About

5K stands for 5,000 - that is 5,000 miles between our members' hometowns. The name 5K is a celebration of how music can bring people together from all corners of the globe! The ensemble began as a group of friends from two universities (University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and Miami University) coming together to rehearse great brass music for fun.

We play around the greater Cincinnati area and are available for events, fundraisers, weddings, church functions, masterclasses, educational concerts, and recital performances. Our mission is 1. to enrich our community through the art of brass playing at the highest levels and 2. to curate performances of new and lesser known brass quintet music.

5KBrass has been selected to collaborate with the Millenium Composers Initiative - a group of composers seeking to push the boundaries of art through electronic and acoustic music. Our concert programs will feature works by several young composers with each piece focusing on relevant social and political justice causes.

5KBrass has been a two-season collaborator with concert:nova, Cincinnati’s premiere chamber music lab which presents world-class chamber music in surprising venues. With concert:nova we have given recital performances of both very old and very new music in venues such as Queen City Radio and Landlocked Social House.

In the summer of 2018, 5KB was privileged to attend the Stockholm Chamber Brass Academy as one of five international quintets selected to participate. While at the academy, we spent the week in intensive rehearsal and coaching with members of the Stockholm Chamber Brass as well as composer in-residence, Mike Svoboda. We also worked with composer Alex Paxton to premiere his piece, “Band,” for brass quintet.

5KB has appeared in performance at Wittenberg University, Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra's Burnet Bash - Venti Viennese program, Classical Revolution Cincinnati, Columbus Early Learning Centers annual fundraising drive, and Prince of Peace Lutheran Church's Saturday evening services. 5KB also regularly concertizes in greater Cincinnati nursing homes.

5KB enjoys repertoire from all time periods, with many of our performances featuring works of living composers alongside classics from the Renaissance. Whether it is Bach and Mozart or Ellington and Hammerstein, we program all styles.

Education has been a major component of 5KB’s activities. Students in the greater Cincinnati area have seen and heard educational programs by 5KBrass. In May of 2019 students of the Academy of World Languages and Pleasant Hill Academy experienced fun and informative performances by 5KB. In December 2017 5KB taught three program performances about the history of brass instruments and chamber group rehearsal techniques to the students of Twin Valley South High School. Additionally, all members of the group maintain their own private studios or teach at universities and arts schools.

We hope that you enjoy your visit to our web quarters!