Brass band tourney to head to St. Charles

The rich sound of brass will be heard in St. Charles when the U.S. Open Brass Band Championships are held Saturday, Nov. 8 at the Norris Cultural Arts Center, 1050 Dunham Road in St. Charles.

Sponsored by Brass Bands International, this all-day event will feature the finest British-style adult brass bands from across the United States. Each band will present a 25-minute program of music and entertainment designed to showcase not only their musical prowess, but their showmanship and creativity as well.

A panel of international judges will be on hand to review each performance, with multiple prizes and awards in several areas given to those receiving the highest rankings. Frank Renton from the BBC in London will once again serve as emcee for the day's event, as he has for the past five years.

This marks the first year the event will be held in St. Charles. Previously held in Arlington Heights, Clark Niermeyer, U.S. Open Brass Band president, said it took a lot of time and research to find a new location for their event.

"We are very pleased to have the charming city of St Charles as the setting for the 2008 U.S. Open Brass Band Championships. We were quickly impressed with the Norris Center and the fantastic support we received from both the St. Charles High School and Jenny O'Brien at the St. Charles Convention and Visitors Bureau to make this move possible," said Niermeyer.

In years past, the event has drawn audiences from across the United States, Canada, and even Great Britain, added Niermeyer.

"The U.S. Open Brass Band Championships are a wonderful addition to the extensive list of special events the city of St. Charles hosts," said Amy Egolf Bull, executive director of the St. Charles Convention and Visitors Bureau. Bull said that when the bureau was approached about the possible move, they were delighted and worked closely with Niermeyer to make the transition smooth.

In addition to the Saturday competition, a special preview of small ensembles, known as Buskers, will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 7 at McNally's Traditional Irish Pub, 201 E. Main St., St. Charles. Both events are open to the public.

Information on securing tickets for Buskers and the competition, as well as the events themselves, can be found at www.usopenbrass.org or by calling Clark Niermeyer at (847) 398-1732. For details on St. Charles Convention and Visitors Bureau, call (630) 377-6161, (800) 777-4373 or www.visitstcharles.com.