Apollo Chamber Brass

Through intimate instruction at public school music programs and public performances in community forums, the Apollo Chamber Brass seeks to accomplish its mission. The Apollo Chamber Brass believes that high art music more effectively expresses the elements of the human condition, and as such can be more easily accessed and appreciated through the education of the audience and the next generation.

The Apollo Chamber Brass is unique in providing detailed but highly personal and emotional explanations of concert repertoire. The ACB is also unique in providing long-term residency chamber music programs coordinated with existing public school music programs, thereby enhancing awareness of the performing musical arts and elevating the quality of the student's exposure to chamber music. This personal and intense approach provides an educational experience beyond that which is normally found in other outreach programs.

History of the Apollo Chamber Brass:

This past summer (2007), the Apollo Chamber Brass was tied for 1st Runner-Up for the Aspen Music Festival's Brass Quintet Fellowship. This Fellowship is considered to be the most competitive and extensive chamber music seminar of its kind, with a 9 week tuition free mentorship with the American Brass Quintet. Also in 2007, they were guest artists for the Rocky Mountain States Regional Tuba-Euphonium Conference. In August 2006, they completed a two week, fully sponsored tour of the Ohio Valley , where they performed at various colleges, universities, schools, and churches throughout Ohio , Pennsylvania , and West Virginia . And, in June 2006, they performed at the International Tuba–Euphonium Conference at the University of Denver . In addition to establishing a Concert Series (2005) in partnership with the First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Longmont , CO , they are also Ensemble-In-Residence at the Parlando Center for the Arts (formerly the Boulder Arts Academy ) and Atonement Lutheran Church of Boulder.

The ACB began as the graduate brass quintet in residence at the University of Colorado - Boulder as part of their graduate assistantships. In that capacity, they have appeared at the Rafael-Mendez Brass Institute as recipients of a full tuition scholarship. In 2004, the founding members named the quintet, the Apollo Chamber Brass. Following the conclusion of their graduate assistantships, the ACB became its own entity, whose members have included performers from across the country. They have been coached by members of the renowned Summit Brass, The Takacs String Quartet, the American Brass Quintet, former and current members of both the Dallas Brass and the Grammy award-winning Chestnut Brass Company, as well as by various university faculty members throughout the country.

Since the inception, outreach has played a critical role for the Apollo Chamber Brass. They have provided mini-residencies at various Symphonic Band Camps throughout the Colorado Front Range area, and have been heard in service and recital across the country. They have recently adopted public school music programs, and have established active chamber music programs at Loveland High School, Cherry Creek High School, and Legacy High School. The coached student ensembles from these schools have performed throughout their communities and alongside the ACB in concert.

Individual Biographies of the
Members of the Apollo Chamber Brass:

Andrew Bishop, Trumpet

Andrew Bishop was born and raised in Lindsborg, KS, known as "Little Sweden U.S.A." He cultivated his musical endeavors under Lindsborg's extraordinary support of the fine arts and strong musical traditions. During his youth he performed in the Bethany Oratorio Society's production of Handel's Messiah and studied trumpet with Roger Thorstenberg.

Bishop majored in trumpet performance at Wichita State University, where he studied with Les Linn, Bob Grim, John Hagstrom, and Judith Saxton. Bishop holds a BA in trumpet performance from Bethany College, and a MM in trumpet performance at the University of Missouri.

Professionally, Bishop has performed with the Wichita Symphony Orchestra, Wichita Brass Quintet, Epic Brass Quintet, Wichita Grand Opera, MU Faculty Brass Quintet, the Missouri Chamber Symphony, and freelanced throughout the Midwest. Bishop has appeared as a clinician and featured soloist in numerous Brass Festivals and masterclasses. Among his three live concert recordings include his debut during his junior year at WSU, featuring J.S. Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F Major.

Andrew won the Wichita State University Concerto/Aria Competition and performed the Tartini Concerto in D with the WSU Symphony. He won the 2004 University of Missouri Concerto Competition and performed the J.F. Fasch Concerto in D for Trumpet, 2 Oboes, Strings and Continuo with the University Philharmonic. He was a recipient of the MU Emerging Artist Award, and appeared as a featured soloist with the University of Missouri Trumpet Ensemble at the 2004 International Trumpet Guild convention in Denver , CO , performing the Concerto in E-flat by G.H. Stolzel.

In addition to his performance and teaching schedule, Andrew has also focused his love of brass and organ music into many new arrangements for that instrumentation. Most notable is his six-movement concert suite of music from Randy Newman's film score from "The Natural": "The Natural" - A Suite for Brass, Organ and Percussion. Composed in the spring of 2005 it was engraved with the dedication: For my father, Roger Bishop, and in celebration of passing the love of baseball through the generations. Other projects have included a volume of canzoni by Renaissance master composer Giovanni Gabrieli, Feierlicher Einzug and Wiener Philharmonkier Fanfare by Richard Strauss, among others, all arranged for double brass quintet and organ for his wedding ceremony on December 19, 2009 .

In July of 2009, Andrew was named the new co-principal trumpet in the Apollo Chamber Brass. In addition to his musical contributions to the ACB, he has quickly proved himself the resident baseball expert and passionate St. Louis Cardinals fan. He lives in Fort Collins , CO with his wife Jillian and two miniature horses, Cherokee and Joy.

Donald R. Williams, Trumpet

Don is a founding member of the Apollo Chamber Brass and is quickly becoming one of the most active freelance trumpet players in the Front Range area. He is currently second trumpet in the Wyoming Symphony and has performed with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, the Colorado Springs Symphony (now the Colorado Springs Philharmonic), the Greeley Philharmonic, the Ft. Collins Symphony, the Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra, the Steamboat Springs Orchestra, the Longmont Symphony Orchestra, as well as the Boulder Bach Festival Orchestra. In addition, he regularly performs at numerous churches throughout the front-range area.

A long-time resident of Colorado , Don completed his Master's degree in trumpet performance in 2005 at the University of Colorado - Boulder , studying with Terry Sawchuk. Don received his Bachelor's degree in music from the University of Northern Colorado ; while there, Don studied with William Pfund, professor emeritus of trumpet, and Dan Kuehn of the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. In 1999, Don was a featured soloist with the University of Northern Colorado Symphonic Band as one of the winners of the Rocky Mountain Concerto Competition. Don has also studied with Thomas G. Wilson from the Colorado Springs Philharmonic. An active private instructor and clinician, Don has been teaching in the Loveland, Boulder and Denver areas for nearly eight years and currently maintains a large private studio.

Jason Johnston, Horn

Jason is currently Associate Principal / Sitting Third Horn for the Fort Collins Symphony (www.fcsymphony.org), Opera Fort Collins, and the Canyon Concert Ballet and also the Principal Horn of the Steamboat Springs Orchestra where he recently appeared as a soloist performing Mozart's Second Concerto for Horn and Orchestra (www.steamboatorchestra.org). He is also a Principal Player (Horn) with the Apollo Chamber Brass (www.apollochamberbrass.org), the former graduate brass quintet in residence at the University of Colorado – Boulder . With the ACB he has toured and performed in Colorado , at the International Tuba Euphonium Conference, Ohio , West Virginia , Pennsylvania , Texas and Oregon . The ACB was granted nonprofit status in July of 2008 which helps up further our mission and dedication to the advancement of music appreciation and understanding in current and future generations through performance and education. Jason is also hornist for the Steamboat Winds and Elevenet Jazz Ensemble (www.jazz11.com) an ensemble with which he had the fantastic opportunity to take part in a performance as a performer/clinician at the 2008 International Association of Jazz Educators conference in Toronto , Canada .

Jason have also performed with the Colorado Springs Philharmonic as Principal Horn for the ballet production of Firebird, the Denver Brass, Colorado Springs Philharmonic in other capacities, Colorado Chamber Orchestra, San Juan Symphony, Emerald City Opera, Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra, Longmont Symphony, Colorado Brass Company, Front Range Chamber Players, Little Theatre of the Rockies, Fort Collins Wind Symphony and Loveland Choral Society while also taking part in performances with the West Nebraska Masterworks Chorale, Loveland Music Guild, Loveland Chamber Orchestra, Larimer Chorale, Linden Street Brass Quintet and the Rocky Mountain Horn Ensemble. Jason can be heard on the commercially available recording, "IN A WORLD..." on the Goes to Eleven label.

Jason has been teaching in the Colorado Front Range for nine years and currently maintains a strong private studio of students who regularly attend All-State Orchestra, All-State Band, CU Honor Band, CSU Honor Band, and various District Honor Bands. Jason has students attending Universities all over the country including Colorado , Pennsylvania , California , Illinois and the prestigious Cleveland Institute of Music. Jason coaches small chamber ensembles and run sectionals at Thompson Valley High School and Legacy high School along with several other front-range high schools. In the summer of 2007 he had the opportunity to present a lecture about Horn Pedagogy at the Colorado Bandmasters Association Convention in Greenwood Village , CO .

Jason is currently progressing towards his Doctorate of Musical Arts degree in Horn Performance and Pedagogy at the University of Colorado at Boulder studying with Michael Thornton (Principal Horn Colorado Symphony). Jason finished his Bachelor Degree in Horn Performance under the tutelage of his mentor Jack Herrick (Yamaha Artist – Retired) at the University of Northern Colorado then stayed on at UNC to complete the Master Degree in Horn Performance under associate professor of horn, Marian Hesse (Grammy Award Winner – Chestnut Brass Company). He was awarded several scholarships and was a finalist for the 2002 Rocky Mountain Concerto Competition. As part of his Master Degree Jason was able to take part in an internship program offered by the Yamaha Corporation of America – Los Angeles . He had the opportunity to further his education by studying with Julie Landsman, Christopher Leuba, Bruce Barrie, David Brussel, and Carolyn Landis .

John S. Neurohr, Trombone

A founding member of the Apollo Chamber Brass, John is also principal trombonist of the Cheyenne (WY) Symphony Orchestra, the Longmont (CO) Symphony Orchestra, and the Steamboat Springs (CO) Chamber Orchestra. In addition, he is second trombonist of the San Juan Symphony (NM/CO). Former professional affiliations include membership in the 1997 edition of Walt Disney World’s All-American College Band in Orlando, FL (bass trombonist), the Berkeley (CA) Symphony Orchestra (second trombonist), and the California Parallele Ensemble.

Raised in Wellsburg, WV, John received his first musical training at the age of nine from his father John H. Neurohr, a Wheeling, WV free-lance trombonist. Other teachers have included the late Matthew “Matty” Shiner, Dr. H. Keith Jackson, Steven Witser, Mark Lawrence, and Michael Powell. Currently, John is a Doctorate of Musical Arts Candidate (ABD) in Trombone Performance and Pedagogy at the University of Colorado at Boulder, where he studies with Dr. William Stanley. In 1999, John received the Bachelor of Music Education degree from West Virginia University, graduating summa cum laude, and he received the Master of Music degree in Trombone Performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music in 2001. Additional musical study includes attendance at the Aspen Music Festival and School during the summer of 2001, where he was a Hewlett Scholarship recipient. Since moving to Colorado in 2002, John has performed with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Boulder Philharmonic, Ft. Collins Symphony, Colorado Mahlerfest Orchestra, Opera Theater of the Rockies, Opera Ft. Collins, Boulder’s Dinner Theater, Colorado Light Opera, Denver Municipal Jazz Band, Dean Beck Swing Band, the Denver Brass, and the Boulder Brass. In addition, he can be heard on Mode Records with the California Parallele Ensemble and on Summit Records with the prestigious Summit Brass, “ America’s premier large brass ensemble.”

In demand as a solo recitalist, John has performed at the Colorado Music Festival with Robert Spillman, the Pendulum New Music Concert Series at the University of Colorado, the St. Mark’s Concert Series in Medford, OR, and the Telling Stories concert series in Boulder, CO. As a featured soloist, he has appeared with the Niwot-Timberline Symphony, twice with the University of Colorado Wind Symphony, and once with the West Virginia University Symphony Orchestra. In 2003, John was one of six finalists selected for the prestigious Bruce Ekstrand Memorial Graduate Student Performance Competition (the first brass player to have advanced to the final round in the competitions history), and in 1999, he was the winner of the Young Artists Concerto Competition in Morgantown, WV.

Charles D. Ortega, Tuba

Appointed for the 2006-2007 season, Charles is currently principal tubist of the Colorado Springs Philharmonic Orchestra. He is also a founding member of the Apollo Chamber Brass. A native Texan, Charles grew up in the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas . He received his Bachelor of Music in Tuba Performance from the University of North Texas in 2000, studying with Don Little, principal tuba (retired) with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. Between his undergraduate and graduate work, Charles was principal tuba with the Disney Grammy Collegiate Orchestra for the 1998 season at Walt Disney World in Orlando , FL. From 1998 to 2001, Charles free-lanced in the Orlando area, playing with the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, the Walt Disney World Orchestra and the Candlelight Festival Orchestra at Epcot in the Walt Disney World Resort. He was also a regular substitute for the World Class Brass, the brass quintet at Epcot. Charles received his Master of Music degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, studying with Alan Baer, principal tuba with the New York Philharmonic. Currently, he is a student of Michael Dunn, Professor of Tuba at the University of Colorado - Boulder.

In 1991, Charles was the principal tubist with the Young Artist's Orchestra at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute at the Tanglewood Music Center in Lenox , MA . While at Tanglewood, Charles studied with John Manning of the Atlantic Brass Quintet. Charles has been a finalist for the principal tuba positions with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra and New Mexico Symphony Orchestra. He was also a finalist for the Interim Tuba professor position at the University of Colorado - Boulder.

Charles has also performed with the Irving Symphony Orchestra, Shreveport Symphony Orchestra, Rio Grande Valley Symphony Orchestra, Longmont Symphony Orchestra, Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra, Fort Collins Symphony Orchestra and the Colorado Springs Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2002, Charles was named 1st associate tuba with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, and was the tubist with the Chicago Civic Brass Quintet. Charles is a founding member of the Apollo Chamber Brass.

Charles can be heard on the commercially available recordings of the North Texas Wind Symphony, including: Luminaries, Wind Dances, Dream Catchers, Deja View and Dialogues & Entertainments, which was nominated for a Grammy. He can also be heard on the educational resource, Teaching Music through Performance in Band, Volume I.

Members of the Apollo Chamber Brass

The Vision of the Apollo Chamber Brass: