Brass Band Bridge Issue 121 (May 2021)

BRASSBANDBRIDGE
PIONEERING
BANDING
exclusive
interview with
dr. keith wilkinson
TEST PIECES
ANNOUNCED
nabba test
pieces revealed
for huntsville 2022
NABBA
DATABASE
long awaited
membership
database launches

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CONTENTS
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
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CONTENTS
4
BOARD REPORT
from the president
A MESSAGE
from our president
NABBA President
Tony Granados
BRASS
BAND
BRIDGE
5
6
8-9
10
12-15
16-17
18
NABBA BOARD CONTEST COMMITTEE
update
DEI COMMITTEE
update
NABBA DATABASE
update
2022 TEST PIECES
announcement
PIONEERING THE BANDING SPIRIT
dr. keith wilkinson interview
AROUND THE BANDS
the view from across the states
PAYING TRIBUTE
remembering don kneeburg
It has been a tough year so far for brass banding. With our Championships cancelled
for another year, focus has been shifted to working on other things. I do believe we
have been busier than ever working on strengthening the organization so that when
the pandemic ends, we can get right back into action, better than ever. The biggest
change that is coming will be our new membership database system. While this will
be a major shift from how we have been maintaining our membership, it will allow
us to separate membership from the contest, and give us the ability to truly make
NABBA a valuable organization for ALL brass bands, not just competing bands.
2022 contest repertoire is also announced in this issue, giving directors more time
to select and order music choices for their bands. This is to help bands plan to
meet contest entry deadlines as late entries cause administrative challenges that
we will no longer allow. Test pieces will be announced at the Championships each
year going forward. We are very excited about the diversity and new challenges
presented in the line-up of repertoire. As we plan NABBA 2022, you can expect a
blowout event to make up for two years going dark!
Vice-President
Dr. Patrick Herak
Secretary
Gavin Pritchard
Treasurer
Alex Schnautz
Board Members
Term ending July 1, 2021
Anita Cocker Hunt (Past President – non voting)
Jason Collier
Edward Eccles
Jon Heaver
Mark A. Taylor
Christopher Ward
Term ending July 1, 2022
Dr. John Bell
Aaron Campbell
David Jones
Dr. Bill Waterman
Brass Band Bridge Editor
Andrew Wainwright
Typesetting and Artwork
Andrew Wainwright
Display and classified advertising
and general enquiries
Email: granados@nabba.org
The opinions contained in the magazine are
not necessarily a reflection of those held by the
publisher, its editorial advisors or consultants.
Neither does the publisher accept responsibility
for claims made by those advertising in the
magazine.
After this issue, the Bridge will be available to NABBA Members only. I hope that you
enjoy the new look and format, and look forward to future editions set to come out
quarterly. Part of the success of this periodical will be user submissions. If you have
an article you would like to submit, you can contact bridge@nabba.org. We will also
continue with news from around the bands as a historical record of what bands are
up to.
Material in this publication may not be
reproduced or transmitted in any form without
the Editor’s written permission.
I hope you enjoy this issue of the Bridge, and wish you all happy banding, as soon as
you are able!
Tony Granados, President NABBA

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BOARD REPORT
OUTREACH COMMITTEE
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BOARD REPORT
from the president
OUTREACH COMMITTEE
update
Tony Granados, President reports
Jon Heaver, Outreach Committee Chair reports
The Board has been pretty active in committee work over the
past few months. Since cancelling the 2021 contest in January,
committees have been working on planning for the future of the
organization and Championships. The halt in action has given us
the opportunity to talk about how we want to make NABBA for the
future and what we want to do to further with brass banding in our
part of the world. Much attention is being placed on inclusion and
diversity and every discussion we have includes this thinking.
The Board met in an online session on April 15 for the Annual
Meeting that is traditionally held at the Championships. Officer
elections took place and the board re-elected the current officers
for another two-year term to begin July 1.
Check out the Committee Reports here in the Bridge to see what
we have been working on.
Some projects that are ongoing with the Board include
commissioning new works, partnerships with GABBF, program
support for bands, regional event partnerships, contest rules,
adjudication, organization efficiency, and the biggest project of
creating a new membership database.
New Board terms are open starting July 1. Terms are currently for
two years. If you have any interest in joining the NABBA Board of
Directors, please get in contact with Tony Granados at
granados@nabba.org for more info.
B
ROOKWRIGHT
Music
Publishing high-quality music for brass bands,
brass and percussion ensembles, wind bands and solo instruments.
The Outreach Committee has spent a great amount of time
building the new NABBA membership database, which will help
connect the organization to the band members, directors, and
others in the general NABBA membership. An in-depth article is
included on pages 8 and 9 in this edition of the Brass Band Bridge
to describe the database and how to navigate registration and
ongoing upkeep of your membership profile. The database is
currently open for Associate Band memberships and will open to
Full Band, Individual, and Lifetime memberships on May 1, 2021.
Existing Lifetime members should contact President Tony
Granados at granados@nabba.org to confirm your current
contact info and we will manually enter your membership into the
database.
As part of being a registered member of NABBA, you will have
access to several great membership benefits:
- Free digital subscription to the Brass Band Bridge
- Eligibility to compete at NABBA Events
- One-time 30-day free trial to BrassPassTV (does not include
NABBA Championships)
- 40% discount off annual BrassPassTV subscription
- 40% discount off annual British Bandsman subscription
- 15% discount off purchase of Stand Banners from Centre Stage
- 15% discount off purchase of Band Uniforms from Centre Stage
- 15% discount off Sticks/Mallets, 10% off anything else from
Centre Stage through Glasswater Percussion
- 10% discount off PDF sheet music from Brookwright Music.
The Outreach Committee is investigating additional benefits to
be added to this list to make the most of your membership in
NABBA. The existing benefits will be available to NABBA members
beginning Summer 2021.
It is a goal of the NABBA Board of Directors and the Outreach
Committee to make membership in NABBA go further than an
annual contest. The organization’s stated purpose includes
the responsibility to ‘foster, promote and otherwise encourage
the establishment, growth and development of British-type
brass bands’ throughout North America. If there is anything the
Outreach Committee can do you for your band, festival, or regional
contest, please reach out to jheaver@nabba.org and we will be
happy to speak with you.
The members of the Outreach Committee are Jason Collier,
Edward Eccles, Aaron Campbell, and Jon Heaver (Chair).
Launched in June 2020, BrookWright’s ever expanding catalog currently offers over 170
titles for all sizes and levels of ensemble by many of the banding world’s finest composers.
With follow-the-score or performance videos for every item, you can peruse before you buy.
All items available for instant PDF download at
www.brookwrightmusic.com
Sheet music available from
www.solidbrassmusic.com
www.brookwrightmusic.com
“
B
ROOKWRIGHT
Music

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DEI COMMITTEE
CONTEST COMMITTEE
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DEI COMMITTEE
update
Jason Collier reports
NABBA’s DEI Committee has been diligently discussing ways to
make NABBA more inclusive of all people. While this task is multifaceted
and nuanced, the team has been working on both shortterm
goals as well as long-term ideas as the brass band movement
continues to grow in North America.
In the short term, the committee has made a number of
recommendations. Among them was the recommendation that
NABBA include at least one woman and one person of color
among the composers in the slate of test pieces each year. The
many great pieces written over the years by white, predominantly
English men will certainly still be included - and their place in the
world’s understanding of great brass band literature is secure.
What this recommendation seeks to accomplish, though, is to
bring a more diverse array of musical voices to the table; showing
that brass banding, even at the level of creation, is for everyone.
The DEI Committee is thrilled that the Board of Directors saw fit
to implement this recommendation immediately, with a woman
and a person of color being included among the composers whose
pieces were selected for the 2022 contest in Huntsville, Alabama.
In the long term, the committee has recognized the need for
inclusion to happen at the introductory level. How can bands get
kids from various backgrounds involved and, when necessary, get
affordable or even free instruments into their hands? What can be
done to excite the general public about the music we make; or,
how can our music-making be adapted to appeal to more people?
How can NABBA and its member bands partner with schools and
community groups? These things are happening in certain places
and the results are encouraging. How can they be expanded and
replicated across the continent?
The future is bright for brass banding in North America. Even as
banding expands in Canada and the United States, it is gaining a
foothold in Mexico and other parts of North America. I hope that
you join me and the rest of the committee in our excitement over
the brass band tradition being shared with and enjoyed by new
people all the time.
NABBA BOARD
CONTEST COMMITTEE
aims to provide opportunities
for members to connect, compete
Mark A. Taylor reports
In early March, 2020, dozens of NABBA member bands were
busily preparing for the annual North American Brass Band
Championships. But just as players were devoting extra time at the
practice stand and music directors were intently studying scores in
hopes of bringing home a championship banner, the coronavirus
was stealthily staking its claim in our collective consciousness.
By mid-March, NABBA was informed that, due to the Indiana
governor’s emergency declaration, all large group gatherings were
prohibited, and the 2020 Championships were cancelled.
The NABBA Board was determined that members be given a
chance to connect with members from other bands in distant
locales. Quickly, board members organized virtual social events for
Championships weekend, including a trivia contest, social media
challenges, and highlight videos from past contests. While no
replacement for in-person fellowship, nor for the thrill of honoring
one another’s diligent preparation by cheering their performances,
these gatherings did keep the camaraderie and spirit of NABBA
Championships alive.
By late summer, the Board’s contest committee realized that
the likelihood of being able to host a customary Championships
weekend in Fort Wayne by April, 2021, seemed remote. The
committee considered several options in an attempt to provide
members with an opportunity to gather, perform, and compete in
some fashion. Realizing that bands in many regions would have
limited opportunities to rehearse, the committee proposed a
modified contest with more flexible repertoire considerations and
a later registration deadline. Sadly, even these plans would not
come to fruition as, for the second year in a row, NABBA was forced
to cancel its Championship events.
In spite of these setbacks, the contest committee has
eagerly turned its attentions to planning for the upcoming
Championships of April 29-30, 2022. This exciting weekend will
represent the first of three contests to be held in NABBA’s new
competition home at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, AL.
Complete with multiple performance halls, warm-up facilities,
storage rooms and vendor exhibitions, the Von Braun Center will
permit all NABBA Championship activities to take place under a
single roof. Members will enjoy the added pleasure of being able
to experience Huntsville’s vibrant downtown neighborhoods,
nearby hotels and restaurants, and its numerous attractions.
NABBA is grateful for many years of successful partnership with
Fort Wayne, IN. These years have yielded countless unforgettable
memories for the contest participants who competed there. Now
in its new location, NABBA has an opportunity to welcome new
bands from new regions while continuing its tradition of elevating
the experience of contesting for members and member bands.

page 8 brass band bridge DATABASE DATABASE
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NABBA DATABASE
update
Jon Heaver reports
The time has come for the long-awaited membership database
to be released to the NABBA membership and the world! When
President Tony Granados began his term in July 2019, he shared
his vision of this database. After many months and countless
hours, his vision has finally come to fruition. As with anything
new there will be a learning curve, and I hope this article will help
prepare you for registering you and your band for your NABBA
memberships.
Individual and Lifetime Memberships
Once on the registration page, select either Individual Membership
or Lifetime Membership by clicking on the bubble next to the
correct membership level. The cost will automatically populate
in the bottom box, and this is where you will enter your billing
information. Once the information is completely entered, click
‘Sign Up’. This will charge your card and give you immediate access
to the database.
Once on the registration page, select either Associate Band
Membership or Full Band Membership by clicking on the bubble
next to the correct membership level. The cost will automatically
populate in the bottom box, and this is where you will enter your
billing information. Once the information is completely entered,
click ‘Sign Up’. This will charge your card and give you immediate
access to the database. The Associate Band Membership is free
and is a one-year, one-time only membership which does not give
bands eligibility to compete at NABBA events.
Next Steps
After filling in your billing information and clicking ‘Sign Up’,
your card will automatically be charged and you will receive a
confirmation email. This email will include your login credentials
for the database, including your email address and an automated
password. It is highly recommended that you change your password
immediately. Once you click ‘Sign Up’ you will be able to edit your
database profile. Some pieces of information you may want to
have ready include:
From the NABBA.org home page, hover over the ‘Membership’
tab to find the dropdown list in the above picture. Click on the
‘Individual Membership’ option as shown in the red circle in
the picture above. This will take you to the NABBA Membership
Registration Page.
Band Memberships
From the NABBA.org home page, hover over the ‘Membership’ tab
to find the drop-down list in the above picture. Click on the ‘Band
Membership’ option as shown in the red circle in the picture above.
This will take you to the Band Membership Registration Page.
- Full name
- Email address
- Phone number
- Mailing address
- Business card image
- Profile picture
- Any other pictures you wish to add (yourself, your band, etc)
- Biography
- Social media information
Once you are logged into the database, you will see four tabs:
‘About’, ‘Profile’, ‘Additional’, and ‘Sign Out’. Click on ‘Profile’
to change your profile information. To change your password,
click on the ‘Profile’ tab, then click on ‘Change’ located next to
‘Password’ in the first box (see above picture).
Renewal
Your profile information can be changed at any time by logging
into the database. To access the Member and Band Login Page
from the NABBA.org home page, hover over the ‘Membership’
tab to find the drop-down list in the above picture. Click on the
‘Member and Band Login’ option as shown in the red circle in the
picture above. This will take you to the login page (shown below)
for the membership database. From here, you can login with your
credentials, or request a temporary password if it is forgotten.
The database will keep track of the day your one-year membership
was purchased and will notify you by email when your
membership is nearing expiration. Membership renewals can be
done by logging into the database. You will also be able to change
your membership level. For example, if you have an Individual
Membership and you want to upgrade to a Lifetime Membership,
you can change that in the database. The database will calculate
the amount you need to pay and give you the option to process
the transaction. The same can be done for bands upgrading to Full
Band from Associate Band. Changes to membership level can be
made before expiration of the current membership.
Moving Forward
As with all new things, there will be a learning curve with this
membership database. For assistance, please email
jheaver@nabba.org and I will be happy to guide you through the
process or address any question you may have.

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NEWS
ADVERTS
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NABBA Announces
Test Pieces for 2022
The Board of Directors of the North American Brass Band
Association has announced the required Test Piece works for the
2022 North American Brass Band Championships, to be held April
29-30, 2022 at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, Alabama. They
are:
Championship Section
And From the Darkness (Paul Lovatt-Cooper)
Composition is being completed, and will be available exclusively to
NABBA Championship Section bands in summer 2021.
First Section
Facets of the Heart (Tom Davoren)
Published by Studio Music
Second Section
Hope (Dorothy Gates)
Self-published by Atiqa Music - www.dorothygates.com
Third Section
Epainos (Joel Collier)
Published by Salvation Army Eastern Territory - available June 1
Youth Championship Section
Shine As the Light (Peter Graham)
Published by Salvation Army Eastern Territory
Youth First Section
Saint-Saëns Variations (Philip Sparke)
Published by Anglo Music
Interested in partnering with NABBA and advertising in the Bridge?
If so please contact Granados@nabba.org

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INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
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PIONEERING THE
BANDING SPIRIT
In 1996 Dr. Keith Wilkinson made the
move across the Atlantic from the UK
to the USA, where he has since been a
central figure in the development of
brass banding. Here he talks to Bridge
Editor Andrew Wainwright about his
musical journey.
Dr. Keith Wilkinson with trombone virtuoso Brett Baker
Can you tell us how you first got into brass banding?
My first brass band experience was when I was quite young at
Doncaster (South Yorkshire) Salvation Army. An old, but good
quality baritone was discovered in my grandfather’s attic and this
was my first instrument. However, I soon found myself as Solo
Euphonium in the Junior Band. My parents moved to Bradford,
which many regard as the center of the brass band world, and
I enjoyed the many opportunities that came my way there,
including five courses as Principal Euphonium of the National
Youth Brass Band of Great Britain. The strength of the several
bands in the region percolated down to the school and regional
bands and contributed considerably to my growing ability and
enthusiasm.
What triggered your interest in taking up the baton, and where
did your first opportunities arise to conduct?
While a student at the University Of Manchester I was invited to
become the Bandmaster of Ashton-Under-Lyne SA Band. I was
initially very reluctant for the baton to supersede my euphonium
for my attentions, but bit by bit I found a real attraction in studying
brass band scores, and I was fortunate that the band had several
very capable players and was enthusiastic to aim for the highest
standards. Following a move to take up my appointment as
professor at the University Of Nottingham, I became Bandmaster
at Derby Central Salvation Army where, again, I was fortunate to be
leading a very capable and enthusiastic band.
You were very much in demand as a conductor in the British
banding movement before moving to the States and conducted
a number of fine bands. Can you tell us about some highlights
of that time?
I entered the competitive world of contesting bands as Music
Director of Teversal Colliery Band, in the then Second Section.
Not only did the band present well-received concerts, but it
was extremely active in competitions and in just two years was
awarded first prize in 11 out of 21 contests!
I also served as Assistant Conductor to Geoffrey Brand at GUS Band
and following his departure from GUS was invited by the band to
be their Music Director. I then moved to William Davis Construction
Group Band in 1985. As well as directing GUS and William Davis,
I had the privilege of directing several bands as guest music
director, particularly Newtongrange (Scotland) and Brass Band
Fribourg (Switzerland). Highlights for each band were not only the
frequent contest successes but also prestigious concerts, tours
and recordings. Both GUS and William Davis Bands undertook
several impressive tours of Switzerland. Very special highlights for
GUS were twice being crowned BBC’s Best Of Brass Champions, a
competition involving the eight bands who had won their regional
event for the National Finals Of Great Britain. For William Davis,
contest highlights included first prizes at the 1988 Edinburgh
International Festival, four successive Midlands Regional Contests
(1988 - 1991) and the Grand Shield Qualifying Contest for the
British Open in 1993.
In 1996 you took the step of moving across the Atlantic from
the UK. What prompted your move?
My move to USA was at the invitation of the North-East Ohio
Division of The Salvation Army to be their Divisional Music Director,
based in Cleveland, Ohio. My wife, Audrey, was also invited to be
Associate Music Director. A highlight of our time there was a tour
of Sweden, Finland and Estonia in 1999 with the Divisional Youth
Band and Chorus.
How would you describe the US banding movement when you
first arrived, and what were some of the biggest differences
you noticed between the countries in terms of banding?
I had the pleasure of meeting Brass Band Of Columbus fairly
soon after arriving in USA. They have remained friends ever
since that time and I really appreciated the opportunity to get to
know their director at the time, Dr Paul Droste. I visited them in
rehearsal as they were preparing for the NABBA Championships.
I was impressed by their attention to detail and focus throughout
the rehearsal and one thing that really struck me, especially
comparing with UK bands, was that the band, which had a very
large roster of players, had almost half of the members sitting out
for the first part of the rehearsal and then there was a wholesale
change of players when they switched repertoire. Half of the
rehearsal was focused on the test piece and the other half on
choice repertoire. They would make a similar change of players
midway through their contest performance.
How have you seen North American banding grow in the
intervening years?
There has been a gradual development of overall band sound,

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INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
page 15 brass band bridge
Below and opposite: Dr. Keith Wilkinson conducts the Brass Band of the Western Reserve
Performing Arts Center. There was every
indication that 2020 would be equally busy,
but the onset of Covid-19 changed all of
that!
How has the band met the challenges
of Covid? Does the band have plans to
return in the near future?
The band has necessarily been quiet since
March 2020, and we hope to be able to
resume performing together fairly soon.
We’re just awaiting the go-ahead from the
high school where we rehearse. We have
compiled a few distance recordings during
the ‘Covid time’, but it gradually became
clear that we had not performed together
aiming for the balanced strength throughout the band that we
recognize in bands in the UK. I attended the NABBA Championships
in 1996 and comparing the repertoire we heard then with what
we typically hear at contest these days, there has been a general
move away from the balanced programs we heard 25 hears ago to
what is now often a program of two test-pieces - the set test-piece
alongside a ‘choice’ test-piece. That bands now feel confident of
performing two major pieces is a tribute to them.
How would you like to see the banding movement continue to
develop in North America?
I would like to see bands continue to aim for the richness of sound
that many have successfully developed. It’s also good to see how
open-minded our bands are to what might be regarded as more
modern repertoire. And, of course, it’s wonderful to see more and
more bands each year coming along to the NABBA Championships.
You have played an integral part in the development of the
Band of the Western Reserve since its formation in 1997. How
did you go about building a banding culture and philosophy
and what were some of the challenges you met when you first
started the band?
Brass Band Of The Western Reserve came into being during my
time in Cleveland when a number of brass enthusiasts discovered
that I was living in the area. In the early days of the band’s
existence we performed at a number of NABBA competitions, but it
soon became apparent that maintaining a busy schedule of quality
concerts was impossible alongside adequate preparation for
competitions. I have also had the privilege of directing a number of
other bands in USA and Canada, including several first prizes at the
NABBA Championships, as well as regularly being an adjudicator at
the North American Championships.
How would you say the band has developed over the years to
where it is now?
When we first commenced there was little understanding of what a
top-class band should sound like. The attraction was the repertoire
we were performing and, I suppose, the novelty of hearing an
English accent from the podium. Little by little we’ve developed
a better overall sound, partly achieved by discipline in rehearsal
and partly by listening to recordings of premier bands. The band
has developed a strong reputation for its concerts and in 2019
gave 17 performances, some of these are regular repeat bookings
and others have come about because someone has heard us
and recommended the band to the concert promoter. Among
our performances we present a concert series, five concerts each
year, each with a different theme, in the beautiful Medina, OH,
for quite a while!
You are also a prolific arranger of brass
band music. Did you receive formal
training in that area and how did you
develop that skill?
I tried my hand at arranging, even a little
composition, while in high school and
have continued to do this ever since. As the
Bandmaster of Salvation Army bands there
were many occasions where arranging was
a necessity, maybe a hymn tune that wasn’t
in the SA books, but since being involved in
the competitive sphere of banding I have
carried out much more, often tailoring an
arrangement to the talents of the musicians
in front of me. Several of my arrangements
have been used as competition test-pieces.
Some fairly recent arrangements have been
a number of Sousa marches, thus avoiding
bands simply reading from wind band
parts, and I am delighted that BrookWright
Music has a number of my most recent
arrangements in the pipeline.

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BAND NEWS
BAND NEWS
page 17 brass band bridge
AROUND THE BANDS
the view from across the states
Colorado Brass
Colorado Brass is excited to announce its new Artistic Co-Directors:
Melinda Ho and Ryan Spencer, both cornetists and founding
members of the band. The band elected euphonist Keven Stewart
to fill the role of Board President after its founder, Dr. Michael
McLean, stepped down. Dr. Spencer is also serving as VP on its
Board of Directors.
US-based band outside of the University Section, which was won
by Oakland University Brass Band. The band’s recently appointed
Principal Euphonium Grant Jameson took home the Best Soloist
Award in the First Section with his performance of Monti’s Czardas,
while Rieks van der Velde’s Ceremonial Fanfare Grenland and
Andrew Wainwright’s The Spirit of St Louis completed the band’s
10-minute program. The full video can be viewed at: www.
youtube.com/watch?v=8lG4SyOE3Ow
Colorado Brass has recently resumed in-person rehearsals with
safety protocols in place, and is playing in chamber groups of 4-12
people. The band is planning a full band concert cycle for late May,
hoping to have a live audience for an outdoor performance. Despite
the challenges of the pandemic and performing hiatus, every
member of the band is glad to start making music again!
Colorado’s new Artistic Co-Directors - Melinda Ho & Ryan Spencer
Dallas Brass Band
In March the band also enjoyed a second performance at
Dallas Arboretum, having debuted there last November. A big
crowd enjoyed a full and varied program, which also featured a
number of the band’s soloists: Forrest Albano (soprano cornet),
Nathaniel Geiger (trombone), Grant Jameson (euphonium), David
Humphreys (Eb tuba), and Sara Elliott (vocal).
As it looks forward to late summer, CB leadership is planning a
full season of local performances and regional competitions. It is
disappointed, along with the other member bands, to have two
years in a row of in-person competitions cancelled after its very first
NABBC in 2019. The band can’t wait to hit the ground running next
season in preparation for NABBA 2022. See you all there!
Dallas Brass Band prepares for its
concert at Dallas Arboretum on March 28
Despite the challenges of Covid, Dallas Brass Band has managed
to remain relatively active in the first quarter of 2021. The band,
under the direction of Resident Conductor Daniel Cook, started out
the year preparing a video recording for the Kapitol Cory Online
Brass Band Championships, which eventually resulted in a fourth
place finish in the First Section, meaning it was the highest placed
Next on the band’s agenda is another video recording, this
time for the Wobplay platform, and a concert at the Ventana
Retirement Home in the Dallas area, which will be the band’s first
performance at that particular venue.
New England Brass Band
Music Director Stephen Bulla has completed his exceptional term
with the New England Brass Band. Under Bulla’s leadership, the
ensemble has thrived as he has helmed the group through a
period of unprecedented growth and proliferation throughout
New England and beyond. Under Bulla, the band has produced
three compact disc recordings (The Music of New England,
Christmas Around the World, and In Concert), received awards
and accolades at NABBA, and been a powerful force in the New
England communities and brass band world.
The New England Brass Band has commissioned and recorded
a multitude of new works and arrangements by Bulla, including
New England Vistas (as recorded on The Music of New England).
Prior to joining the band, Bulla served as the Chief Arranger to
‘The President’s Own’ United States Marine Band and Chamber
Orchestra. The band enjoyed Bulla’s steadfast leadership, clear
conducting style, international reputation for excellence, and
artistic voice as a composer and arranger. The band wishes Mr.
Bulla well in his next musical endeavors.
New England’s newly appointed Music Director, Terry Everson
The New England Brass Band is pleased to announce the
appointment of Terry Everson to the position of Music Director.
Everson serves on the faculty of the Boston University College of
Fine Arts and as Principal Trumpet of the Boston Pops Esplanade
Orchestra. A renowned international soloist and clinician, Everson
has toured throughout the U.S. and world to much critical acclaim.
Terry Everson brings with him a depth of knowledge of the brass
band world, having previously served for eight years as Principal
Cornet and Concertmaster of the New England Brass Band,
including two years as Assistant Conductor and four years as
Associate Conductor. He has also served as Principal Cornet and
Concertmaster of the Lexington (KY) Brass Band, Soprano Cornetist
of Brass Band of Battle Creek, and arranged for the brass band
idiom. He has appeared as a soloist and on recordings of other
brass bands across the globe as well, including the Brass Band
of Columbus, Triangle Brass Band, Youth Brass Band and Youth
Brass Ensemble, and the Chicago Brass Band, to name only a few.
Everson is also an accomplished pianist, arranger, composer, and
an avid church musician. (Source: Andrew Harms)

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TRIBUTE
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PARTNERS
PAYING TRIBUTE
In July of last year the American
banding community lost one of its
biggest enthusiasts and advocates.
Here KD Kneeburg pays tribute to
her husband Don Kneeburg.
nabba would like to thank our partners:
Don Kneeburg, 81, a long-time brass band enthusiast, passed away
on August 5, 2020. Don was born in Asheville, NC on August 26,
1938. As a young boy, he was introduced to music singing in the
church choir where his mother was organist. Unlike other children
his age, he listened to classical music on his transistor radio, which
began his love for the arts. He joined the school band and focused
on learning euphonium until the day his dad came home with a
trombone: the actual beginning of his pursuit of music as a lifetime
calling.
NABBA wishes to thank Sweetwater Music
for their generous support of the NABBA Championships
Don received his B.A. Degree in Music Education from Lenoir Rhyne
College in Hickory, North Carolina and earned his Master of Music
with Performer’s Certificate from the prestigious Indiana School of
Music. He held teaching positions at the University of Kansas, IU,
and in 1968, the University of South Florida, where he spent the
next 30 years.
Don fell in love with brass banding very early in life after obtaining
some International Staff Band and New York Staff Band records.
In 1983 he and his wife founded the first community brass band
in Florida – Sunshine Brass. He played Principal Trombone in the
group for many years and became conductor in 1992.
In November of 1985, Don served as Assistant Editor of the
Brass Band Bridge, writing many articles in several editions.
He was elected to the NABBA Board of Directors in 1986 and in
1992 became President. He was honored with Lifetime NABBA
Membership.
Don’s first love was music. He continued to play even after
more than 30 years of teaching. But Don loved other things as
well: world travel, cooking (and eating!), brass banding, history,
nature, camping, hiking, and volunteering. Coupling his love of
brass bands and travel, he attended two European Brass Band
Championships, attended rehearsals of Fairy Engineering and
Black Dyke and experienced a Whit Friday Contest, therefore
hearing the very best brass bands live – all of which were
highlights of his life.
Don retired in 1998 and moved to Wyoming. Continuing his
passion for brass bands, he applied for a grant from the Wyoming
Council for the Humanities to research the history of brass bands
in Wyoming. His work paid off handsomely, locating over 100
pictures of brass bands in his new home state. The result of his
research is a program titled Oom Pa Pa, Brass Bands in Wyoming,
and he presented this all over the state. Included in those 100
photographs are two all-women’s brass bands – a rare find! This
program is published and preserved in the Annals of Wyoming, the
scholarly journal of the Wyoming State Historical Society.
In 2015 Don was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Even as this
devastating disease slowly robbed him of his memory, his love
for music never faded, and he continued to play his trombone. In
2018, he moved to a Memory Care Facility. His wife played brass
band recordings for him on her daily visits and the gleam in his
eye returned along with huge smiles, as well as a little conducting
from his chair! Friends and previous students would travel to visit
him, often to play him a private concert. In July 2020, he tested
positive for Covid and passed away 11 days later.
Don was a significant individual in the history of NABBA, and in
the training and education of young musicians. Everyone who
connected with him is a better person and a better musician for
having known him. He will be missed, but not forgotten.

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UPCOMING EVENTS