The First Brass of Sarasota opens its season on Saturday

The First Brass of Sarasota often plays as a smaller ensemble, with only selected members playing some concerts and church services, depending on the requirements of the program. The Brass commonly presents 21-piece, 10-piece and even four-piece concerts.

For the season-opening Brassfest, though, the First Brass of Sarasota always turns out in full force, with all 25 members performing.

Brassfest is coming up this weekend, with performances Saturday and Sunday. Saturday’s concert is at Palma Sola Presbyterian Church in Bradenton, and Sunday’s is at Church of the Redeemer in Sarasota.

The First Brass of Sarasota featured professional musicians who play just about every type of brass instrument you can name — trumpets, trombones, French horns, tubas and euphoniums among them — and for the Brassfest concert they’ll have a percussion and an organ.

The musicians’ credits include everything from prestigious symphony orchestras and Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus orchestras to Broadway productions and the Boston Pops. Members of the First Brass have played with Tony Bennett and Maynard Ferguson.

The group’s repertoire includes all sorts of music, from classical to pop, movie themes and jazz, and for Brassfest they’re likely to mix up their selections so there’s something for all tastes.

Details: 4 p.m. Sept. 9, Palma Sola Presbyterian Church, 6510 Third Ave. W., Bradenton; and 5 p.m. Sept. 10, Church of the Redeemer, 222 S. Palm Ave., Sarasota. $20; students age 18 and younger free. 941-928-0296, thefirstbrass.org.

This story was originally published September 6, 2017 at 4:30 PM with the headline "The First Brass of Sarasota opens its season on Saturday."