Southern Stars present “All In The Family” Concert, Sunday, Oct. 18 at 3:00 pm Central

While “All in the Family” might bring to mind a historical comedy show, there will not be a guest appearance by Archie Bunker in the opening concert for the 8th season of the Southern Stars Symphonic Brass (SSSB). What will be featured as the theme of the concert suggests, will be young soloists from within the band as well as very talented children of these musicians. The band itself is made up of 30 professional musicians who have built their reputation on providing “Premium Entertainment.” The concert will be held at the beautiful 1,200 seat auditorium at Stone Memorial HS in Crossville, TN, beginning at 3:00 pm Central Time.

There will be four featured soloists presented who are from the SSSB “family.” The first will be a father & son cornet duet of Stephen Collins (SSSB Eb Soprano Cornet musician) and his son, Nathaniel. They will perform the selection “Quicksilver.”

Nathaniel Collins began studying the trumpet at the age of six. He is an eighth-grade home schooled student who studies trumpet with his father. Nathaniel is a member of both the Symphonic Band and Jazz Band of Knoxville Christian Youth Bands, and he is a member of the Knoxville Symphony Youth Orchestra. He was selected by the International Trumpet Guild to receive a scholarship to attend the 2015 ITG Conference and was selected first chair Gold Band at the 2014 ETSBOA Middle Area Junior Clinic. In his free time, Nathaniel enjoys reading and playing football.

Erica Birmingham is the 16-year-old daughter of SSSB percussionist Kelly Jo Birmingham. Erica will be featured as a vocalist in performing the jazz balland, “At Last.”

This song was made famous by such jazz vocalists as Etta James and Ella Fitzgerald, so Erica will be in good company as she presents her rendition accompanied by the Southern Stars.

Some may remember Kelly Jo and Erica performing a xylophone duet with the SSSB in 2013, as Erica is also a very talented percussionist. While in the 7th grade she was asked to play in the Dekalb Co. High School marching band for her percussion skills.

She has made the All Mid-State Honors band for two consecutive years and is frequently asked to sing the National Anthem at school sports events. Erica pans to attend Belmont University and major in singing/songwriting.

Alex Wilborn, is the principal solo cornet for the Southern Stars, and is a senior trumpet performance major at TTU.

Alex has developed a national reputation through winning of many competitions. He was the first chair trumpet in band, orchestra and jazz band at the prestigious Interlochen Music camp where the top youth in North America are showcased.

Alex is now in the process of evaluating several offers from top graduate schools as he prepares to take the next stage in his musical career. He will perform the exciting cornet solo, “Song & Dance.”

The last soloist is the SSSB’s principal euphonium, Jack Lorens. Jack is a junior music major at MTSU who will perform the difficult selection, “Pantomime.”

He is also recognized as a rising star on his instrument, as he has been either a semi-finalist, or finalist at the Leonard Falcone International Euphonium competition. This competition showcases the who’s who of the world as the upcoming top instrumentalists on the euphonium.

The euphonium is a member of the tuba family, and is often a solo instrument in brass band arrangements.

Other music for this concert in addition to the above soloists, will be: “Review March” by John Philip Sousa (World premiere performance by a brass band), “Be Thou My Vision,” “Caravan,” (made famous by the Duke Ellington Big Band; “Digger March,” “Where Eagles Sing,” “Sonata Piano Forte,” a baroque double brass choir, “Puttin’ on the Ritz,” and “Festive Overture” by Shostakovich.

Tickets for the concert are on sale at the following outlets: Cumberland Eye Care (Drs. Galloway and Holt) in Fairfield Glade, First National Bank of TN branches in Fairfield Glade and Crossville, Bed & Biscuit Kennel, and at the Cumberland Co. Playhouse.

Adult tickets are $22, and as a special offer, students will be admitted free.

Season tickets for the three-concert season are a bargain at $50 versus purchasing the three concerts separately at $69, and season ticket holders qualify for a ticket exchange for any concerts they have to miss.

The other concerts are: Saturday, Feb. 20 at 3pm featuring music of England, Scotland and Ireland; and Saturday April 20 at 7 pm featuring Nashville guest artist, Buddy Greene and Friends.

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