Event Details
FREE CONCERT AT FOUNTAIN PARK
The Old Crown Brass Band was founded in 2007 and has become one of Fort Wayne, Indiana’s premier performing ensembles. The band is a traditional British brass band and plays all styles of music. The 32-piece brass and percussion ensemble is made up of members of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic, local music educators and freelance musicians. All members of the band are non-compensated and share a passion for brass band music. While conforming to the model of the traditional British brass band, the band programs all types of music including marches, jazz arrangements, show and movie scores, and orchestral transcriptions. The band also has formed a separate performing ensemble known as the “Black Swamp Ten.”
The band has received numerous honors including first place in the open section of the 2014 and 2015 North American Brass Band Association Championships. The Band moved up into the third section of the 2016 Championships and received third place honors. The band repeated the third-place honors in 2017 and in 2018. In 2019, the band won first place in the third section. The Old Crown Brass Band was a featured ensemble at the 2010 and 2018 Indiana Music Educators Conference. The Old Crown Brass Band has served as host band for the North American Brass Band Association Championships since 2015.
Old Crown Brass Band has welcomed guest soloists: trumpeter Tim Zimmerman, trumpeter Rex Richardson, trombonist Adam Johnson and the Synergy Brass Quintet. In 2015 the band also enjoyed sharing a program during a joint concert with the award-winning Stavanger Brass Band from Norway.
The band has enjoyed having several conductors through the years, but is currently led by a team of two conductors who are also playing members of the ensemble. T.J. Faur (cornet) and Tony Alessandrini (trombone) are currently serving as co-conductors of the Old Crown Brass Band. Dr. Dan Tembras (Director of Bands, IPFW) previously directed the band as Guest Conductor during the 2015 NABBA contest. Old Crown Brass Band is a member of Arts United of Fort Wayne and the North American Brass Band Association.
FREE Entertainment is underwritten exclusively by the Van Wert County Foundation. Feel Good Fridays at Fountain Park are programmed by Van Wert LIVE events, keeping your spirits high and keeping you feeling fine.
