Dr. Jonathon Corry has been working with Arkansas Musicworks Brass Band in the lead up to their second appearance at the North American Brass Band Championships which are currently taking place in Indiana this weekend.

Just a week after giving a workshop clinic and acclaimed concert in Alma in Arkansas with the help of Getzen Instruments, the band has headed to Fort Wayne to compete in the First Section of the National Championships.

Success

The band was founded in 2017 after an attempt to pitch the idea of student brass bands to local private schools in Northwest Arkansas didn't work out. However, co-founders, Michael Olefsky and Jay Shepherd, decided they would persist and carry on and form a local group of top players and try to compete as an amateur group.

Such has been the success of the venture that they came runner-up at the Dublin Festival of Brass in March 2018 and then went on to win the US Open Entertainment title in November. They are now looking to make their mark on their debuts at the NABBA event.

It's been a wonderful experience for me and I've enjoyed myself immensely working with such wonderful peopleDr Jonathan Corry

Wonderful experience

Dr Corry told 4BR: "It's been a wonderful experience for me and I've enjoyed myself immensely working with such wonderful people."

In response tuba player and co-founder, Jay Shepherd added: "There is an authenticity and refinement to Dr. Corry's conducting and advice that is unlike anything I've seen from other clinicians in the states. He was absolutely brilliant."