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Justin Foell

Presenting: MBI Winds 2023

By | Winds | One Comment

All Instruments, All-age, All Inclusive

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.

Staff

Staff for this new ensemble includes:

  • Justin Foell
  • Amanda Mastrian
  • Eric Molho
  • Tyler Shipe
  • Randy Salas
  • Ward Miller

Our instructional staff is coming in with a growth mindset. MBI Winds is a piece of a bigger puzzle to make winds a thing in Minnesota. We’ll be joining River Valley Sound and Maverick Machine Winds in Minnesota Percussion Association competitions. And this is just the beginning…

Join us to experience WGI

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.

Potluck Banquet – Saturday, October 22nd

By | Drum & Bugle Corps | No Comments

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!

RSVP Today!

Minnesota Brass takes top honors at 2022 DCI SoundSport

By | Drum & Bugle Corps | One Comment

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:

  • Chris Judd
  • Rebekah Salas
  • Kaitlyn Hepp
  • Chris O’Connell
  • Alex St. Clair
  • Joe Jaeger
  • Vlad Boz
  • Connor Wiotte
  • Tyler Shipe

2022 Show Announcement

By | Drum & Bugle Corps | One Comment

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…

Summer 2022 Interest Camp May 14th

By | Drum & Bugle Corps | 2 Comments

It’s been a while, hasn’t it? COVID took away multiple winter and summer seasons, but it’s time we get back outside and we need you!

To gauge interest among members new and old, we’ll be holding an interest camp on Saturday, May 14th from 10AM to 2PM.

Westwood Intermediate and Middle School
711 91st Ave NE
Blaine, MN 55434

*Lunch is not provided, so eat before-hand or bring a snack.

We want to know who is interested in being part of of the 2022 summer corps, so we can put together an appropriate program for our members. We need you to make it happen.

Let’s get the band back together

Yes it’s short notice, but we can do this! We’re committed to putting together a drum & bugle corps that is accessible to a wide range of people. All-age, part-time drum & bugle corps that is fun but doesn’t require you to give up all of your free time.

Achievable Schedule

The schedule is easy: we’ll get together on Friday night and Saturdays every other weekend. No matter what, you’ll always have a day leftover on your weekends to enjoy the Minnesota summers as you wish.

Four Performances, Four Parades

The season will center around 4 field performances. Three local DCI shows with the season culminating at SoundSport finals in Indianapolis on August 13. Members will receive tickets to DCI Semis and Finals as part of their dues.

Parades are also an important part of our season. They’re fun and it’s a great way to show Minnesotans of all walks of life who we are… without anyone having to buy a ticket. We’ll do 3 local parades before DCI Finals and the State Fair on Labor Day with those who can attend.

We’ll also have an open parade policy where any alumni can join us on a given parade day. But to do that, we need you to come to the interest camp so you can get the music, learn the work, and get fitted for a uniform.

All New Staff

We’ve put together an instructional team with an emphasis on positive member experience. Staff includes:

  • Chris Judd – Executive Director
  • Tyler Shipe – Visual
  • Chris O’Connell – Brass
  • Joe Jaeger – Battery
  • Alex St. Clair – Front Ensemble
  • Rebekah Salas – Color Guard
  • Justin Foell – Director/Coordinator

Join Us!

Take the next step and sign up.

We’ll see you on Saturday, May 14th at Westwood Intermediate and Middle School from 10AM to 2PM.