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October 29, 2012

ULM Faculty Brass Ensemble to perform at national conference

Black Bayou Brass, a faculty ensemble in residence in the University of Louisiana at Monroe Department of Music, has been selected to perform at the annual conference of the National Association of College Wind and Percussion Instructors (NACWPI) in San Diego, Calif., Nov. 15-18.

Current members of Black Bayou Brass are Alex Noppe, the Emy-Lou Biedenharn Endowed Chair in music, on trumpet; Dr. James Boldin, associate professor of music, on horn; and Dr. James Layfield, instructor of low brass, on trombone.

Their program, chosen by a competitive process, will focus on music by American composers, including original works for brass trio by Eric Ewazen, David Sampson, and Jan Bach.

The 2012 NACWPI Conference will be held in conjunction with the Fifty-Fifth National Conference of the College Music Society, with several hundred attendees expected. 

Additional performances by Black Bayou Brass include their annual Christmas Concert, at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 4, at Grace Episcopal Church in Monroe, recruiting tours to south Louisiana and Texas, and a faculty artist recital on the ULM campus.

Noppe, who has taught at ULM since 2010, received dual B.M. degrees in Trumpet Performance, and Jazz Studies from the University of Michigan.

He then received an M.M. from Indiana University.

Boldin received a B.M. from Appalachian State University, and an M.M., and D.M.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison

Boldin has taught at ULM since 2006.

Layfield, the newly appointed instructor of low brass, earned a B.M. from the University of Texas at Arlington, an M.M. from Southern Methodist University, and a D.M.A. from the University of Michigan.

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