For the Miami Valley Today

TROY — The Troy Mayors’ Concerts Board is pleased to bring the Oakwood Brass to Troy on Sunday, Aug. 15, at 7 p.m. on Prouty Plaza. Troy’s own professional mezzo soprano Rachael Boezi will be singing the National Anthem.

The Oakwood Brass is under the direction of Eric Knorr, who co-founded Oakwood Brass in 2001 with his colleagues from the United States Air Force Band of Flight. Oakwood Brass is based in Dayton and has delighted audiences throughout the state of Ohio. The group’s members are amongst the finest professional brass musicians in the region, regularly performing with the Cincinnati Symphony and Cincinnati Pops Orchestras, Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Springfield and Lima Symphonies. Oakwood Brass is in residence at Westminster Presbyterian Church in downtown Dayton, frequently performing throughout the church calendar year and for May Festival every other year.

Eric Knorr is the Artist in Residence in Trumpet in the Department of Music at the University of Dayton. Knorr teaches studio trumpet, directs the UD Trumpet Ensemble, performs with and coordinates the Faculty Brass Quintet, and teaches several classroom courses within the department. Knorr is the retired Principal Trumpet of the United States Air Force Band of Flight at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and served in the same role with the USAF Heartland of America Band at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. He has a lengthy and impressive resume.

As an orchestral musician, Knorr is a regular substitute within the trumpet section of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, is the Principal Trumpet with the Bach Society of Dayton and is a frequent substitute with the Cincinnati Symphony and Cincinnati Pops Orchestras. He has performed with many other orchestras.

Knorr has presented master classes at Wright State University, Bowling Green University and the Miami University (OH). Knorr previously held positions at Wright State University, Central State University, Wilberforce University, and Sinclair Community College and continues to maintain an active studio of private students. In addition to his teaching and performance duties, he is the Orchestra Librarian for the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance, comprised of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, Dayton Ballet and Dayton Opera.

Through the support of the Troy Foundation and many other individual and corporate sponsors, they are able to offer this concert free of charge. Bring your own chair and join us for an enjoyable evening of music. The city of Troy will block the Square to motor vehicle traffic for this concert. The rain location is Hobart Arena.