Causes: Arts & Culture, Arts Education, Music

Mission: ORGANIZED FOR THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF (1) THE PERFORMANCE OF GREAT MUSICAL LITERATURE; (2) EDUCATING THE GENERAL PUBLIC REGARDING THE MUSICAL TRADITION OF AND LITERATURE FOR BRASS AND PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS; AND (3) MAKING CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IN THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF ITS CHARITABLE, EDUCATIONAL, AND CULTURAL GOALS.

Programs:

The SA Brass Camp at St. Mary's University takes place for one week during the month of June. The camp offers local area students the opportunity to work with professional musicians as well as experience a college campus environment. The camp runs Monday through Saturday from 8:30 am to 6:00 pm with two student performances as well as concerts featuring the San Antonio Brass and other guest artists. Students are exposed to large and small ensemble coaching as well as music theory and history. The SA Brass has been operating the SA Brass Camp at St. Mary’s University for the past five years with great success. We have reached out to many of San Antonio’s less developed schools in order to bring talented students who may not otherwise have access to our professional faculty teaching at the camp. The SA Brass’ educational programs are designed to connect students with professional musicians in a way that improves the students learning and creative skills. A 2007 study by the Texas Music Educators Association and the Coalition for Quality Arts Education concluded that higher participation by students in the arts resulted in higher academic scores, higher attendance rates and a lower percentage of drop outs. Even with data like this available we find state legislatures and local school boards more and more unwilling to support funding for public school arts programs that would give students a well balanced education.

Key personnel for the camp include: Lee Hipp, President – San Antonio Brass, Principal Tuba – San Antonio Symphony, Principal Tuba – Eastern Music Festival. Mr. Hipp has had experience with several music camps in the past. Mr. Hipp has also successfully run the SA Brass Camp and Brass in the Class programs for the past five years.

John Carroll, Executive Director – San Antonio Brass, Principal Trumpet – San Antonio Symphony, Principal Trumpet – Sun River Music Festival. Mr. Carroll has been the coordinator for the SAB’s Brass Ensemble Summer Training (B.E.S.T.) program for the past ten years.