The true international ‘Dream Team’ of Brass is Mnozil from Vienna, Austria. As anyone who heard their US debut last week in Glassboro, New Jersey at the ITG conference will attest, this is a pure brass chamber ensemble at the highest level in the world right now. I first heard this group on a tour that I did through Europe last fall where they are the hottest brass ticket around. Everyone told me, “Yes, yes, the CD’s are great, but it is the live show that you must see”. Well, I saw it then and was totally impressed. After our respective concerts in Germany, we all hung out for three days and I can assure you that this group gets it. They are virtuosic, musical, funny and understand how to work an audience without the use of a microphone. I flew out a day early from Los Angeles on my way to Kentucky just to hear them this week and sat with no less an authority than the great Doc Severinsen who said to me, “the ITG and America has never seen a show like this before…this is brass theater at it’s finest”.
Every player in Mnozil is a true virtuoso on their instrument. There are simply no weak links and this gives them musical and rhythmic freedom to do whatever they want. They also understand that EVERYTHING you do on stage is observed by an audience. We are not only in the business of playing concerts, we are in the profession of presenting concerts and that includes the visual impact of what we are doing.
Mnozil has set a new standard for brass chamber groups to aspire to…and it’s about time!
Jens Lindemann (Canadian Brass 1996-2001)
www.trumpetsolo.com