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The El Paso Brass bring a diverse program to Hill College stage Feb. 7

01.31.17

HILLSBORO, TEXAS--The third installment in this year’s Hill College Performing Arts Series will feature a mixture of classical, jazz, patriotic, religious, Broadway and film score music arranged for brass quintet. The five performers, each of whom wear dual hats as performers and educators, bring their unique sound to the Hill College Performing Arts Center in Hillsboro on Tuesday, Feb. 7.

 Sam Trimble, founder and manager of the group, has recently retired from his longtime position as professor of trumpet and director of jazz ensembles at the University of Texas-El Paso. Trimble earned degrees from the University of South Florida and North Texas State University, he has played lead trumpet and conducted for entertainers such as Tony Bennett, James Taylor, Bob Hope, Dizzy Gillespie and Clark Terry. Trimble has served as principal trumpet for the El Paso Symphony for over 40 seasons.

A native of El Paso, Kenneth Capshaw, started his college education at the University of Texas-El Paso and received a bachelor’s degree at the University of New Mexico. Now a member of the music faculty at the University of Texas-El Paso, he has enjoyed over 30 highly successful years in music education, only recently retiring from his successful tenure as the director of bands at Coronado High School. Like Trimble, Capshaw is also a veteran of over 30 years with the El Paso Symphony Orchestra and one of the most highly sought trumpeters in the region. In addition to his accomplishments as an artist and educator, he was also involved in the merchandising side of the industry as a former owner of the Capshaw-Olivas Music Stores in El Paso for over 20 years.

A founding and current member of El Paso Brass, Richard Lambrecht is senior lecturer at the University of Texas El Paso, assistant director of the UTEP Marching Miners and is in his 52nd season in the El Paso Symphony Orchestra, 50 of those as principal horn, a position he also holds with the Roswell Symphony. His personal honors include Texas Bandmaster of the Year in 2015, TBA’s Meritorious Achievement Award in 2008, his induction into the Texas Bandmasters Hall of Fame, and the University of Texas El Paso’s 2013 Distinguished Alumnus Award.  During his 30 years as director of the El Paso Coronado High School Band, they garnered many awards, including both the Sousa Foundation’s Sudler Flag of Honor for concert band and the Sudler Shield of Excellence for marching band. He is active as an adjudicator, clinician and mentor for marching bands, concert bands and orchestras.

Frank Otero has been a music educator for over 20 years, teaching at Hanks High School for four years, but primarily teaching at the middle school level both as assistant and head band director. He is currently the head director at Terrace Hills Middle School in northeast El Paso. Like his bandmates, Otero has stayed very active as a professional trombonist, currently performing with the El Paso Opera Orchestra, the Las Cruces Symphony, and the Juarez Symphony and, in the jazz and popular vein, with the Eklektic Jazz Band, the Latin Jazz Exchange and, for many years, with the well-known group Azucar.

Dr. Jim Shearer, a Yamaha performing artist and Regents professor of music at New Mexico State University holds a D.M.A. in performance and literature from the Eastman School of Music. As a performer, Shearer has toured the U.S., Europe, and the Far East with various ensembles, including the Eastman Wind Ensemble, often being featured as a soloist. Being equally adept in many musical settings, he has recorded with the Eastman Wind Ensemble, the Creole Dixieland Jazz Band, blues artist Eric Bibb, bluegrass musician Steve Smith, and Memphis Beale Street legend Charlie Wood. In addition to his own solo jazz CD, The Memphis Hang, he recently joined his wife, Celeste, in the release of a classical project titled Haunted America Suite (music for horn, tuba, and piano) on Summit Records. He is the author of two textbooks, Jazz Basics and MUSIC 101.

In addition to performing regularly as a traditional brass quintet, The El Paso Brass play concerts with a full rhythm section, perform as guest artists with symphony orchestras and wind ensembles and have released three CDs.  Although receiving invitations to tour Europe and present many programs at community concerts and all-state music conventions, The El Paso Brass still feel that one of their most important contributions to music education is the “Brass in Class” series they present to grade school students throughout the Southwest. Having performed for well over 300,000 students, they have seen the positive impact of their performances with several accounts of autistic children responding verbally for the first time ever and music teachers reporting a significant increase in elementary and middle school music program participation in response to their performances.

As always, this performance is provided to the community free of charge thanks to the generosity of Hill College and community donors and will take place in the Vara Martin Daniel Performing Arts Center, just behind the Texas Heritage Museum on the Hillsboro Campus at 7:30 p.m. No tickets are required and seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. A reception will follow the performance, hosted by the North Texas Airstream Community Women’s Club.

If you would like to support the Hill College Performing Arts Series, you are invited to become a benefactor ($100), a sustainer ($50), a patron ($25), or a supporter ($10) of the Hill College Performing Arts Series. Also, for a donation of $1,000 or more you can become a lifetime benefactor. Names of lifetime benefactors, benefactors, sustainers, patrons and supporters appear in each program. You may send your donation to: Hill College Music Dept., Attention: Phillip Lowe, 112 Lamar Dr., Hillsboro, TX, 76645.