The Brass Band at Indiana University is a student organization that strives to achieve a high level of musical performance within a community atmosphere. Following the British tradition, we perform in a variety of places, spanning from local venues in the Bloomington community and surrounding areas, to competitions at the national level. In 2018, the band made its first appearance at the North American Brass Band Championships. We welcome all prospective members, students or not, as long as they share our same standard of musical excellence and sense of community.
The British brass band movement began in the early 19th century in northern Britain, but also has roots in the 19th and 20th centuries here in the United States. Throughout the past several decades the banding movement has been revitalized, with high level amateur and collegiate groups becoming prevalent throughout the nation. The Brass Band at Indiana University follows the traditional brass band instrumentation: Eb soprano cornet, Bb cornets, flugelhorn, Eb tenor horns, baritones, euphoniums, trombones, bass trombone, tubas, and percussion.
Our brass band is not the first of its kind at the Jacobs School of Music, nor in the Bloomington community. In 1985 the Bloomington Brass Band, made up of Jacobs students and Bloomington community members, placed 2nd at the North American Brass Band Championships held in Toronto, Ontario, the same championships that Harvey Phillips, Distinguished Professor of Tuba at Indiana University, helped found, and in which the band has recently competed.
The aforementioned traditional instruments (e.g. Eb tenor horns, cornets, etc.) are available for checkout in the likely event members cannot provide their own.
Please check out our website at:
https://beinvolved.indiana.edu/organization/BrassBand
Follow us on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/BrassBandatIU/