Crossville’s own 30-musician strong professional instrumental ensemble, the Southern Stars Symphonic Brass, is finalizing preparations for its first performance of the 2024-25 concert season.
The concert will begin at 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 15, in Stone Memorial High School auditorium at 2800 Cook Rd., Crossville, and there’s still time to pick up a ticket to hear Traveling Brass, a joint concert with The Brass Band of Huntsville, AL.
Southern Stars Symphonic Brass selections will include Nabucco Overture (Verdi); Top Hat, White Tie & Tails (Gershwin); Billy Joel’s Just the Way You Are, a flugelhorn solo by Chris McCormick; Frog Legs Rag; and Jack Tar march (John P. Sousa).
The Brass Band of Huntsville will perform Death or Glory march; Pie Jesu (Andrew Lloyd Webber), a soprano cornet and flugelhorn duet; Cartoon Classics; and Theme from the Six Million Dollar Man.
The bands will then combine to play the 633 Squadron March honoring World War II fighter planes; I’ll Walk With God and Them Basses march.
Musicians from Southern Stars Symphonic Brass hail from Crossville, Nashville, Clarksville, Murfreesboro, Cookeville, Chattanooga, Knoxville and Huntsville. The members include university instrumental music professors, secondary music educators, and freelance professional musicians. Music conductor Steven Sudduth travels from his home in Michigan to direct Southern Stars.
Tickets are $22 for adults; students are admitted free. Tickets are available in advance from First National Bank of Tennessee branches in Crossville and Fairfield Glade, Atlas Realty in the Village Mall in Fairfield Glade, Bed & Biscuit Kennel off Peavine Rd., and at the door the day of the concert.
An adult season ticket for all three concerts is $50 and provides a reserved seating area and the added benefit of a ticket exchange if the season ticket patron has to miss a concert.
Other subscription concerts this season are Brasstacular Moments, Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025; and Lollipops and Cracker Jacks, Sunday, May 4, 2025. Both concerts will begin at 3 p.m.
The acclaimed Southern Stars Symphonic Brass have been invited to perform on three different occasions for the renowned Great American Brass Band Festival for audiences of 7,000-10,000. Contact President and Founder Dwight Wages at 931-484-6939 or dwight.wages@gmail.com for more information.