Brian Balmages

Last updated
Brian Balmages
Born (1975-01-24) January 24, 1975 (age 49)
Occupation(s) composer, conductor, musician
AwardsNBA/William D. Revelli Memorial Composition Contest
Website brianbalmages.com

Brian Balmages (born January 24, 1975) [1] is an American composer, conductor, and music educator. [2] He is best known for composing educational music for wind instruments.

Contents

Early life and education

Brian Balmages obtained a Bachelor's of Music degree in music industry from James Madison University, [3] with a focus on trumpet performance, and a Master's of Music in media scoring and production from the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami. [4]

Career

Brian Balmages was the assistant director of bands and orchestras at Towson University. He has been the guest conductor of orchestras around the US, in Canada, Italy, and Australia.

Balmages was the Director of Instrumental Publications for the FJH Music Company for over 20 years. [5] Currently, he is the Director of MakeMusic Publications and since 2022 the Director of Digital Education for Alfred and MakeMusic. [6]

Works

For wind instruments

For string instruments

Personal life

Balmages resides in Lutherville, Maryland. [25] He is married and has two children. [26]

Recognition

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Concert band</span> Performing ensemble

A concert band, also called a wind band, wind ensemble, wind symphony, wind orchestra, symphonic band, the symphonic winds, or symphonic wind ensemble, is a performing ensemble consisting of members of the woodwind, brass, and percussion families of instruments, and occasionally including the harp, double bass, or bass guitar. On rare occasions, additional, non-traditional instruments may be added to such ensembles such as piano, synthesizer, or electric guitar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frederick Fennell</span> American conductor

Frederick Fennell was an American conductor and one of the primary figures who promoted the Eastman Wind Ensemble as a performing group. He was also influential as a band pedagogue, and greatly affected the field of music education in the US and abroad. In Fennell's New York Times obituary, colleague Jerry F. Junkin was quoted as saying "He was arguably the most famous band conductor since John Philip Sousa."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BBC Concert Orchestra</span> British orchestra

The BBC Concert Orchestra is a British concert orchestra based in London, one of the British Broadcasting Corporation's five radio orchestras. With around fifty players, it is the only one of the five BBC orchestras which is not a full-scale symphony orchestra. The BBC Concert Orchestra is the BBC's most populist ensemble, playing a mixture of classical music, light music and popular numbers. Its primary role is to produce music for radio broadcast, and it is the resident orchestra of the world's longest-running live music programme, Friday Night is Music Night on BBC Radio 3.

Samuel Robert Hazo is an American composer, primarily of music for concert band.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Ticheli</span> American composer (born 1958)

Frank Ticheli is an American composer of orchestral, choral, chamber, and concert band works. He lives in Los Angeles, California, where he is a Professor Emeritus of Composition at the University of Southern California. He was the Pacific Symphony's composer-in-residence from 1991 to 1998, composing numerous works for that orchestra. A number of his works have become standards in concert band repertoire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Bandmasters Association</span>

The American Bandmasters Association (ABA) was formed in 1929 by Edwin Franko Goldman to promote concert band music. Goldman sought to raise esteem for concert bands among musicians and audiences. The reputations of concert bands suffered in comparison to symphony orchestras due to factors including "the concert band’s concert venue, often out-of-doors, the difficulty of conductors to obtain a quality music education, a limited repertoire that with the exception of marches was largely borrowed from the libraries of the orchestra, and a lack of camaraderie among the leading bandmasters/conductors of the period."

The Philharmonic Wind Orchestra is a Singaporean semi-professional wind orchestra. The orchestra was formed in 2000 with Robert Casteels as Music Director and currently has more than 70 members. It is currently under the artistic leadership of Music Director Leonard Tan.

John Mackey is an American composer of contemporary classical music, with an emphasis on music for wind band, as well as orchestra. For several years, he focused on music for modern dance and ballet.

Colin Michael Touchin was a British conductor, composer and music educator. His compositions include two oratorios, four orchestral sinfoniettas, and works for wind band and choral groups.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Schulich School of Music</span>

The Schulich School of Music is one of the constituent faculties of McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is located at 555, Rue Sherbrooke Ouest. The faculty was named after the benefactor Seymour Schulich.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Revelli</span> American musician, music educator, conductor, and marching band director

William D. Revelli was an American music educator and conductor best known for his association with the University of Michigan, where he directed the university's bands including the Michigan Marching Band 1935 to 1971. During his 36 years as director, the Michigan Marching Band won international acclaim for its musical precision. Revelli is also credited with innovations that moved college marching bands across the country away from rigid military formations. Among other things, Revelli’s Michigan Marching Band was the first to synchronize music and movement and the first to use an announcer.

Soon Hee Newbold is an American composer, conductor, musician, film producer, and director.

Michael Schelle, born January 22, 1950, in Philadelphia, is a composer of contemporary concert music. He is also a performer, conductor, author, and teacher.

Andrea Reinkemeyer is an American composer from Portland, Oregon. She graduated with a bachelor's degree from the University of Oregon and continued her studies in composition at the University of Michigan, graduating with a master's and doctoral degree. She was awarded a 2017 Virginia B. Toulmin Orchestral Commission, 2022-23 Edith Green Distinguished Professor and 2019 Julie Olds and Thomas Hellie Creative Achievement Award for Linfield Faculty; her Smoulder for Wind Ensemble was awarded the 2021 Alex Shapiro Prize in the 40th Annual Search for New Music by the International Alliance of Women in Music (IAWM) and named a 2020 finalist for the National Band Association William D. Revelli Composition Contest.

Steven Bryant is an American composer and conductor. His catalog of works includes pieces for orchestra, wind ensemble, electronics, and chamber music. Bryant states: "I strive to write music that leaps off the stage to grab you by the collar and pull you in. Whether through a relentless eruption of energy, or the intensity of quiet contemplation, I want my music to give you no choice, and no other desire, but to listen."

James Scott Syler is an American composer fluent in many genres of music including Wind Ensemble, Choral, Orchestral, and Chamber Music.

Jonathan Leshnoff is an American classical music composer and pedagogue.

The Okanagan Symphony Orchestra is a Canadian instrumental music ensemble based in Kelowna, British Columbia. From 2006 until December 2023, the orchestra's principal conductor was Rosemary Thomson. The orchestra performs both classical and contemporary orchestral works. The orchestra plays throughout the Okanagan valley, in Kelowna, Penticton and Vernon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew David Perkins</span> Musical artist

Andrew David Perkins is an American music educator, conductor and composer of contemporary classical music, with an emphasis on music for wind band.

Holly Phillippa Harrison is an Australian composer based in Western Sydney.

References

  1. 1 2 Battisti, Frank (2012). Winds of Change II – The New Millennium: A Chronicle of the Continuing Evolution of the Contemporary American Wind/Band Ensemble. Meredith Music. p. 68. ISBN   9781574632040 . Retrieved December 28, 2019.
  2. ↑ "JMU Centennial Celebration ~ Portraits in Bluestone Composer, Brian Balmages". www.jmu.edu. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  3. ↑ "JMU Centennial Celebration ~ Portraits in Bluestone Composer, Brian Balmages".
  4. ↑ "Brian Balmages". FJH Music Company. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  5. ↑ "FJH Composers & Authors: Brian Balmages".
  6. ↑ Wissmuller, Christian (May 18, 2022). "Alfred Music and MakeMusic Announce Brian Balmages Now Part of Publishing Team". Musical Merchandise Review.
  7. ↑ Fee, Christopher; Webb, Jeffrey, eds. (2016). American Myths, Legends, and Tall Tales: An Encyclopedia of American Folklore. Abc-Clio. p. 775. ISBN   9781610695688 . Retrieved December 28, 2019– via Google Books. In 2004, Brian Balmages composed the powerful, haunting Pele for Solo Horn and Wind Ensemble
  8. ↑ "Old Rochester Regional Junior High School Holiday Concert". Wicked Local Marion. Retrieved December 28, 2019.
  9. ↑ Flores, Terry. "Band-O-Rama guest conductor makes connections on many levels". Kenosha News . Retrieved December 28, 2019.
  10. ↑ "Instrumental Winter Concert to take place Dec. 12". Lincoln Journal . December 9, 2019. Retrieved December 29, 2019. The concert band will perform "Billboard March" by John Klohr, "Antecedium" by Ed Huckeby, and "Summer Resounding" by Brian Balmages.
  11. ↑ "An operatic experience". Young, New South Wales. August 19, 2015. Retrieved December 29, 2019. The Junior Band played "Three Celtic Dances" by Brian Balmages comprising The Reel, The Air and The Jig.
  12. ↑ "Castleton University Wind Ensemble". Rutland Herald . Retrieved December 28, 2019.
  13. ↑ "Escape from the Deep Brian Balmages - FJH Music Company Inc". jwpepper.com. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
  14. ↑ Drury, Carole; Whitney, Roger (21 April 2015). "Wiscasset Middle School participates in Honors Festival". Wiscasset Newspaper. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
  15. ↑ "Bobcat bands in concert tonight". Sentinel-Tribune. December 10, 2019. Retrieved December 28, 2019.
  16. ↑ Johnson, Hannah (December 11, 2019). "'Out of nothing': All-Campus Band showcases semester's work in concert Tuesday". Indiana Daily Student . Retrieved December 28, 2019.
  17. ↑ "Brian Balmages Interview". Chopsaver. 19 March 2018. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  18. ↑ "Eleven Kelowna school bands combine for Ukrainian concert". Kelowna Daily Courier . June 9, 2022. Retrieved 31 October 2022. The students, from 11 middle and high school bands, will play 'Kyiv 2022', written by U.S. composer Brian Balmages. It has been performed in more than 200 cities in five countries.
  19. ↑ Schenke, Leann (December 3, 2019). "Eastern Shore Wind Ensemble to 'Let it Snow' during winter concert". Kent County News . Retrieved December 28, 2019.
  20. ↑ "Bowden: "Bel Air High School Music Tradition Remains Strong"". The Dagger. May 14, 2010. Retrieved December 28, 2019.
  21. ↑ Love, Joyanna (March 9, 2018). "CMS students chosen for honor bands". The Clanton Advertiser. Retrieved December 28, 2019. "Midnight Mission" by Brian Balmages was Williams' favorite piece of music from her performance. "Different people entered at different times because we were supposed to be secret, and then we had to be silent at times," Williams said.
  22. ↑ "Charles County Students Participate in Tri-County Band, Chorus and Orchestra". January 19, 2016. Retrieved December 28, 2019.
  23. ↑ "The 77th Midwest Clinic, December 20 - 22, 2023". The Midwest Clinic. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
  24. ↑ Jenkins, Amaris (April 15, 2019). "Georgia College to host music, plays, and festival in Macon". WGXA . Retrieved December 28, 2019.
  25. ↑ McGee, Courtney (July 18, 2018). "Flute choir with strong Towson-area connection readies for Orlando, Fla., performance next month". The Baltimore Sun . Retrieved December 29, 2019. The program will feature selections by Baltimore composers, including a premiere by Douglas Buchanan, who was commissioned to compose a work to honor the flute choir's founder; Brian Balmages, a Lutherville-based composer with prominent national recognition, and former Baltimore resident Chris Norman.
  26. ↑ "Brian Balmages". ABC of Central Washington University. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  27. ↑ "ASBDA - Austin Harding Award".
  28. ↑ "2020 William D. Revelli Composition Contest Winner Announced".
  29. ↑ https://www.alumni.jmu.edu/s/1591/18/interior.aspx?sid=1591&gid=3&pgid=2940 [ bare URL ]
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.