Mahler: Symphony No. 6; R. Strauss: Ein Heldenleben CD

Nothing But Valves, (NBV), is made up of four professional brass players from the Washington D.C. area. Each member is an accomplished soloist and ensemble performer, and together their unique style and sound set them apart from typical brass groups. With two trumpets, horn and euphonium, NBV is able to achieve a homogeneity of sound akin to that of a string quartet and since each player has (nothing but) valves, they can play even the most technically demanding works with ease. As a result, they are able to perform anything from the original quartet repertoire, as well as transcriptions of many of the finest pieces ever written.

A main goal of NBV is to share this untapped wealth of repertoire with music lovers through performances and recordings. The music for four brass players written in the last 450 years has largely been ignored. From composers such as Reiche and Gabrieli in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries to twentieth century giants such as Stravinsky, Hindemith and Bernstein, brass quartets have played an important part in the history of chamber music.

Music education is also very important to the ensemble. In that regard, NBV frequently works with young musicians to help them foster a love and appreciation for chamber music and the important role it serves in the development of all musicians. Additionally, NBV greatly enjoys playing for small children, in an effort to promote the enjoyment of music shared by all children and to show that playing music can be both fun and rewarding.

The quartet has had tremendous success in its many clinics and performances throughout the country, both as NBV and their U.S. Air Force Band alter ego, Top Brass. As such, they have performed in nine states and the District of Columbia and have played for many dignitaries, including the Secretary of Defense. Most recently, they have been featured performers at the Skyline Brass Festival, the U.S. Army Band Tuba Euphonium Conference and the Florida Music Educator's Convention.

The Nothing But Valves quartet has just completed recording their first CD. Included are works by Dowland, MacDowell, Ramsoe, Hartley, and Frackenpohl, as well as the premiere recording of the Quartet for Brass, by American composer Steve Scott, a piece that was written for and is dedicated to NBV. The members of NBV are William Adcock and Andrew Wilson, trumpets; Samuel Compton, horn; and Lance LaDuke, euphonium.

About the CDIn the last forty years, brass chamber ensembles have gradually become more important in the chamber music field. Many chamber music concert series that had never considered brass, now include a brass group annually. Most of the brass chamber music composed in these decades has been in the form of quintets, but a small and diverse repertoire for brass quartet has evolved as well. While many brass groups rely heavily on transcriptions in their programming, Nothing But Valves has compiled the repertoire for this recording primarily of works composed specifically for brass quartet.