MUSIC

The High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA) Music Department presents the Summertime in February Concert with the Synergy Brass Quintet, 7pm, Thursday, February 17.

Come hear some of the best young music students in the city joined by special guests Synergy Brass Quintet at the HSPVA Bands' annual Summertime in February Concert.

Synergy Brass Quintet performs more concerts than anyone in classical music today, averaging nearly 300 engagements per year. Acclaimed for “a veritable fireworks display of outstanding musical ability combined with superb showmanship” (Door Concerts,Inc) in addition to “blazing precision [and] amazing technique” (The Watertown Daily Times), the Synergy Brass Quintet has emerged as one of the world's most exciting ensembles.

Synergy "has hit on a magical approach...unadulterated exuberance, and a rock star approach of performing," (U.S.1). Their engagements have taken them to every corner of the United States including the Ravinia Music Festival in Illinois, the Bethlehem Musikfest in Pennsylvania, the Tanglewood Music Festival in Massachusetts, and internationally at the Festival de Musica de Camara de Aguascalientes. And, after hearing the ensemble at Tanglewood in 2003, Samuel Adler invited the Synergy Brass Quintet to perform on the premiere recording of his Transfiguration: An Ecumenical Mass. Synergy is often heard on National Public Radio, and in 2005 they broadcast on NBC with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

In addition to Synergy's rigorous performance schedule, the ensemble dedicates an enormous amount of time to the education of tomorrow's musicians and music-lovers. They have presented various programs at over 500 public schools from coast to coast, “[bringing] classical music to the kids in a way that they thought it was some pretty cool music. Not always an easy task to do...The students (even the non-band students) talked about you long after you were gone” (Bottineau High School, Bottineau, ND). Synergy teaches the various genres of music and composer backgrounds to “present a very educational program” (North Ward Elementary School, McCook, NE), making music accessible to all children.

Synergy Brass Quintet further educates musicians by presenting master classes and events at colleges and conservatories including The Boston Conservatory, Manhattan School, Rice University, University of North Texas, Northwestern University, the San Francisco Conservatory, Arizona State University, the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), Eastman School of Music, and more. Having served as Quintet-in-Residence at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute, Synergy was commended for their “energy and dedication and musicianship.” Other residencies include the International Festival at Roundtop and the Rockport Chamber Music Festival. These workshops, clinics, residencies and master classes enable the Synergy Brass Quintet to inspire a passion for music in the next generation.