Our mission is to create unique musical experiences while working to advance the art of chamber music to new audiences.
About
Mid Cities Brass is an up and coming brass ensemble comprised of five talented musicians in the DFW metroplex. MCB performs works from standard classical repertoire to popular contemporary music in a variety of venues including stadiums, recital halls, art museums, schools, and breweries. In efforts to progress the art of chamber music, MCB in collaboration with Adjunct Instructor of Composition Haley Woodrow and Tarrant County College established the Summer Chamber Music Composition Program. This initiative provides the opportunity for local composers to exercise commissioning requests, experience tailored compositional instruction, and explore miscellaneous styles of writing for brass quintet. Support Mid Cities Brass in our musical endeavors by following us on social media!
Members
Forrest Albano
Forrest Albano, Bachelor of Arts in Music Education, University of Texas at Arlington
Forrest is a teaching assistant pursuing his Master’s of Music in trumpet performance at Southern Methodist University under Dallas Symphony principal trumpet, Ryan Anthony. Forrest has had the privilege to study at universities with such centralized locations where he could pursue his degrees, do various freelance work and even start and manage a business on the side, Mid Cities Brass. Throughout these past years, he has been asked to play the Chinese National Anthem for the Chinese National Baseball Team, perform unique segments in the some of the largest churches in the country, such as the Potter’s House, open up for a Grammy Award-Winning band at a UNICEF event, and be the bugler for the US Army Hall of Honor Ceremony.
Forrest expresses most of his musical ingenuity through his beloved quintet, Mid Cities Brass. He also currently holds the soprano cornet chair in the Dallas Brass Band, acting principal trumpet in the New Life Symphony Orchestra, and utility trumpet in the Millennial Choir and Orchestra. In academia, Forrest has been a National Trumpet Competition Quarterfinalist for two years and has received numerous honors such as the Outstanding New Student Award and the Centennial, Vandergriff, Burkholder, Arlington Arts League and Susan E. Lichtenwalter Memorial Scholarships during his time at UTA.
Rebecca Ortiz
Rebecca Ortiz, Bachelor of Arts in Music Education/Performance, University of Texas at Austin
Rebecca Ortiz is a full-time student, freelance trumpeter and music teacher in the Dallas area. Rebecca graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in the spring of 2019 with a Bachelors of Music in Trumpet Performance and is currently pursuing her masters degree at Southern Methodist University under the tutelage of Dallas Symphony principal trumpet Ryan Anthony and Dallas Symphony second trumpet Kevin Finamore. She has had the opportunity to study with many world renown trumpet players including Ray Sasaki, Marie Speziale, Billy Hunter, Chris Martin, Micheal Martin etc. Since moving to Dallas in August of 2019, Rebecca has performed around the city with many different chamber groups and had the honor of performing a concert with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, playing second trumpet in their Full Steam Ahead Symposium opening concert.
.jpg)
Luis Calderón
Luis Calderón, BA in Music, Texas Wesleyan University; MM in Performance, Texas Christian University
Luis Calderón is a local DFW freelance musician and private instructor of horn. A native of Fort Worth, he attended Texas Wesleyan University, where he studied with David Riddile, Marie-Sonja Cotineau, and Dr. Eric Hessel to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Music with an emphasis in horn performance (2018). During his undergraduate career, Luis served as principal horn of the TXWES Wind Ensemble, was actively involved in various chamber ensembles, and performed with non-affiliated university ensembles such as the Greater Fort Worth Community Band. In addition to his instrumental studies, Luis also sang in the varsity chamber choir, studied voice with Allison Ward, and composition with Dr. Blake Henson. After graduating, Luis pursued graduate studies at Texas Christian University, where he studied horn with Professor Heather Test to earn a Master of Music in Performance (2020). During his time at TCU, Luis was principal horn of the TCU Wind Ensemble, TCU Symphony Orchestra, and a member of the TCU Horn Ensemble.
Luis has performed with local ensembles, such as the Northeast Orchestra of Tarrant County where he served as both the assistant principal and third horn. He has also performed in the National Intercollegiate Band for two consecutive bienniums since 2017 and served as principal horn in 2019. In addition, he was declared a finalist in the 2017 Kappa Kappa Psi National Solo Competition.
Austin Teater
Austin Teater, Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance, University of Texas at Arlington
Austin Teater is a freelance trombone player and brass teacher in the Dallas-Forth Worth Metroplex. He is currently pursuing a bachelor’s in Music Performance from the University of Texas at Arlington. During his time at UTA, he studied trombone with Dennis Bubert and performed with the Wind Symphony, Symphony Orchestra, Jazz Orchestra, and Trombone Choir. Austin is a member of the Dallas Brass Band, and Mid Cities Brass. He also frequently performs with local big bands such as Rebel Alliance Jazz Ensemble, American Jazz Composers Orchestra, and the Jeff Taylor Tribute Jazz Orchestra. Teater also organizes the “Sound of the Town” event in Arlington, Texas, which showcases local classical chamber music ensembles and local artists.
Luis Moreno
Luis Moreno, Bachelor of Arts in Music Education, University of Texas at Arlington
Luis Moreno is a freelance musician and music teacher in the DFW area. He specializes in the tuba, bass, and guitar. Moreno graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington in the fall of 2019 with a bachelors in Music Education and will begin a Masters of Music for Tuba Performance at Southern Methodist University in the fall of 2020. In his undergrad Moreno studied tuba with Ed Jones. He was the principal tubist in the UTA Wind Symphony and Symphony Orchestra. Moreno also performed in the UTA Jazz Orchestra and Jazz Combos on the upright and electric bass. Moreno is an alumni member of Kappa Kappa Psi, National Honorary Band Fraternity, along with Phi Mu Alpha, National Music Fraternity. Currently Moreno teaches brass at the Salvation Army located in Arlington. He is also a lessons instructor for guitar and bass at Music and Arts in Mansfield as well as a freelance private lesson instructor. Moreno performs in the Dallas Brass Band and the Mid Cities Brass Quintet on Tuba. Moreno also performs his original music in Cherry Mantis an indie/alternative group he co-founded who released their first full length album on March 20th, 2020.
Repertoire
Mid Cities Brass performs from a plethora of selections ranging from classical to pop. We have created various setlists for any occasion. As a professional chamber ensemble, our group has experience playing for weddings, parties, churches, commencements, and other special services. New setlists are created to appropriately suit the right occasions. The following list of selections is an example of our brass quintet repertoire (and we are constantly adding to it!)
Carmen Suite – Georges Bizet
Moonlight Serenade – Glenn Miller
Stars and Stripes Forever – Phillip Sousa
Brass Quintet No. 1 – Victor Ewald
Wedding March – Felix Mendelssohn
West Side Story – Leonard Bernstein
Canon in D – Johann Pachelbel
Take the A-Train – Duke Ellington
Star-Spangled Banner
Click here for additional examples of our setlists
In addition to regular performances, Mid Cities Brass receives new commissions. The following titles were collected from the Chamber Music Composition Program, an annual program that provides composers the opportunity to learn skills in fulfilling commission projects.
2019
-
Antonpatra - Jillian Wyatt
-
Bonny Irish Boy - Jennifer Estrada
-
Chant du Vent - Paul Birk
-
Cloud Forrest - Karl Leverenz
-
Haywire House - Jacob Clodfelter
-
Hopeful Conclusion - Michael Giannetti
-
Roots - Jose Abello
-
Shema - Seth Allen Peterson
2018
-
Carrollton Avenue - Michael Giannetti
-
Fanfare and Theme - Ben Cepeda
-
MamboMorphosis - Paul Birk
-
Medusa - S. Arce-Penedo
-
Perception - Seth Allen Peterson
-
The Heart of Folk - Jillian Wyatt
More pieces are available to enjoy on our SoundCloud.
We are always searching for new pieces. Please, feel free to visit the "Inquiries" page to request a performance of one of your pieces.
Inquiries
Mid Cities Brass has made appearances at:
The AT&T Stadium
The Modern Art Museum
Banquets
Weddings
The Maverick Stadium
Churches
NAFME as featured guests for Wenger
Schools
Breweries
Parties
And many other special events
Contact us for hire, project collaborations, or other inquiries with the contact info or the form below.
Follow Us
Mid Cities Brass is dedicated to creating new and exciting content for our social media pages. Follow us to see where we go next. We'd be happy to have you along our journey.
Check out our most recent YouTube video!
Brass Quintet Instrument Demonstrations