Minnesota Brass celebrated the 2022 summer season on Saturday, October 22nd. As we embark into a new chapter of Minnesota Brass, some new traditions will take root, and we’ve got our sights on bringing some old ones back.
Traditions to be realized
One thing that we didn’t do for 2022 was award the Brassy – Minnesota Brass’s lifetime achievement award. Nor did we give out the Caliguiri Award or the Lou Raitch Spirit of MBI Award. This is because those awards require input from previous winners. But we intend to reorganize and reconnect with past recipients to make sure these traditions live on.
New traditions
Rather than the classic Mermaid bowling lounge location, we held a potluck at Eric Molho’s condominium clubhouse. The atmosphere and appointments were fantastic – as seen by the skyline photograph taken from the patio that night.
For over 75 years Minnesota Brass has been the home for brass players to continue their marching careers after marching band and junior corps. WGI Winds presents an opportunity for brass and woodwind players to perform in an indoor environment during the winter.
As is part of the Minnesota Brass tradition, MBI Winds is an independent group and is open to all ages.
After MPA finals we’ll travel to Dayton, Ohio to compete on the national stage. Member dues will include travel to Dayton, hotel stay, and tickets to WGI world class percussion finals.
The season kicks off on Saturday, November 5th, 9am at Westwood Intermediate School in Blaine. People of all levels of previous marching experience are welcome to attend. Register today and you’ll receive more information about MBI Winds. We look forward to this new tradition at Minnesota Brass.
We invite all Minnesota Brass alumni to join us for an end-of-season celebration! Special thanks to Eric Molho for hosting the banquet at his party room in downtown Minneapolis 😍 RSVP so Eric knows how many people to expect.
Location: 1201 Yale Place, Minneapolis, MN Park in guest parking. Check in at the front desk and they will direct you to the elevators. There’s outdoor/rooftop access if the weather is nice – wear your jacket.
Time: 6:30p
Please bring a dish to share according to your last name:
A-J – Side dish K-R – Main dish S-Z – Dessert Staff – Drinks (non-alcoholic)
Bring a power strip if you have one and your dish needs to be plugged in.
Those 21 and over can BYOB. The dining will be informal, but you’re welcome to dress up as much as you want – it’s always fun to see how everyone looks in regular clothes instead of their rehearsal gear.
We’ll celebrate the season, recognize some outstanding members, and watch a replay of the 2022 program “Route 66” from Indianapolis. See you there!
Saturday morning started very ominously. As we went to board the bus to Lucas Oil stadium, the bus driver was there with the hood open, staring at the engine (which wasn’t running). The driver informed us that it wouldn’t start, and that we needed to call a tow truck. The driver said it just likely needed a jump-start, but we didn’t want to make any assumptions.
We had planned for a short warm-up Saturday, to give members 30 more minutes of sleep, and that abridged warm-up was quickly being erased into a show up, unload, perform sort of situation.
Chris Judd called our SoundSport contact to let them know of the situation, and they offered a solution to go on later, when intermission was supposed to start. This act of logistical kindness saved our hide! The bus was jump-started and got on our way.
SoundSport Finals
Once the bus was started, we were able to catch our breath and get ready to perform. This group has had a can-do attitude from day one and a hunger to perform and produce a quality show centered around excellence and entertainment.
Across from Lucas Oil Stadium, Minnesota Brass lit the crowd up with their 2022 program Route 66. We encountered several MBI alumni at the show and they were not only elated to see us back, they had great things to say about the show.
The members’ hard work paid off with Minnesota Brass being named Best Of Show at the 2022 DCI SoundSport contest – the top overall award for units competing. After some celebrating, we sang the corps song, For All We Know.
Members and staff capped off the weekend by attending DCI finals before heading back home overnight on the bus, in true drum corps fashion.
Thanks to the team
Of course this season wouldn’t be possible without each and every member. Also, the creative team & instructional staff deserve special recognition, as they helped dial the show in, making MBI into a well oiled machine. If you see these folks at Marching Band, Drumline, or Color Guard shows, tell them thanks for helping get MBI back on the road:
After a successful interest camp in May, everyone was committed to get Minnesota Brass back on the field and on the street this summer. We set out to do 4 parades and 4 shows, but the buzz around Minnesota Brass fielding a corps brought some extra opportunities. You’ll be able to catch Minnesota Brass at these 5 parades and 5 field shows:
A key tenet of our season is Good Vibes Only. We wanted a show that is accessible for everyone: audience, judges, and performers. Something that embodies getting back out into the world. Our 2022 summer program is entitled Route 66.
Ward Miller is arranging the brass book, with selections that include:
Driver’s License by Olivia Rodrigo
Drive My Car by The Beatles
(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66 by Nat King Cole
Free Bird by Lynyrd Skynyrd
It’s already off to a great start! Hope to see you out there in 2022…
