Music

Watch brass players from across Canada join virtually to play Eric Whitacre's 'October'

The quarantine video features musicians from Winnipeg, Ottawa, Hamilton, Calgary, Vancouver and other locales.

The quarantine video features musicians from Winnipeg, Ottawa, Hamilton, Calgary, Vancouver and other locales

The second wave of the coronavirus pandemic has closed concert halls in many parts of Canada and sent musicians back into isolation, which means the production of quarantine videos has seen another uptick.

This recent effort from some of Canada's brass musicians caught our attention. They play Eric Whitacre's choral piece "October," arranged for brass ensemble by trombonist David J. Miller (Barclay Brass). Watch it, above.

The performance brings together musicians from numerous Canadian orchestras, including the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, the National Arts Centre Orchestra, the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra and the Kitchener-Waterloo, Toronto and Winnipeg Symphony Orchestras. Here's the full roster:

  • Ted Clark, Larry Larson, Adam Zinatelli: trumpet.
  • Merrie Klazek: flugelhorn.
  • Jessie Brooks, Patricia Evans: French horn.
  • Vanessa Fralick, Joel Green: trombone.
  • Isabelle Lavoie: bass trombone.
  • Robert Miller: euphonium.
  • Chris Lee: tuba.