the Springfield Symphony Orchestra (IL), the Champaign-Urbana Symphony (IL), Sinfonia da Camera (IL), and the Cedar Falls Waterloo Symphony (IA). In addition to his orchestral experience he has performed numerous recitals across the United States, performed with the Smoky Mountain Brass Band, the areas finest brass quintets, and has also been a featured soloist with the Brevard Chamber Orchestra. Dr. Ulrich has published a dozen articles in the International Trumpet Guild’s Journal and since 1999 he has been the Public Relations Director for ITG. He is an Artist/Clinician and member of the Product Advisory Council for the Jupiter Band Instrument Company. www.ulrichmusic.com David Ginn is President of Mountain Man Productions, Inc., a real estate investment company offering investments safely secured by real estate, insured, and possibly tax deferred or even tax free. Mr. Ginn received his Bachelor of Music degree in trumpet performance with a specialty in music synthesis from Western Carolina University, where he studied with Brad Ulrich. He earned his Master of Music in trumpet performance from the College-Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati, where he studied with Alan Siebert. He also studied with Vincent DiMartino at the University of Kentucky. Mr. Ginn performs as a freelance musician throughout Western North Carolina. He has been a member of the Asheville Symphony Orchestra, and served as trumpet instructor for Mars Hill College and Western Carolina University. In addition to freelance performances throughout western NC, Mr. Ginn is also a member of the Asheville Symphony Orchestra, and owns Mountain Man Productions real estate investment company Dr. Travis Bennett joined the faculty of Western Carolina University in the Fall of 2006, where he teaches horn, music theory, aural skills, conducts the Horn Choir, and coaches chamber music ensembles. He received his Bachelor of Music degree with a minor in Psychology from Florida State University, where he studied with Michelle Stebleton and William Capps. He earned a Master of Music degree and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Alabama, where he studied with Charles Snead. He has had additional coaching from Michael Thompson, Richard Watkins, and David Ohanian. Before WCU, Dr. Bennett was on the faculty of Mercer University ( Macon, GA), and conducted the Worship Orchestra at First Baptist Church in Tuscaloosa, AL. As a soloist, he was awarded First Prize in the 1999 National Federation of Music Clubs Solo Auditions (Brass Division), as well as the University of Alabama Concerto and Aria Competition in 2000, and was a finalist in the University Division of the 2001 American Horn Competition. As a member of the UA Horn Quartet, he was a semi-finalist in the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition in 2002. Also an active orchestral musician, he has performed with ensembles throughout the southeast, including the Symphony Orchestras of Asheville (NC), Macon (GA), Columbus (GA), Tuscaloosa (AL), Huntsville (AL), Tallahassee (FL), and Albany (GA) . He is an active member of the International Horn Society and his writing has been published in their journal, The Horn Call. Dan Cherry teaches the trombone and euphonium studio, conducts the Trombone Ensemble and Symphony Band, and teaches courses in Aural Skills. He has also taught applied tuba, courses in Brass Methods, Music Appreciation and Basic Skills for Elementary Education majors, and conducted the Tuba/Euphonium Ensemble. Dan joined the WCU faculty in August 2002. He received his Bachelor of Music degree in Trombone and Voice Performance from Capital University in Columbus, Ohio, where he studied trombone with Joel Pugh and Scott Moore and voice with William Florescu. He went on to receive his Master of Music degree in Trombone from the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music, and is near completion of the Doctor of Musical Arts, also from Cincinnati. While at CCM, he studied trombone with Tony Chipurn and David Vining and conducting with Terrence Milligan. Before coming to Western, Mr. Cherry served on the faculty of Morehead State University in Morehead, KY, where he was a Lecturer of Music in 2001-2002. He was the Graduate Assistant in Trombone at CCM from 1999-2001 and served as Assistant Conductor for both the Trombone Choir and the Brass Choir. He is a member of the International Trombone Association and the College Music Society. Dan was the Principal Trombonist of the Huntington Symphony Orchestra (WV) from 2001-2003 and the Brevard Chamber Orchestra (NC) for the 2002 season. He has also performed with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (OH), the Dayton Philharmonic (OH), the Lexington Philharmonic (KY), the West Virginia Symphony, The Hendersonville Symphony Orchestra (NC) and the Greater Spartanburg Philharmonic (SC). Dan was a member of the Royal Brass, the quartet in residence at the Ohio Renaissance Festival from 1998 to 2000; it was there that he met his wife, trumpeter Amy Cherry. Dr. Michael G. Schallock is Assistant Professor of Music Education and Tuba at Western Carolina University where he teaches low brass methods, instrumental methods, visits student teachers, tuba performance studies for music/music education majors, basic skills in music for elementary education majors, and directs the tuba-euphonium ensemble. Prior to joining the faculty at WCU in August 2003, Mr. Schallock taught music and band classes in the Pittsylvania County Schools, Chatham, VA, Henry County Schools, Collinsville, VA, and at Itawamba Community College, Fulton, MS. He graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS with a B.M.E. degree in music education and from the Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, with a M.M. degree in Tuba Performance and Low Brass Literature, and has recently completed the doctoral program in music education at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Schallock was a concerto competition winner at UNCG (1999) and a founding member of the Commonwealth Brass Quintet in Martinsville, VA (1986). His professional affiliations include Music Educators National Conference, North Carolina Music Educators Association, and the International Tuba-Euphonium Association.
Tickets: $12 paid in advance; $15 day-of-the-show. (Phone reservations accepted if paid by credit card). Refreshments available. Childcare by reservation only one week in advance. Click for directions. This concert is part of an ongoing series of cultural events to share Unity's beautiful, soul-supporting environment with local artists, authors, musicians, and craftspeople.