The All Star Brass was born out of a concept that developed after hearing the string quartet recordings of Stern, Perlman, Zukerman, and Ma. I decided that I wanted to form a collective of the greatest brass soloists in the world, who all had independent careers but wanted to get together for the synergy of playing live chamber music. The challenge was to coordinate everyone’s insane schedule, rehearse for three days, and then record a live concert for posterity.

-Jens Lindemann

Jens Lindemann is hailed as one of the most celebrated soloists in his instrument's history and was recently named "International Brass Personality of the Year" (Brass Herald). Jens has played in every major concert venue in the world: from the Philharmonics of New York, Los Angeles, London, and Berlin to Tokyo's Suntory Hall and even the Great wall of China.

His career has ranged from appearing internationally as an orchestral soloist, performing at London's 'Last Night of the Proms', recording with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir to playing lead trumpet with the renowned Canadian Brass and a solo Command Performance for the Queen of England.

Jens has also won major awards ranging from Grammy and Juno nominations to winning the prestigious Echo Klassik in Germany as well as receiving an honorary doctorate.

Classically trained at the renowned Juilliard School in New York, Jens' proven ability to perform as a diverse artist places him at the front of a new generation of musicians. He has performed as soloist and recording artist with classical stars such as Sir Neville Marriner, Sir Angel Romero, Doc Severinsen, Charles Dutoit, Gerard Schwarz, Eiji Oue, Bramwell Tovey and Jukka Pekka Saraste.

Having recorded for BMG, EMI , CBC and the BBC, Jens is helping to redefine the idea of the concert artist by transcending stylistic genres and the very stereotype of his instrument by performing with "impeccable attacks, agility and amazing smoothness" (The Clarin, Buenos Aires). A prodigious talent, Jens Lindemann performed as a soloist with orchestras and won accolades at numerous festivals while still in his teens.

A prizewinner at numerous competitions including the prestigious ARD in Munich, Jens also placed first, by unanimous juries, at both the Prague and Ellsworth Smith (Florida) International Trumpet Competitions in 1992. Since then, he has performed solos with orchestras including, the London Symphony, Philadelphia, Beijing, Bayersicher Rundfunk, Buenos Aires Chamber, Atlanta, Washington, Seattle, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Montreal, Toronto, national Arts Centre, Vancouver, Warsaw, Welsh Chamber, I Musici de Montreal, St. Louis, and Mostly Mozart at Lincoln Center.

Heralded internationally as an outstanding artist, critics have stated: "He played with golden timbre and virtuosic flair" (New York Times)", "a world-class talent" (Los Angeles Times), "it was one of the most memorable recitals in International Trumpet Guild history" (ITG), "performed brilliantly in the North American premiere of Bernd Alois Zimmermann's Concerto with the Toronto Symphony" (Toronto Star), and "he gave the virtuoso highlight of the evening with the Montreal Symphony". As one of the world's most exciting trumpet soloists, Los Angeles based Lindemann is internationally endorsed by the Yamaha Corporation and performs exclusively on 24K gold plated trumpets.

Tubist Samuel Pilafian is noted for having achieved a degree of fame on an instrument that usually fills an accompanimental role. Equally noteworthy, however, is the ease with which Pilafian moves between classical music and pop.

A native of Miami, Pilafian started early on the tuba. He attended the National Music Camp in Interlochen, Michigan, becoming only the second tuba player in history to win the school's concerto competition. That propelled Pilafian to scholarships at Dartmouth College and the Tanglewood Music Center in Massachusetts. While he was studying in the latter program, he was selected by Leonard Bernstein to perform in the world premiere of Bernstein's Mass, which was simultaneously part of the opening ceremonies for Washington, D.C.'s John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

With his performance of that thoroughly eclectic composition as a starting point, Pilafian developed dual careers. In the classical sphere, Pilafian is best known as a founding member of the Empire Brass Quintet. He has also performed and recorded with the Boston Symphony, the New York Philharmonic, the Orchestra of St. Luke's, and the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra.

Pilafian has played recitals and made orchestral appearances in Canada, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Japan, Italy, Austria, Germany, and England. He served on the faculties of Boston University and the Boston University Tanglewood Institute, and was a consultant at the Royal Academy of Music in London before joining the faculty at Arizona State University, where he has taught since 1994.

Pilafian has released 12 solo albums as a jazz performer and has recorded with the Duke Ellington Orchestra. With guitarist Frank Vignola, Pilafian formed the jazz duo Travelin' Light, which released three discs on the Telarc label. While many classical artists have ventured into jazz with notable success, few have diverged as far from their original training as has Pilafian. He recorded with the rock group Pink Floyd, and under the designation of the Pilafian Project he has recorded an experimental mix of tuba sounds that transcends genre categories. An example is the 1998 album Meltdown, which includes music by composers such as Bartók, Sidney Bechet, Ornette Coleman, Ravel, and Captain Beefheart. A past president of T.U.B.A. (the Tubists' Universal Brotherhood Association), Pilafian serves as chairman of that group's board of directors.

Martin Hackleman recently joined the faculty of the University of Missouri, Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance as Artist in Residence and Associate Professor of Horn.

In 1983 Mr. Hackleman left Vancouver to join the world-renowned Canadian Brass. His three years with the group saw many outstanding achievements, among them: seven recordings for CBS Masterworks, including Brass in Berlin (with the brass section of the Berlin Philharmonic); extensive tours of the U.S., Canada, Europe and the Far East; a Canadian JUNO award for "best classical record"; the group's Hollywood Bowl premiere; and the release of their first video.

Mr. Hackleman then accepted an invitation to join the Empire Brass Quintet, whose moderate concert schedule allowed him time to pursue a solo career as well as specialty interests such as the Vienna and Natural Horns. He was a member of the EBQ for four years and recorded 5 CD’s with them. Martin Hackleman returned to Vancouver in November of 1989, where he played Principal Horn in the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra once again served as Adjunct Professor of Horn at the University of British Columbia.

In 1990, Mr. Hackleman helped launch a nationally broadcast chamber music series on CBC Radio called "CURIO", featuring chamber music of rare combinations and forgotten composers.

For the 1999-2000 season Mr. Hackleman was invited to play Principal Horn in the Montreal Symphony under Charles Dutoit. In 2000 Mr Hackleman was appointed Principal Horn of the National Symphony at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C where he remained until his move to Kansas City. He was asked to perform as a guest Principal Horn with the Philadelphia Orchestra on two occasions while living in Washington, D.C. As well, Mr Hackleman has played Principal Horn in the Chautauqua Orchestra at The Chautauqua Institute and at the Waterloo Festival in Princeton, New York.

Mr. Hackleman plays Solo Horn in the Washington Symphonic Brass and has recorded four CD’s with them. He also teaches at The Banff Centre in Banff, Alberta, Canada with the All Star Brass, a team of renowned brass soloists led by international trumpet soloist Jens Lindemann. They will be releasing their third CD in the spring of 2012.

Mr. Hackleman has made numerous recordings with the National Symphony, Vancouver Symphony, Montreal Symphony, Canadian Brass, Tidewater Brass, and the Empire Brass. In 1999 he recorded two solo CD's; one entirely of his own arrangements for solo horn with piano and string accompaniment, and one of five lost Romantic concertos with the CBC Vancouver Orchestra.

In addition, a recording of chamber music for 2 horns and bassoon was released in the spring of 1996. In November of 1998 a Christmas recording with horn quartet was released. A disc of the Brahms Horn Trio with other chamber music was released in July of 2000. Additionally, he has three new solo CD poised to be released in the near future.

Virtuoso trumpeter Ryan Anthony is most notably known for his varied career as soloist, educator, chamber musician and orchestral player.

Having departed the world-renowned brass ensemble Canadian Brass in 2003, Anthony quickly became one of the most sought after trumpet players in America, prompting the celebrated trumpeter, Doc Severinsen, to note: “He will be missed with [Canadian Brass], but I feel certain he will have a great and distinguished career as a soloist”.

While Mr. Anthony’s technical skills are well known, his ability to combine that with an innate musicality and a profound connection with audiences is what sets him apart as a performer.

Anthony continues to win over audiences and critics with his charismatic performances and artistic finesse. Reviews have said “In his hands, the horn gets beyond the stereotype to become a mouthpiece for the composer’s voice and performer’s personality” (Memphis Commercial Appeal) and “There must be other trumpet players in this world as fine as Ryan Anthony, but you’d never think so while listening to him play” (Fanfare Magazine).

Highlights from Season 2010-2011 include Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 with St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, premiere recording of Lowell Liebermann’s Trumpet Concerto with Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, Artist in Residence for Arizona Music Fest, Shostakovich Piano Concerto No. 1 for Trumpet and Strings with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and recording ‘Live 2010’ with the All-Star Brass Quintet, reuniting with former Canadian Brass colleague and trumpeter Jens Lindemann. Season 2011-2012 will include a repeat visit with the Pensacola Symphony for its annual New Year’s Eve Gala, All-Star Brass recording ‘Live 2011’, premiere recording with Dallas Symphony Orchestra Brass Quintet and numerous appearances with ‘Anthony & Beard’, an entertaining show that expands the repertoire for trumpet and organ.

Ryan Anthony’s solo career started as a 16-year-old prodigy when he won the highly publicized Seventeen Magazine/General Motors Concerto Competition

Keith Dyrda has become a trombonist of note on the Canadian and international music scenes over the past few years. Grand Prize Winner of the OSM Standard Life Competition in 2008, Keith has performed as soloist with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, the Winnipeg Wind Ensemble, the McGill University Symphony Orchestra and the McGill Wind Symphony. In 2010, Keith joined the Canadian Brass, replacing founding member Gene Watts.

Keith spent one year touring the world over with the ensemble, during which they recorded the album “Brahms on Brass”, nominated for a 2012 Juno Award. Keith has won several international competitions, including the 2009 Marsteller competition at the International Trombone Festival in Aarhus, Denmark. The same year, Keith won the solo competition at the Alessi Seminar in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

He is also a member of the All Star Brass, an ensemble that meets once every summer at the Banff Centre for the Arts to record an album and perform a live concert. The other members are trumpeters Jens Lindemann, Ryan Anthony and Mark Gould, hornist Martin Hackleman, tubist Patrick Sheridan, and trombonist Wycliffe Gordon. The recordings are annually produced by Sam Pilafian.

Keith currently studies Trombone Performance at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.

Patrick Sheridan is one of the most celebrated soloists in his instrument’s history. He has performed more than 3,000 concerts in over 50 countries in venues ranging from the White House to NBA half-time shows to the Hollywood Bowl.

At 20 years of age, Patrick became a member of “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band. During his military service, he thrilled audiences across the United States with his amazing virtuosity and musicianship as one of the band’s primary soloists.

Since then, Patrick has gone on to become an incredibly diverse artist with concert performances transcending stylistic genres and building fans around the world for his instrument, the tuba. He has been featured in television and radio broadcasts on 4 continents including appearances most recently on NBC’s Today Show and NPR’s All Things Considered and Performance Today.

Patrick maintains a busy international career with more than 75 concerts annually with orchestras, bands, and chamber ensembles and in recital.

At home and abroad, Patrick also performs with the creative collective, The Big Bottom Band. Mr. Sheridan also works as a composer and arranger. His music and arrangements have been performed internationally by symphony orchestras, concert bands, marching bands, jazz bands and drum corps. Most recently his music was performed by the US Army Band and at the American Bandmasters Association’s national convention. He also co-composed with Sam Pilafian a new piece for tuba and wind band, The Strait of Hormuz, which he premiered at the 62nd Annual Midwest Clinics in December 2008.

Patrick and Sam are also working on a double concerto for Joe Alessi and Wycliffe Gordon to be premiered at the CBDNA National Conference in 2011 by the University of New Mexico’s Wind Symphony with Eric Rombach-Kendall conducting. Patrick’s music, arrangements, CDs, DVDs, and books are published by Focus on Music, GIA Publications, De Haske Music, Mythen Hollanda and Dillon Music Publishing.

Mr. Sheridan has over 20 years experience in the music industry as a design consultant. Instruments influenced by Patrick’s designs are played in hundreds of professional orchestras, military bands and chamber ensembles around the world. Thousands of university, high school, middle school and elementary school students play on instruments in which Patrick has been involved in the design process. He currently works as a design consultant for Jupiter Band Instruments, Inc. Patrick was a part of the design team responsible for Jupiter’s Quantum Marching Project which introduced five new marching brass models in 2008. Ensembles competing in Drum Corps International and Bands of America as well as collegiate marching bands around the United States are using these instruments with great success.

He is currently working on a new line of Jupiter professional brass to be introduced in 2009. Patrick is also an Artist and Educational Ambassador for Jupiter. Patrick is a member of ASCAP, an Honorary Member of Kappa Kappa Psi and a Trustee of The International Music Camp. He holds a Master of Business Administration degree with an emphasis in finance and marketing from the University of Michigan and spends his free time with his children, Katie and Jack, hiking and camping in beautiful Arizona.