San Antonio Brass Band

The San Antonio Brass Band, formed in 2016, is a volunteer organization committed to performing great musical literature, contributing to the cultural goals of the community, and educating the public/students regarding the musical traditions of brass and percussion. Currently under the baton of Dr. Matthew Mireles (Chair of St. Mary’s University Dept. of Music), the SABB is comprised of local professional musicians, university and public school instructors, freelance musicians, and talented amateurs and students, the SABB promotes brass banding through local concerts in San Antonio and throughout South Texas.

Each season, the San Antonio Brass Band performs a series of concerts with programs that include British-style marches, classical transcriptions, "pop" literature, as well as pieces composed specifically for brass bands and brass band competitions. Every Spring, the band travels to compete against the finest brass bands of the United States and Canada at the North American Brass Band Championships. In 2018, the SABB was the first ever Texas band to attend NABBA and won 1st Place in the First Section! This competition includes an average of over thirty-five bands and has become a true force championing brass bands across North America.

A notable performance was at the 2018 International Trumpet Guild Convention when the San Antonio Brass Band accompanied world renowned cornet artists Philip Smith (NY Philharmonic, ret.) and Tom Hutchinson (Cory Band of Great Britain). The SABB has also performed at the Texas Brass Festival and the Greater San Antonio Community Bands Festival.

Following competition this April, the SABB looks forward to collaborations with local Middle School and High School programs to fulfill our mission to inspire and educate students, expand the brass band art form, and work towards our goal of creating a youth brass band in the San Antonio area.

 

The SABB selects its musicians by audition or invitation, and meets weekly (Sunday from 6-8:30 pm) to rehearse at St. Mary's University in Treadaway Recital Hall. Check out our “calendar” to stay informed of future performances.

For more information regarding the SABB contact us at info@sabrass.org.

 

The standard brass band instrumentation is as follows:

• 1 soprano cornet (E♭)
• 9 cornets (B♭) –
• Front row: 1 principal cornet, 3 solo cornets
• Back row: 1 repiano Cornet, 2 2nd cornets, 2 3rd cornets
• 1 flugelhorn (B♭)
• 3 tenor horns (E♭; sometimes called alto horn in the United States and Germany) – solo, 1st, 2nd
• 2 baritone horns (B♭) – 1st, 2nd
• 2 tenor trombones (B♭) – 1st, 2nd
• 1 bass trombone (C), notated in bass clef
• 2 euphoniums (B♭)
• 2 E♭ basses, also known as E♭ tubas, notated in treble clef
• 2 B♭ basses, also known as B♭ tubas, notated in treble clef
• 2 to 4 percussion

 

Range of booking rates for the SABB include*

Public Performances - $5,000 (small ensemble) to $30,000 (entire band)

School Performances - $3,000 to $10,000

Masterclass/Workshop - $1,000 to $3,000

*rates are subject to availability of personnel, length of program, partnerships and hosting organization. Travel, per diem and lodging are not included if deemed necessary.