Foothills Brass is dedicated to bringing high quality
entertainment to every audience. The following links provide
more details about each of our shows and how we can work within your community.
Invite Foothills Brass to visit your School!
Foothills Brass performs in schools across North America, helping to build future generations of music listeners, lovers and performers. Since 1981, Foothills Brass has reached over one million students!
We would love to come to your school and perform an interactive concert, work in depth with students as part of a residency program, or help develop knowledge and skills in your music program.
Educational Concerts
The Building Blocks of Music
We show how music is put together! Step-by-step we create songs using the building-blocks of Tone, Rhythm, Melody and Harmony. Then we highlight how these building blocks are used in other great songs the kids already know, such as Star Wars, Under the Sea, and the Harry Potter soundtrack! One lucky volunteer gets to be young Mozart and conduct, many join us on rhythm instruments, and all see how to build simple brass instruments from household items. Great fun and learning!
Elementary or mixed Elem/Sec
Brass Trio
The Trio program, with three players, suits smaller audiences, up to 150 students. This is an interactive presentation with emphasis on the science of sound and how music and instruments change over time. Introduces the brass from tuba to piccolo trumpet, with visits from the other families of instruments. Singalong with a banjo ukulele? Mario Brothers theme on sopranino recorder? Serious fun!
Elementary
Explorations
Fast paced and entertaining, this show is geared towards the middle school to high school student, with repertoire from Handel to the Blues, Duke Ellington and John Williams to contemporary hits and movie themes. Many of the “classical” pieces will surprise the students with their familiarity, often from cartoons and commercials! We explore the origins of "brass" instruments around the world with animal horns, sea shells and more. Each instrument is featured.
Secondary
Foothills Brass - In your School!
Residencies
Elementary
To give students close-up contact, and let them ask informal questions, Foothills Brass concerts are followed by visits to classrooms by individual musicians. The students learn about sound and the instruments through experiments and observation. We are always happy to play their favourite songs!
Secondary
After a concert, Foothills Brass will work with your band students. Workshops on breathing, sound production, articulation and ensemble techniques will improve basics. Rehearsals with your students will help them apply and understand these concepts, and can be used to prepare for an exciting evening concert by Foothills Brass and your students.
Grants
If you are in Alberta, please look into the Alberta Foundation for the Arts “Artists and Education” granting program. We are on their roster for residencies. Applications for this program are due April 1st for the following school year.