About the Band

The Vintage Brass Band of Springfield, Illinois, formed in March of 2009, is the Capital City’s newest up-and-coming professional brass ensemble. The band includes a talented mix of professional musicians and accomplished local amateurs under the baton of R. Todd Cranson. Our members hail from all corners of central Illinois including Springfield, Peoria, Carlinville and Urbana-Champaign.

Founded in 2009, the Vintage Brass Band specializes in performing American brass music with great historical and cultural significance, much of which has not been performed for 100 or more years! Artistic Director Todd Cranson’s research and collaboration with leading scholars in the field of early American band music provides the Vintage Brass Band with a diverse and interesting repertoire which includes vintage concert, popular, and dance music from the 1840′s through the turn of the 20th Century, military and patriotic music of the Civil War era, and art music from all periods of American history. The Vintage Brass Band is particularly proud to perform repertoire from three special collections with historic significance to our local community: the Benjamin Grierson Collection (Jacksonville, IL, 1840′s- 1860′s), music of the Humboldt Brass Band (Humboldt, KS, 1865-1880′s), and the X.X.O.B. Band Collection (Williamsville, IL, 1900-1930′s)

Highlights of the Vintage Brass Band’s Inaugural 2009 season include performances at the 7th Annual Boneyard Arts Festival, 14th Annual General Grierson Liberty Days in Jacksonville, the Capital 4th of July Celebration in Springfield, the Dedication of the Historic Mt. Pulaski Bandshell, a performance before Bill T. Jones’ Fondly Do We Hope, Fervently Do We Pray at the Ravina Festival Grounds in Chicago, and Spare some Change? – Granny’s Porch Looks at the 1930’s Through America’s Music at the Virginia Theater in Champaign. In December, the Vintage Brass Band presented A Vintage Brass Christmas, the group’s first major concert featuring 17th Century antiphonal music by Giovanni Gabrieli and 19th Century American band music with featured vocal soloist, soprano Mona Kreitner from Memphis, TN.

The Vintage Brass Band is a Resident Arts Organization at the Hoogland Center for the Arts in Downtown Springfield, IL

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