Stars Depart


Fountain City Stars Move On -August 12, 2011 A quintet of stars from the Fountain City Brass Band land major positions in music education and performance! The Fountain City Brass Band (USA) has enjoyed a nice summer break since their ten-day European tour back in late May and early June, but when rehearsals resume this weekend the band will be without several key performers. Over the summer several members of the band have won opportunities that will take their talents to the next stage of their musical lives. Bo Atlas has played Eb and Bb bass with the band and is an undergraduate student at the University of Kansas. Bo won the principal tubist job with the Des Moines Symphony Orchestra in Iowa. Greg Battista has performed with the FCBB on Eb Bass, tenor horn and baritone and is a doctoral student in tuba performance at the University of Kansas. Greg won a euphonium position with the United States Naval Academy Band in Annapolis, Maryland. On the same day that Greg won the USNA job he was a finalist earlier in the day for another premier U.S. service band, “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band. William Hess, solo trombone, is a founding member of the FCBB and in September will become the Instructor of Euphonium at Montclair State University in New Jersey. Over the years will has performed with the band on euphonium, baritone and trombone. He has won numerous individual awards including the U.S. Open Brass Band Championships’ Best Soloist award (baritone) and was named Best Instrumentalist at the 2009 Scottish Open Brass Band Championships (trombone). Chris Larios, principal cornet, was awarded a position in the trumpet studio at Northwestern University in Chicago. Northwestern is one of the finest schools in the world to study trumpet and Chris will pursue a graduate degree in trumpet performance. During his time as a student at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance Chris performed with the FCBB first on the back row and then won the band’s first audition for principal cornet. Chris served as principal cornet in the band for two and a half years and became a diligent student of the cornet in addition to his formal trumpet and composition studies. Since joining the FCBB five years ago, Dr. Matthew Vangjel has established himself as one of the finest flugel hornists in the genre. A recent graduate with his Doctorate of Musical Arts in trumpet from the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance Matt has accepted the position of Assistant Professor of Music at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith. Matt has had several first place finishes at the North American Brass Band Associations solo competitions and was named best flugel hornist at the 2009 Brass in Concert competition. In addition to his years of standout performance Matt has been one of the main proponents and recruiters for the Fountain City Brass Band and brass bands in general. In addition to performing with FCBB, Dr. Vangjel was a founding member of the James Madison University Brass Band. “We have been blessed throughout the nine years of the Fountain City Brass Band with some spectacular student performers. It is always bittersweet to see them go. This group in particular contains some of the band’s most dedicated members. Their hard work as paid off and we are so proud of their accomplishments. On behalf of the FCBB I would like to personally thank each of them for all of their hard work, dedication and sacrifice that they have made to create the Fountain City Brass Band as it is today. We wish them all the success in the world and look forward to when our paths cross again in the future.” Lee Harrelson, Artistic Director, Fountain City Brass Band. In addition to saying goodbye to these five performers this September will mark the end one of the band’s longest tenured members, trombonist David Vance. David will be joining his wife whose exciting new job will take her to four different cities over the next year. “David epitomizes what it means to be a good band member. He always put the band before himself, never complaining about what part he played or lobbying for when his next solo appearance would be. He had a great attitude and gave the band his very best.” Lee Harrelson, Artistic Director, Fountain City Brass Band.

Fountain City Stars Move On

-August 12, 2011

A quintet of stars from the Fountain City Brass Band land major positions in music education and performance!

The Fountain City Brass Band (USA) has enjoyed a nice summer break since their ten-day European tour back in late May and early June, but when rehearsals resume this weekend the band will be without several key performers. Over the summer several members of the band have won opportunities that will take their talents to the next stage of their musical lives.

Bo Atlas has played Eb and Bb bass with the band and is an undergraduate student at the University of Kansas. Bo won the principal tubist job with the Des Moines Symphony Orchestra in Iowa.

Greg Battista has performed with the FCBB on Eb Bass, tenor horn and baritone and is a doctoral student in tuba performance at the University of Kansas. Greg won a euphonium position with the United States Naval Academy Band in Annapolis, Maryland. On the same day that Greg won the USNA job he was a finalist earlier in the day for another premier U.S. service band, “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band.

William Hess, solo trombone, is a founding member of the FCBB and in September will become the Instructor of Euphonium at Montclair State University in New Jersey. Over the years will has performed with the band on euphonium, baritone and trombone. He has won numerous individual awards including the U.S. Open Brass Band Championships’ Best Soloist award (baritone) and was named Best Instrumentalist at the 2009 Scottish Open Brass Band Championships (trombone).

Chris Larios, principal cornet, was awarded a position in the trumpet studio at Northwestern University in Chicago. Northwestern is one of the finest schools in the world to study trumpet and Chris will pursue a graduate degree in trumpet performance. During his time as a student at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance Chris performed with the FCBB first on the back row and then won the band’s first audition for principal cornet. Chris served as principal cornet in the band for two and a half years and became a diligent student of the cornet in addition to his formal trumpet and composition studies.

Since joining the FCBB five years ago, Dr. Matthew Vangjel has established himself as one of the finest flugel hornists in the genre. A recent graduate with his Doctorate of Musical Arts in trumpet from the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance Matt has accepted the position of Assistant Professor of Music at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith. Matt has had several first place finishes at the North American Brass Band Associations solo competitions and was named best flugel hornist at the 2009 Brass in Concert competition. In addition to his years of standout performance Matt has been one of the main proponents and recruiters for the Fountain City Brass Band and brass bands in general. In addition to performing with FCBB, Dr. Vangjel was a founding member of the James Madison University Brass Band.

“We have been blessed throughout the nine years of the Fountain City Brass Band with some spectacular student performers. It is always bittersweet to see them go. This group in particular contains some of the band’s most dedicated members. Their hard work as paid off and we are so proud of their accomplishments. On behalf of the FCBB I would like to personally thank each of them for all of their hard work, dedication and sacrifice that they have made to create the Fountain City Brass Band as it is today. We wish them all the success in the world and look forward to when our paths cross again in the future.” Lee Harrelson, Artistic Director, Fountain City Brass Band.

In addition to saying goodbye to these five performers this September will mark the end one of the band’s longest tenured members, trombonist David Vance. David will be joining his wife whose exciting new job will take her to four different cities over the next year. “David epitomizes what it means to be a good band member. He always put the band before himself, never complaining about what part he played or lobbying for when his next solo appearance would be. He had a great attitude and gave the band his very best.” Lee Harrelson, Artistic Director, Fountain City Brass Band.