Mirari Brass Quintet to play Sandusky concert

SANDUSKY — Members of the Mirari Brass Quintet are scattered across the U.S.But the members of the acclaimed brass ensemble, all college professors in their day jobs, will come together for a concert 7 p.m. Wednesday in Sandusky. Tickets will be $15 at the door at Zion Luthern Church.The Sandusky Concert Association will present the group with help from a grant by the Erie County Community Foundation.Rehearsals today are more difficult to arrange compared to when the group was founded years ago by graduate music students at the University of Indiana, said founding member Alex Noppe, a trumpet player and University of Wisconsin professor.The group tends to "rehearse like crazy" when it gets together for shows. If a rehearsal space isn't immediately available, the group usually begs for rehearsal space at a nearby college in return for teaching a master class, Noppe said.The other members of the group are Matt Vangjel, a trumpet professor at Louisiana State University; founding member and University of Tennessee Martin horn professor Jessie Thomas, Boise State University trombone professor Sarah Paradis, and East Tennessee State University faculty member and tuba professor Stephanie Frye.If you look at the publicity photos for the group, you'll notice three ladies and two gentlemen, but don't be surprised if three men and two women show up for Wednesday's concert. Professor Paradis is on maternity leave. Chris Van Hof is serving as a substitute. The group's Sandusky visit will features songs from the band's new CD, "Recycled, Reused, Renewed," arrangements of music written originally for other instruments. The group does classical music but also plays jazz.The Mirari Brass Quintet.