Author Archive for John Thomas Burson

John Thomas Burson, Atlanta-based trumpeter and entrepreneur, has pursued his passion for music across a diversity of genres and arenas, including performances with the Georgia Symphony Orchestra, Georgia Brass Band, Harrower Opera Institute, and Spectacle Brass, of which he is a founding member. In 2014, he was the winner of the International Trumpet Guild Sonare Pro Brass Scholarship. Burson’s devotion to chamber music has been an integral part of the strategic expansion of Atlanta’s own Spectacle Brass. Over several years, the brass quintet has broken into the national scene, performing at Michigan’s Bay View Music Festival and alongside the Boston Brass during the 2013 Crested Butte Music Festival in Colorado. The group recently received an invitation to perform at the Georgia Music Educators Association In-Service Convention and was a finalist in the Calvin Smith Brass Quintet Competition in Knoxville, Tennessee. Committed to outreach, Spectacle Brass collaborated with a local high school to present the Suite from Leonard Bernstein’s Mass and presented a benefit program for Children’s Healthcare of Augusta, Georgia. During his study at Metro Atlanta’s Kennesaw State University, Burson studied with Thomas Hooten of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Karin Bliznik of the St. Louis Symphony, Michael Tiscione of the Atlanta Symphony, and Georgia Brass Band Solo Cornetist Dr. Douglas Lindsey. John Thomas has attended the Sewanee Summer Music Festival, the YMF Balmat National Orchestra Institute, the Bay View Music Festival, and the Boston Brass Summer Music Clinic at Western State Colorado University. For two consecutive years, he was selected as Principal Trumpet in the Georgia Music Educators Association All-College Band in Savannah, Georgia. He was also a finalist in the National Brass Symposium Orchestral Excerpts Competition. Performing in venues such as the Cobb Energy Centre, Gwinnett Performing Arts Centre, Bailey Performance Center, and Spivey Hall, Mr. Burson also teaches trumpet as an instructor at the West Georgia Arts Conservatory. With an interest in the new music scene, John Thomas is currently working on a project recording the brass chamber music of William Funk. He is also actively arranging music for brass quintet to present in collaboration with Spectacle Brass. Mr. Burson performs on Yamaha, Bach, and Schilke trumpets. For more information, please visit his website and blog, johnthomasburson.com, or the website of Spectacle Brass, spectaclebrass.com. [2014]

Sounds of the Spectacle Brass Quintet of Atlanta, Georgia

Why Everyone Should Learn Music

Advocates for music education frequently offer statistics on how the study of music improves test scores, grows self-discipline, and creates a sense of team spirit. Advocates like these are missing the point. Playing music leads to the realization that we are all part of something besides ourselves. The entire artform thrives because of a collective human spirit and a language…

Spectacle Brass of Atlanta, Georgia, music for weddings, brass band, brass quintet, trumpet, trombone, horn, tuba, atlanta brass, ceremonial brass, party band brass, music for special events, southeastern music, brass for weddings, wedding music

Help Spectacle Brass Attend the Spectrum Brass Seminar at the Bay View Festival!

Visit our campaign here: http://www.gofundme.com/spectaclebrass We’re honored to be attending the 2014 Spectrum Brass Seminar at the Bay View Music Festival near Petoskey, Michigan. This 4-week experience will push us to an entirely new level as an ensemble, but we can’t do it without you. The Bay View Music Festival provides an atmosphere of collaboration between young musicians from around the country. In addition to performances as Spectacle Brass,…

Charity Concert this Saturday

Friends, We are honored and humbled to perform for a local high school student that needs your help. Preston Mott, a former River Ridge High School student, has undergone two liver transplants. Please consider attending this charity concert, where all proceeds go to Preston Mott’s Lifetime Trustee COTA. Please find details below and consider donating via the web link if you cannot…

Spectacle Brass Clinic for the Boy Scouts of America at Kennesaw State University

Spectacle Brass at Brass Blast 2014

On Saturday, February 22nd @ Kennesaw State University: The KSU School of Music brass faculty will host a one-day clinic designed for high school brass musicians.  Students will work with faculty in a masterclass setting and hear performances from: KSU Brass Faculty Spectacle Brass Georgia Brass Band Registration ends soon!  For more info, click here: http://www.kennesaw.edu/music/brass_blast.shtml

Spectacle Brass to be featured in the KSU School of Music's annual Collage Concert; presented on Saturday, February 8th at 8PM at the Bailey Performance Center, located in Kennesaw, GA. Just 20 minutes outside of the Atlanta perimeter.

Spectacle Brass in KSU Collage Concert

We’re honored and excited to be a featured ensemble in this year’s “Collage Concert” at the Kennesaw State University School of Music.  We’ll be joined by Mike DeSousa (trombone) and Robert Boone (drums).  Read more about the event below and check out the promo video as well– see you there! On Saturday, February 8, the School of Music proudly presents the…

Fanfare Recital @ Kennesaw State University School of Music

Join us on Tuesday, February 4th at 5:00 PM for an exciting mini-recital at the Kennesaw State University School of Music Recital Hall (Music Building Room 109).  This is a rescheduled performance for the GMEA Opening of Exhibits, which was canceled last week due to inclement weather.  The quintet is thrilled to play in this intimate space for your afternoon…

Looking Back: Masterclass with Robert Spano

One of our trumpet players, John Thomas, wrote a blog entry about our masterclass with Maetro Robert Spano.  Check it out below: Over the last several weeks, I have been incredibly blessed to experience masterclasses and performances by two of the greatest minds of our time: Robert Spano and Jeremy Denk.  During Denk’s lecture at the Bailey Center, he mentioned the importance of…

Boston Brass Interview Series, Part IV

Hornist Chris Castellanos of Boston Brass shares a few words of inspiration following the 2013 Boston Brass Music Camp in Gunnison, Colorado.

More about Chris:

A lifelong resident of Las Vegas, Chris received his formal education from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Chris is a former member and soloist with the Las Vegas Philharmonic and served as a hornist for the Nevada Chamber Orchestra, Las Vegas Jazz Connection, and the TAD Wind Symphony of Japan. As a top call freelancer Chris has backed countless headliners on the Las Vegas strip.  Most notably – Frank Sinatra Jr., Tony Bennett, Placido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti, Mannheim Steamroller, Yes, Josh Groban, Michael Bublé, Johnny Mathis, David Foster (“Hit Man” live album and DVD) and has toured with Andrea Bocelli. Prior to joining Boston Brass, Chris spent 6 years on the road with Dallas Brass. When not touring with Boston Brass, Chris can be heard in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Phantom – The Las Vegas Spectacular”.