As the sun began to set Friday evening, the Conrad Prebys Amphitheater came alive with the exuberant sounds of about 30 brass musicians from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music. After a year off due to changes in faculty, the IU Brass Band presented its first concert of the 2025 fall semester.
Nick Hinman, currently in his second year of the doctoral composition program, is this year’s brass band director. He titled the program “Of Earth and the Eternal” to represent the broad ideas of mysticism, nature and eternal life reflected in each chosen piece of music.
“What I try to do is look at the themes of each piece of music and kind of find the thematic through-line,” Hinman said. “I thought the themes were an interesting juxtaposition of, like, things that occur on Earth and things that are eternal, and things that maybe we’re not entirely certain of. So ‘Of Earth and Eternal’ was the title that I came up with for that.”
The concert began with “A Moorside Suite” by Gustav Holst, who Hinman said wrote much of his music based on traditional folksongs. The song featured several call-and-response sequences throughout, where sections echoed certain melodies back at each other. The piece leaned into Hinman’s idea of allowing the concert’s music to speak to themes of earth and nature.
The next piece, “The Sorcerer's Apprentice,” is one many music fans may recognize from the Disney movie “Fantasia.” The band’s interpretation was full of unrestrained flourishes and quick rhythms. Hinman said he chose this piece due to its mystical sound, and because he appreciated its connection to the Halloween season.
Jada Collins, an event coordinator for the IU Auditorium, said she appreciated the theming of the music and how each piece felt reminiscent of the marvels of nature.
“It was just so whimsical, and it made you think of, like, spectacular things and about what’s in nature and up in the sky and all those kinds of things,” Collins said. “We definitely thought the theme fit.”
Before closing the show with Paul Lovatt-Cooper's “Vitae aeternum,” the ensemble played “O magnum mysterium” arranged by Phillip Littlemore. Emma Barnstead, a second-year horn performance master’s student, named Littlemore’s piece as both her favorite piece and moment from the concert.
“I think it’s just so beautiful,” Barnstead said. “There was that one point, kind of in the middle, where we all decided to match volume and tune well. It really made a beautiful moment.”
Although it is often difficult for musicians to adjust their sound to suit an outdoor setting, the brass ensemble was able to efficiently project their sound throughout the amphitheater. Even with the sound of crickets chirping as the sun began setting, all the instruments were clearly heard.
Audience member Anandi Varadhachary, an IU junior and music education major, thought the instruments projected well within the concert’s outdoor setting.
“It is less echoey than if it were inside,” Varadhachary said. “But I still think you can get a really good idea of how powerful these instruments are.”
As an outdoor and free event, the concert provided a laid-back, approachable environment. Collins noted how the beauty of nature made her experience as an audience member more enjoyable.
“I thought it was beautiful, I loved seeing the sunset,” Collins said. “I liked looking up and seeing all the different colors in the sky and being outside with people. So I really, really enjoyed it. I think it enhanced the experience.”
The amphitheater provided an ideal outdoor space for the ensemble to execute its performance. The IU Brass Band will perform again Dec. 9, with a time and location to be determined.
