Brass Instruments

Hosting Horn Stars: HONK!TX and Hospitality

by Michael Antares

Completed for a sophomore undergraduate class. Will continue development towards a master's thesis.

Hospitality is a sacred obligation that counts among humanity’s oldest customs. Since ancient times, hosts have been... more Hospitality is a sacred obligation that counts among humanity’s oldest customs. Since ancient times, hosts have been called to recognize the divinity of visitors and ensure guests receive food, drink and shelter, asking nothing in return.  Drawing on brass band culture and engaging the public through the medium of alternative community street band performances, HONK! festivals invite musical exploration and celebration for free. Musicians travel at personal expense and, in return for the free public performances they offer, they receive food, drink and shelter from local volunteers. This report explores this unique intersection of modern ethnomusicology and hospitality anthropology, and will describe the organization behind, and experience of, hosting 195 visiting community street band musicians during the inaugural HONK!TX festival. Ultimately, it attempts to answer the question: why do volunteers open their homes to strangers?

Modeling of Brass Instrument Valves

by Stefan Bilbao

Proceedings of DAFX 2011

Finite difference time domain (FDTD) approaches to physical modeling sound synthesis, though more computationally... more Finite difference time domain (FDTD) approaches to physical modeling sound synthesis, though more computationally intensive than other techniques (such as, e.g., digital waveguides), offer a great deal of flexibility in approaching some of the more interesting real-world features of musical instruments. One such case, that of brass instruments, including a set of time-varying valve components, will be approached here using such methods. After a full description of the model, including the resonator, and incorporating viscothermal loss, bell radiation, a simple lip model, and time varying valves, FDTD methods are introduced. Simulations of various characteristic features of valve instruments, including half-valve impedances, note transitions, and characteristic multiphonic timbres are presented, as are illustrative sound examples.

Modeling of Brass Instrument Valves

by Stefan Bilbao

Proceedings of DAFX 2011

Finite difference time domain (FDTD) approaches to physical modeling sound synthesis, though more computationally... more Finite difference time domain (FDTD) approaches to physical modeling sound synthesis, though more computationally intensive than other techniques (such as, e.g., digital waveguides), offer a great deal of flexibility in approaching some of the more interesting real-world features of musical instruments. One such case, that of brass instruments, including a set of time-varying valve components, will be approached here using such methods. After a full description of the model, including the resonator, and incorporating viscothermal loss, bell radiation, a simple lip model, and time varying valves, FDTD methods are introduced. Simulations of various characteristic features of valve instruments, including half-valve impedances, note transitions, and characteristic multiphonic timbres are presented, as are illustrative sound examples.

Adolphe Sax's Bigger Brasses

by Eugenia Mitroulia

Published in the International Tuba and Euphonium Association Journal, Volume 38 Number 3 (Spring 2011).

Adolphe Sax: Visionary or Plagiarist?

by Eugenia Mitroulia

Co-authored with Arnold Myers. Published in the Historic Brass Society Journal , vol. 20, 2008.

The Saxotromba: Fact or Fiction?

by Eugenia Mitroulia

Published in the Journal of the American Musical Instrument Society, vol. 35, 2009.
For this publication the author was awarded the Clifford Bevan Award for Excellence in Research (2010) by the International Tuba and Euphonium Association.

On the Early History of the Périnet Valve

by Eugenia Mitroulia

Co-authored with Gery Dumoulin and Niles Eldredge.
Published in the Galpin Society Journal No. LXI, 2008.

The Distin Family as Instrument Makers and Dealers 1845-1874

by Eugenia Mitroulia

Co-authored wIth Arnold Myers.
Published in Scottish Music Review Volume 2 No. 1 2011

The Distin family (John, the father, and his four sons, George, Henry John, William Alfred and Theodore) were one of... more The Distin family (John, the father, and his four sons, George, Henry John, William Alfred and Theodore) were one of the most successful instrumental ensembles in the history of Britain. Their performances as a brass quintet, and later quartet, became legendary. However, their instrument making and dealing activities were equally influential, although these may be less well known. In this article we will give an overview of the family’s instrument making activities until 1874.