Programming a concert takes a considerable amount of planning. The music is selected for its appeal to both the concert audience and the professional musicians who will be playing it. Programs are designed to include a wide variety of music; in style, period, mood, and source. This diversity is a match for the Menlo Brass Quintet's varied audience!

The Quintet makes a point of performing at least one original brass quintet piece in each concert, in addition to arrangements and transcriptions. Frequently, they perform music written or arranged specifically for the Menlo Brass Quintet.

Often, a concert is shaped around a theme that connects the musical selections in some way. For instance, the "Quintet of Centuries" concert presented on May 4, 2003, covered five centuries of musical history ― beginning with Cumulous Sanctus, a transcription of Renaissance sacred music circa 1500. The other pieces on the program advanced through the years and their concomitant musical styles until the present day, with Soliloquy for Brass, a contemporary piece scored for brass quintet.

The Quintet prefers to fill their concerts with music that is new to them ― often altogether new, freshly written and publicly performed for the first time! Or, new in another sense, as either a composition or an arrangement not familiar to the players. Quite often, the audience will find that many of the pieces on the program are new to their ears as well, introducing an excitement and diversity to the concert experience. The Menlo Brass Quintet has developed a faithful following that anticipates the pleasure of discoveries at every concert.

Click on the links below to explore some of the Menlo Brass Quintet's past concert programs.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD ADOBE
ACROBAT READER FOR PDF FILES: