Media Gallery

Richard Strauss indicates in his Suite in Bb for 13 wind instruments that the lowest part may be played on contrabassoon or bass tuba. This presents many challenges to a tuba player—not least of which is the requirement to perfectly match articulations with the other bassoons and blend seamlessly with them (there is no trombone section) and to not be overbearing in the predominantly woodwind based sonority despite the part’s low tessitura. Under the baton of Frank Battisti, Kenneth Amis performed this work while pursing a Masters degree in composition at New England Conservatory. Here is the Introduction and Fugue.

Empire Brass comes up with crazy ideas during recording sessions. During the sessions for the An Empire Brass Christmas: The World Sings CD someone came up the idea to recite the text to the first verse of We Three Kings in a drone-like fashion in preparation for a complete evisceration of the Christmas spirit from this beloved carol. Ken Amis was volunteered to provide the vocals; however, this arrangement never made it on the CD.

Kenneth Amis conducts the Lynn University Wind Ensemble through the War Dance of Kurka’s The Good Soldeir Schweik Suite. This program also included suites by Holst, Strauss and Grainger.