Valhalla Brass: Holiday Brass at the Roxy!

• Gabriel Palmer, trumpet
• Scott Meredith, trumpet
• Blake Yarbrough, French horn
• Leland Matsumura, trombone
• Wade Demmert, bass trombone

Get ready to embark on a magnificent journey into the heartwarming sounds of the holiday season! Some of the most talented brass musicians from the Pacific Northwest assemble under one roof to give you a magical evening of joyful fanfare, classic elegance, and festive surprises. In the first of an annual tradition, the Valhalla Brass and Friends w ill perform at the Roxy as a part of Winterfest after Saturday’s tree lighting.

About Valhalla Brass Quintet

https://www.valhallabrass.org/

About Gabriel Palmer, trumpet

Trumpet player Gabriel Palmer, a native of Chico, California, holds Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in music from Northwestern University and is pursuing a Doctoral Degree at the University of Washington. Formerly a member of Symphony Tacoma, Mr. Palmer performs regularly with the Seattle Symphony, the Seattle Opera orchestra, and the Pacific Northwest Ballet orchestra. He has also performed with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the Chicago Chamber Musicians, and the 5th Ave Theatre orchestra. He has worked extensively as a coach with the Bellevue Youth Symphony Orchestra as well as guest teaching with the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra.

While at the University of Washington, Mr. Palmer was a featured soloist with the Seattle Symphony, performing the Shostakovich Piano Concerto under the baton of Ludovic Morlot. Mr. Palmer has performed with artists such as Moby, Evanescence, The Temptations, Amos Lee and the Irish Tenors, and has recorded music for commercials, video games, and movie soundtracks. He currently is the director of bands at Klahowya Secondary School in Silverdale, Wa.

About Scott Meredith, trumpet

Dr. Scott Meredith currently resides in Poulsbo, Washington where he actively performs with the Seattle Symphony, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Auburn Symphony, Yakima Symphony, Seattle Metropolitan Chamber Orchestra, North Corner Chamber Orchestra, Symphony Tacoma, and the Port Angeles Symphony. He still enjoys making the trip to Casper to act as Principal Trumpet of the Wyoming Symphony Orchestra. Scott enjoys working with students of all ages and continues a private studio as well as brass coach for several Seattle area high schools. For 25 years, he was Professor of Trumpet at the University of Wyoming, the University of Northern Colorado, and the University of North Texas. Dr. Meredith has performed nationally with the Boulder Philharmonic, Cheyenne Symphony, Fort Collins Symphony, Greeley Philharmonic, Owensboro Symphony, the Irving, Plano, and San Angelo Symphonies, Dallas Wind Symphony, North Carolina Pops, Baroque Chamber Orchestra of Colorado, and at the Colorado Music Festival.

Dr. Meredith earned the Doctor of Musical Arts in trumpet performance from the University of North Texas. He earned the Masters of Music degree from the University of North Texas. He earned and Bachelor of Music Education and Music Performance degrees from the University of Northern Colorado. Dr. Meredith can be heard on the CD Chamber Music of Jennifer Higdon, featuring the premiere recording of her Trumpet Songs ("Trumpets can sing, too, and trumpeter Scott Meredith does just that, displaying a gorgeous tone and sense of phrasing." – Fanfare Magazine). He can also be heard on the Teaching Music through Performance in Band series as well as numerous recordings with the University of North Texas Wind Symphony under the direction of Eugene Corporon as part of the Klavier Wind Project, including: Convergence, UFO: Music of Michael Daugherty, Time Pieces, Recollections, Symphonic Excursions, Escapades, Carmina Burana, Hemispheres, Allegories, and Retrospectives. In his spare time Dr. Meredith enjoys watching movies (especially Star Wars!), exploring Washington on his bike, and hanging out with his wife Tamara and daughter Kat. Dr. Meredith is a Bach Artist for the Conn Selmer Co.

About Blake Yarbrough, French horn

Blake Yarbrough is a horn player, software engineer, and nonprofit leader. After receiving a Bachelor of Music from Northwestern University and a Master of Music from University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, he spent several years freelancing in the Dallas, TX area before enlisting in the U.S. Navy in 2011. He performed as part of the U.S. Fleet Forces Band in Norfolk, VA then transferred to Navy Band Northwest in 2013. As a nonprofit leader, he co-founded the Poulsbo Community Orchestra and currently serves on the Roxy Bremerton Foundation board of directors. After the Navy, he became a software engineer for Microsoft and continues to play with orchestras and chamber ensembles in the Pacific Northwest.

About Leland Matsumura, trombone

Leland Matsumura currently serves as a trombonist in the United States Navy Fleet Bands. Previously, he held the position of Principal Trombone with the Battle Creek Symphony Orchestra in Michigan from 2016-2019. Additionally, Mr. Matsumura has performed with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, Seattle Opera, Toledo Symphony Orchestra, Fort Wayne Philharmonic and the Youngstown, Lima, Lakeside, West Michigan, Firelands, Southwest Michigan, and Holland (MI) Symphonies, respectively.

Mr. Matsumura earned the Master of Music degree in trombone performance at Western Michigan University where he was the Graduate Teaching Assistant to Dr. Steve Wolfinbarger. He also earned the Bachelor of Music degree in trombone performance from James Madison University under the guidance of Dr. Andrew Lankford. Other notable teachers include: Ko-Ichiro Yamamoto of the Seattle Symphony, Richard Stout of the Cleveland Orchestra, Garth Simmons of the Toledo Symphony, and Dr. Mike Hall of Old Dominion University.

Mr. Matsumura is an Edwards Instruments Performing Artist.

About Wade Demmert, bass trombone

Wade Demmert, trombone, holds a Master of Music degree from Rice University and a Bachelor of Music from Central Washington University. He has performed with many ensembles including the Seattle Symphony and Opera Orchestras, the Vancouver Symphony, the Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra, the Auburn Symphony, and the Spokane Symphony. He is the bass trombonist for the Bellingham Festival of Music Orchestra, Olympia Symphony Orchestra and the Tacoma Concert Band; he also performs with Seattle's Paramount and 5th Avenue theater’s orchestras. Wade has been a featured soloist with the Tacoma Concert Band and has performed in concert with Andrea Bocelli, Pavarotti, the Irish Tenors, Celtic Woman, Idina Menzel, the Moody Blues, and The Who. Wade can be heard on numerous movies, television, video game and theme park soundtracks.