North Suburban Symphonic Band

In its seventh season, the North Suburban Big Band is a classic ""big band"" in the tradition of the legendary bands of Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Glenn Miller. The band plays the original music of the greatest composers/arrangers, artists and bands in jazz history. They are comprised of some of the area's finest college music majors, local area band directors and industry professionals. The NSBB performs one standard concert at the St. John's Lutheran Church of the Highland in McCandless, just north of Pittsburgh, on the last Saturday of every July. They also perform at private functions, upon request and depending on availability.

The North Suburban Symphonic Band has grown to include 4 sub-ensembles: Woodwind Ensemble - Our woodwind ensemble performs music composed or arranged for woodwind quintets, a group of five wind instruments (flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn and bassoon). Unlike the string quartet with its homogeneous blend of color, the instruments in a wind quintet differ from each other considerably in technique, character and tone. Quintets have their roots in the royal courts of 18th century Vienna. Brass Ensemble - Our brass ensemble performs music composed or arranged for brass quintets, a group of five brass instruments. The most common instrumentation is two trumpets or cornets, one French horn, one trombone or euphonium and one tuba. As an ensemble type, the brass quintet is very flexible, with a repertoire encompassing musical genres from classical to jazz. We operate primarily during the holiday season, performing a mix of traditional, secular and popular songs. Dixieland Jazz Ensemble - Our Dixieland jazz ensemble performs a style of jazz that developed in New Orleans at the start of the 20th century, and spread to Chicago and New York City in the 1910s. Dixieland jazz combined brass band marches, French Quadrilles, ragtime, and blues with collective, polyphonic improvisation by trumpet (or cornet), trombone, and clarinet over a ""rhythm section"" of piano, drums, and a double bass or tuba. Big Band Jazz Ensemble - Our North Suburban Big Band is a classic ""big band"" in the tradition of the legendary bands of Duke Ellington, Count Basie and Glenn Miller. The band plays the original music of the greatest composers/arrangers, artists and bands in jazz history, and is comprised of some of the area's finest college music majors, local area band directors and industry professionals. The NSSB ensembles are available for private bookings and events.