In this episode of "What's Happenin' QC", host Marc Zyla sits down with Nicolas Propes, the director of the Big River Brass Band, to discuss the exciting upcoming events and achievements of the band. Propes shares details about the band's upcoming concert with the prestigious United States Coast Guard Band, as well as being named a finalist for the American Prize for Community Bands.
Listeners can look forward to hearing about the musical highlights of the band's upcoming performances, including pieces commemorating significant anniversaries such as D-Day, Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue," and the Beatles' arrival in the U.S. Propes also shares his excitement about conducting the brass band arrangement of "Elsa's Procession to the Cathedral," a piece he believes captures a Wagnerian sound better than the traditional wind band version.
Moreover, Propes discusses his role as the seventh-grade band director at North Scott Junior High School and the process of designing a new band room as part of a district-wide renovation project. He highlights the importance of acoustics and flexibility in the design, as well as the benefits of moving to a more versatile layout for the students and the music program.
