Asbury University will host the Brass Band Festival Concert on April 12 from 5-7 p.m., offering an evening of live music outside of Hughes Auditorium.
This spring will be the second year that Asbury hosts the Brass Band Concert, featuring three ensembles: the Salvation Army Student Fellowship Brass Band, a youth brass band from Lexington and a brass band group from Frankfort. The concert is designed as an open, easily accessible event, allowing students and visitors to walk by and stop to enjoy music.
Asbury’s ensemble is part of the Salvation Army Student Fellowship brass band, an extracurricular group that partners with the Salvation Army and has a long-standing presence on campus. Founded in 1957, the group still travels throughout the school year to perform, recently returning from a trip to the National Mall in downtown D.C.
The ensemble is made up mostly of Asbury students but also includes members from outside the university, including local high school students who are involved with the Salvation Army.
Dr. Nathan Miller, who has directed the group since 2014, emphasized that there’s a purpose behind their performances that reaches beyond musical talent.
“The festival is to share the gospel of Jesus through music and to make beautiful music,” said Miller. “And to give students opportunities to grow and use their gifts for God’s glory and for the advancement of his kingdom.”
The group performs brass band music rooted in the Salvation Army tradition, which has historically used brass ensembles for worship and outreach because of its accessibility in a variety of settings.
Because the concert is held outdoors, it often draws members of the campus community naturally.
“A lot of people usually just happen upon it,” Miller said.
The Brass Band Festival Concert is free and open to the public, providing an opportunity to enjoy live music while supporting student musicians and the outreach efforts of the Salvation Army.
