Beginnings

The Arkansas Brass actually began as the South Arkansas Brass. We were all members and principal players in the South Arkansas Symphony Orchestra based in El Dorado, Arkansas. Don Kramer and Jim Woolly suggested we form a brass quintet. The year was 1986. Our first performance was not until January 15, 1987 at the Four-States Bandmasters Convention in Texarkana, Texas. Our program included Fanfare La Peri (Dukas); Earle of Oxford's Marche (Byrd); Contrapunctus IX (Bach); Scherzo (Widor); Canzona #2 (Gabrieli); Turkish Rondo (Mozart); Rondeau (Mouret); Scherzo (Cheetham); Roaring Twenties (Nagle); This Old Man (Nagle); The Harlem Rag (Turpin).