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Keith
Brion
July
15, 2008
Keith Brion
has led his popular " Sousa in Concert "performances
with nearly all of America's major and regional orchestras and
in countless repeat performances. He also tours nationally with
his own New Sousa Band.
His authentic
Sousa programs are a fulfillment of Keith Brion's long-standing
ambition to take a fresh look at America's musical traditions.
These modern recreations have proved to be as alive today as
they were over a century ago. Building on Sousa’s own considerable
background as a violinist and orchestral composer, they are the
result of research in libraries, newspapers, museums, interviews
with former Sousa band members, and the study of old recordings.
Mr. Brion has given special attention to reviving Sousa's appealing
and durable programming skills, and to adapting the original
techniques of Sousa's Band to his modern performances. His concerts
are authorized by John Philip Sousa Inc., John Sousa IV, President.
Keith Brion's
"portrayal" includes Sousa's conducting mannerisms
and stage appearance from the 1920's, replicas of his baton,
uniform and white gloves. His investigation of the Sousa Band's
performance technique has led to his numerous modern editions
of Sousa's orchestral and band music.
In May of 1986, he led a PBS-TV special, "The New Sousa
Band on Stage at Wolf Trap." He also appeared in the PBS-TV
special "If You Knew Sousa" and for the BBC Open University.
He has recorded Sousa with his own New Sousa Band and with the
Rochester Philharmonic. Three volumes of Sousa's orchestral music
have been recorded on the Naxos label as well as three recordings
of Victor Herbert and one of Percy Grainger's orchestral music.
He has also recorded the music of Sousa, Percy Grainger and Alan
Hovhaness for Delos and Naxos. He is currently undertaking the
recording of Sousa's "Complete Wind Works" for Naxos,
a sixteen CD series with London's Royal Artillery Band.
Internationally, in addition to a number of performances with
Canadian orchestras, Keith Brion has appeared with the Gothenburg
Symphony and Stockholm Symphonic Wind Orchestra in Sweden, the
Concert Orchestra of London, and a concert and national television
show with the New Zealand Symphony.
Mr. Brion is
a former director of the Yale University Band, which he led at
Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.
At Yale, in the spring of 1978, he conceived a re-creation of
the historical sounds and sights of John Philip Sousa and his
band. The concerts met with instant popular and critical acclaim,
and were later taped for public television and National Public
Radio.
Mr. Brion has
also been stepping out of his Sousa uniform to appear as himself
with numerous orchestras in a wide variety of programs as a pops
conductor. He maintains his studio and offices in New Haven CT.
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