Society

Part 2

Music in an American Frontier Communal Society

Aurora Colony

Music shaped daily life in Aurora’s communal colony, from civic ceremonies and political events to touring brass bands that carried its identity across the American West.

By Deborah M. Olsen

Part 1

The Trumpet in the USA

Across competitions, teaching and equipment in the U.S., trumpet practice exposes clashing ideas of musicality, raising the question of shared standards beyond national styles

By Thomas Stevens

Part 1

Music in an American Frontier Communal Society

Aurora Colony

In a German communal settlement on the Oregon frontier, bands, choirs and original compositions shaped daily life as strongly as faith, work and education.

By Deborah M. Olsen

A Trombone Martyr

Auguste Léonard de la Tuilerie

A Paris apothecary turned trombone evangelist challenges 19th-century musical habits, imagining the slide trombone as the future voice of harmony.

By Benny Sluchin

Editorial

International Competitions - Time, a perishable commodity...

From competition juries to the accelerating pace of modern life, Jean-Pierre Mathez questions the judgments and pressures shaping musicians and their careers

By Jean-Pierre Mathez

Editorial

As concert life shifts away from brass, the future of the instrument depends on artistic standards, thoughtful programming and the commitment of every performer.

By Jean-Pierre Mathez

Part 2

Does Jazz still have a soul?

By Michel Laplace

Special Finland

The national brass associations in Finland

Finland’s horn and trumpet associations show how small national networks connect musicians, competitions, teaching and international exchange.

By Jean-Pierre Mathez

The Fellowship of the Minstrels

Exploration of the medieval minstrel’s world, from marginalization and suspicion to the creation of fellowships that offered protection and structure.

By J. E. Spruit

Reflections on the brass player

Why do brass players so often resist new music? Vinko Globokar dismantles schools, routines, and traditions—and calls for a freer musical mindset.

By Vinko Globokar

An American trumpet player's impressions of european brass performances

An American trumpet player reflects on European brass traditions, comparing education, amateur practice and professional performance across both continents.

By Harold E. Krueger

Part 2

Classical music: Why bother?

By Joshua Fineberg

Suppose they had an orchestra audition and nobody won?

By Thomas Stevens

Special Finland

Brass achieves academic respectability

Once treated as marginal, Finland’s brass septet tradition entered academic research, challenging where folk practice ends and music history begins.

By Kauko Karjalainen

Editorial

Artistic progress is measured not only in technique but in doubt, self-awareness and hope, as Jean-Pierre Mathez looks beyond the instrument to the person playing it.

By Jean-Pierre Mathez

What is a Brass Band?

Barrie Perrins traces the 19th-century origins, instrumentation and social role of the brass band—from industrial roots to international musical life.

By Barrie Perrins

Editorial

Is sound something you control—or something you become? Jean-Pierre Mathez challenges technique, fashion, and pedagogy: sonority is a lifelong conquest of freedom.

By Jean-Pierre Mathez

Individuality and Uniformity in Brass Players

As international standards reshape brass playing, musical individuality risks giving way to imitation, leaving tradition, ensemble work and personal conviction at stake.

By Hans-Joachim Drechsler

Editorial

10 Years of Brass Bulletin

Ten years after its launch, a small specialist publication reaches readers in more than sixty countries, reflecting how a shared artistic community took shape across borders.

By Jean-Pierre Mathez

Editorial

Research shapes music. This editorial highlights key scholars, welcomes new contributors, and calls on readers to support Brass Bulletin’s growing international reach.

By Jean-Pierre Mathez

Part 2

Zen and the Art of Horn playing

Beyond technique: Jeffrey Agrell explores the clash between intellect and intuition—arguing that true musical expression begins where analysis ends.

By Jeffrey Agrell

Women and brass: 3 Portraits

Barbara Stone, Betty Anderson, Kate Kaminga

Three British and Dutch conductors moved from brass band performance to leadership roles, confronting a scene still largely shaped by male traditions.

By Markus S. Bach

Editorial

As music becomes increasingly industrialized, Jean-Pierre Mathez argues for restoring local musical communities where composers, performers and audiences shape a shared identity.

By Jean-Pierre Mathez

Editorial

A warning from the machine: Jean-Pierre Mathez reflects on Kaufmann’s robot—questioning whether technology is shaping music… or slowly replacing the human artist.

By Jean-Pierre Mathez