Music Blog
Musical Mission to Latvia / Baltic States
Jul. 19, 2007 Haley SmithThe United Methodist Church, spurred by its rich musical heritage, is sending a brass quintet and a Dixieland Band to the Baltic States on August 9 for ten days of free concerts. The musical mission of nine of Alabama’s finest musicians is to advance that denomination’s emerging ministries in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
“When the Baltic States were part of the former Soviet Union, American jazz was abolished, and the people did not have access to it. Since the fall of Communism in these countries, American music, particularly jazz, is once again popular among the people,” said Scott Robertson, Director of Music Ministry at Trinity United Methodist Church in Homewood, who organized the trip. “ We want to share our gift of music with these people as entertainment and also to draw new people to the United Methodist churches and other Christian congregations that are growing in those countries.”
The brass quintet (two trumpets, horn, trombone and tuba) will play in churches and some formal settings. The Dixieland Band (trumpet, clarinet, trombone, tuba, drums, banjo and piano) will play in churches and in some other less formal settings.
Prior to leaving on the trip, the two groups will present a free “send-off” concert at Trinity United Methodist Church in Homewood (1400 Oxmoor Road) on Sunday, August 5 at 4:00 pm. Everyone is cordially invited.
The nine musicians are:
Dr. Doug Bristol, (trombone) Professor of Trombone
and Jazz Studies, Alabama State University in
Montgomery
Dr. Leonard Candelaria, (trumpet) Professor of Trumpet
and Artist in Residence in the Music Department at The
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Chris Cooper, (percussion) Band Director at Homewood
Middle School in Homewood
Norton Dill, (banjo) owner of Dill Productions
(Television) in Birmingham
Dr. Kathryn Fouse, (piano) Associate Professor of
Piano in The School of Performing Arts at Samford
University in Birmingham
Dr. Carly Johnson (trumpet) Professor of Trumpet,
Alabama State University in Montgomery
Kevin Kozak, (horn) Alabama Symphony Orchestra,
Music Faculty, University of Alabama at
Birmingham, Samford University in Birmingham,
and University of Montevallo
R. Scott Robertson, (tuba) Director of Music Ministry at
Trinity United Methodist Church in Homewood, and Music Faculty,
The University of Alabama at Birmingham
Jack Sharp, (clarinet) Woodwind Specialist, Alabama Symphony Orchestra,
Music Faculty, Samford University in Birmingham