Founded in 2013, the Southern California Brass Consortium (SCBC) grew out of the desire to form a large, professional brass ensemble that performs challenging, yet accessible music. Our 26-member group performs a wide range of compositions and styles, as well as presenting works that include harp, piano, and organ. SCBC not only includes talented brass players and percussionists, but also highly-skilled arrangers and composers within its ranks. We strive to present both new works and new arrangements by local and national composers. The goal of the SCBC is to share the exhilarating spirit of brass ensemble music through high-quality concerts, recordings, and educational outreach. SCBC recently had the honor of opening the 55th L.A. County Holiday Celebration at the Los Angeles Music Center on Christmas Eve, which was televised live on PBS.

Jack Kornfield is an American Buddhist teacher. He is a founder of the Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Marin County, Calif., where he lives & teaches.

"Whitacre is that rare thing, a modern composer who is both popular and original"
- The Daily Telegraph, London

Eric has inspired millions as composer, conductor, innovator, broadcaster and charismatic public speaker. His compositions rank among the most popular and frequently performed of the early 21st century, their reach broadened since 2010 by the extraordinary success of his online Virtual Choir project. Light & Gold, his first album as composer and conductor, won the 2012 Grammy® Award for Best Choral Recording and instantly topped the US and UK classical album charts.

Born in Nevada, he discovered a passion for choral music while studying at UNLV and he began composing soon after. He went on to study at the Juilliard School of Music in New York under John Corigliano. Many of his choral compositions, Cloudburst, Lux Aurumque and Sleep among them, have entered the standard choral repertoire and his orchestral music has been performed by some of the world’s most distinguished orchestras both sides of the Atlantic. Eric is currently Composer-in-Residence at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge University, UK.

A distinguished speaker, Eric has been invited to address the UN Leaders Programme, give the closing plenary at Davos World Economic Forum and to speak for UNICEF and Google among others. He has appeared twice on the main stage at the global TED conference in Long Beach CA, earning standing ovations on both occasions. Recent Virtual Choir projects include ‘Glow’ written for the Winter Dreams holiday show at Disneyland© Adventure California and the Virtual Youth Choir, in association with UNICEF, which premiered at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. Broadcast live to 119 countries worldwide, Eric made his iTunes Festival debut with his professional choir in 2014, inviting multi award-winning composer and conductor Hans Zimmer to join him on stage. The performance was consequently released as a live album. Eric returned to the Minnesota Orchestra for a second residency in 2015 culminating in three performances at Orchestra Hall.


Reginald Cyntje
Trombonist, Educator, Composer

Reginald Cyntje (born January 27, 1976, in Roseau Dominica and raised on St. Thomas, USVI) is a trombonist, educator, producer and composer.

Growing up in the US Virgin Islands (USVI), he was steeped in the rich cultural music known as Quelbe (the official music of the USVI).

Quelbe was Reginald’s introduction to improvised music. One of his favorite Quelbe songs, Queen Mary, has a powerful message set to syncopated rhythm. This song sets the tone for his mission as a musician - to inspire change with music.

With cultural heritage at the forefront and social justice as the message, this passionate performer has “a deep-seated knowledge of Caribbean music and culture which has settled into his jazz trombone playing” (NPR Music).
 
After being featured on NPR's Jazz Night in America, Cyntje recorded his fourth album on February 10, 2015. Spiritual Awakening musically embodies humanity’s complex journey from introspection to a celebration of freedom. Cyntje released Spiritual Awakening on May 4, 2015. 
 
On April 22, 2014 (Earth Day), Reginald Cyntje released his third album Elements of Life (Washington City Paper Recording of the Year) featuring pianist Allyn Johnson, bassist Herman Burney, drummer Amin Gumbs, vocalist Christie Dashiell, steel panist Victor Provost and saxophonist Brian Settles. The album explores the connection between the human being and the elements that nurture us.
 
In 2013, Cyntje released his sophomore album simply titled Love. The Washington City Paper said Love “is thoughtful and surpassingly gorgeous.” After debuting at #3 on the CMJ Jazz chart, Love made it to #10 on the CMJ Top 40 Jazz Chart. The album is a tribute to the human spirit.

His highly anticipated debut album, Freedom's Children: The Celebration, was released in August of 2011. The album quickly became a favorite among fans with hits like Queen Mary, Children’s Parade, Daybreak and a performance favorite Peace and Love.

As a trombonist, educator and activist, he's toured the United States, Europe and the Caribbean. 

On his recordings, you can hear the sounds of calypso, reggae, and other African influenced genres which now give his music a unique flavor.

Reginald Cyntje, “blessed with impressive facility and an immediacy of sound” now resides in the Washington DC area (The Independent Ear). Capital Bop views him as “arguably D.C.’s most agile and expressive trombone player.”

Reginald Cyntje has won the Washington City Paper Best Trombonist Award (2011, 2013, 2014).
 
Reginald is a graduate of the University of the District of Columbia and received his master’s degree at the University of Maryland. He is currently a part time faculty professor at Montgomery College and the founder / owner ofJegna School of Music, LLC.

Mr. Cyntje is also the author of Stepping Stones: 15 studies in improvisation.

The concept of his music ministry is to spread love, peace and social justice with each expression.

Noah D. Taylor is a composer, orchestrator, and arranger of music for the concert hall and for media. 

As the staff arranger for the West Point Band, Noah's compositions and arrangements have been featured on CBS, NBC, and Fox News. Noah was the lead composer and music producer for the 2017 and 2018 Macy's July 4th Fireworks soundtracks, aired on NBC.

Karma Yeshe Rabgye is a Western Monk in the Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. Originally from England, he now teaches Buddhism, mindfulness and meditation to people all over the world.

Sweet Blue Fire, an amazing band quickly becoming popular in the NYC area

My music is influenced by the natural and man-made world around me. All sounds can be mixed with traditional musical tones to create an expression which cannot be made with words alone.

Jason Binde is following