Eric Molho

And we’re off! Minnesota Brass headed “Between the Lines” on Feb. 11 as some 50 prospective performers – both rookies and returning vets – showed up at Brooklyn Center High School for auditions and the first rehearsals of the 2018 season.

The day’s events included introductions, a first glance at the new music, an early marching workout and a presentation of the MBI Winter Guard’s 2018 program, “Oh, the Places You’ll REALLY go!”

“It’s a great turnout,” said Eric Molho, former corps director and current board chairman, said. “There’s some real positive energy here, and I think people are excited for 2018. All of the new staff members are energetic and enthusiastic. I think we’re off to a strong start.”

Among the veteran performers returning for 2018 is trumpeter Jon Karels, who first joined MBI in 2014. A Mankato resident, Karels, 20, is majoring in music education at Minnesota State University Mankato. He marched with the Bluecoats in 2017, and is hoping to hone his skills this summer for a successful audition with the Blue Devils in 2019. After the 2017 DCI tour wrapped, he filled a hole for Minnesota Brass for the DCA weekend.

“I knew they needed players and remembered how much fun it was,” he said. “It was also a chance to reconnect with people I’d known for a couple of years and just have fun.”

As to expectations for this season, he said, “For me, I’ll be able to dial in on my technique playing and marching, and to be a self-critic for next year’s auditions (with the Blue Devils). As for the corps, it’s a chance to see new faces and be part of a pretty neat experience.”

The audition process for both horns and drums continues in the week ahead and there is still time for potential members to join the organization.  Horn auditions resume at Brooklyn Center High School on Saturday, February 24 at 9 a.m.  Percussion auditions continue at Brooklyn Center High school on Wednesday, February 28 at 6 p.m.

Editor’s note:  An earlier version of this story included quotes from an additional prospective member.  That individual has determined they won’t be able to march in 2018 and we have removed that portion of this story.

As it continues to build its 2018 educational team, Minnesota Brass is pleased to announce the hiring of Jordan Warfield and Teran Keith as visual caption and color-guard caption heads, respectively.

Warfield, a school-services sales representative at Groth Music in Bloomington, Minn., began his teaching career in 2002 at Irondale High School in New Brighton, Minn., as a horn-line technician with the Marching Knights Band. While with the Marching Knights, the band appeared regularly as a BOA St. Louis Super Regional Finalist and won numerous area contest championships and caption awards. Currently, Warfield is the low-brass music instructor and a visual staff member for the Eastview High School Marching Band in Apple Valley, Minn. His drum-corps experience includes marching with the Cavaliers from 2001 to 2004 and working with the corps’ visual staff from 2010 to 2015. He also has worked with the Blue Stars, Minnesota Brass, Govenaires and various high-school marching programs in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Keith began his color-guard career in 2009 with the Glassmen Drum and Bugle Corps, with whom he marched three seasons; he then performed for two seasons with the Cavaliers. He relocated to Minneapolis in 2015 and works as a software developer for Process Displays in Golden Valley, Minn. He also serves as a board member of the St. Paul-based North Star Circuit.

MBI will hold its 2018 open house and Corps Audition Day Feb. 11 (9 a.m.-4 p.m.) at Brooklyn Center High School Brooklyn.

Why do two colors, one put next to the other, sing? ~ Pablo Picasso

Minnesota Brass Drum and Bugle Corps is excited to announce our 2018 production, BETWEEN THE LINES, featuring the following musical selections:

Green (Michael Torke)
Mural (Randy Newman)
Paint It Black (Mick Jagger, Keith Richards)
Pure Imagination (Leslie Bricusse, Anthony Newley)

The 2018 design team, have chosen music sure to engage audiences and showcase the talent of Minnesota Brass performers.  The corps will also add “What is Hip?” (Emilio Castillo, Stephen “Doc” Kupka) to its repertoire as a parade/encore tune.

Make drum corps part of your life story. Brass, percussion, and conductor auditions are Sunday, February 11th, 9AM-4PM at Brooklyn Center High School. More information at www.mnbrass.org/join.

Minnesota Brass, the Midwest’s premiere all-age drum and bugle corps, will adopt a weekend-based rehearsal schedule for 2018. The change will expand the geographical reach of the organization by allowing members and staff to commute from regions more distant from the Twin Cities area, including outstate Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Missouri and Illinois.
The tentative 2018 schedule is available online and will be posted on the corps’ calendar shortly.

The season begins with brass and percussion auditions on Sunday, Feb. 11, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Brooklyn Center High School, 6500 Humboldt Avenue North, Brooklyn Center, Minn. Winter and spring months will feature Saturday/Sunday camps with the annual Spring Preview performance on Sunday, April 8. Friday-evening full-corps sectionals begin May 18, replacing the long-standing Wednesday evening commitment.

After Memorial Day weekend, the corps will get busy preparing for performances in Alexandria (Vikingland Band Festival; June 24), Mankato (Thunder of Drums; July 2), Fourth of July parades, Minneapolis (DCI Minnesota; July 7) and Rochester (River City Rhapsody; July 8) followed by a well-deserved midseason break.

We begin learning design changes on July 20; perform at Farmington, Minn. (March On!; July 31), and head into the DCA competitive season with shows in Le Sueur (Aug. 4), St. Peter (Drum Corps Expo; Aug. 18), South St. Paul (Sounds of Minnesota; Aug. 25) and, of course, the Drum Corps Associates World Championships, which will be presented this year in Williamsport, Pa., over Labor Day weekend (Aug. 31-Sept. 2).

Join us for this exciting and fun-filled season. More information on membership can be found at www.mnbrass.org/join.

Now is the time to make drum corps part of your life story!