MOTOR CITY BRASS BAND
Motor City Brass Band (MCBB) is ranked among the top ten competition bands in North America. Its roots derive from Britain's 200-year-old venerable brass band heritage. MCBB was established in 1996 by John Aren, a Salvation Army officer and former member of the current National Champion Illinois Brass Band. With musical director Craig Strain at the helm as conductor, arranger, and composer for the group since its inception, MCBB continues to musically define itself as an integral part of the growing national brass band movement.
The band performs in a variety of venues throughout the year in a wide range of musical styles from classical to jazz, pop to sacred. MCBB has performed throughout the state as well as Illinois, Kentucky, Minnesota, Ohio, & Ontario, Canada. The Band annually participates in the Honors Section of the North American Brass Band Association (NABBA) Championships and, in 2001, released its first CD After Five. The band has shared the stage with some of Detroit area's finest ensembles and has featured some of its own stellar players in other performances.
In 2001, just weeks after the September 11th attacks, MCBB was invited to perform on its own merit as the state representative for Michigan State Day at Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington, DC on October 2, 2001. In the following years MCBB has been invited to perform at many events, including several years with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra at Greenfield Village for the annual Salute To America concerts. In 2005 MCBB participated in its second US Open Brass Band Championship held in Arlington Heights, Illinois and won the award for Best performance of a March (Death or Glory) as well as taking Second Place in the overall competition.
2006 saw MCBB celebrate its Tenth Anniversary with a gala concert highlighting the past decade. John Aren returned to conduct and many former members of the band joined in the concert's final number, The Stars and Stripes Forever.
A Brass Band as the term is used on the NABBA Home Page refers to a British style Brass Band which uses instrumentation that was standardized in the later part of the last century. The Standard instrumentation for a British Brass Band is
• 1 Eb Soprano Cornet
• 9 Bb Cornets
• 1 Bb Flugelhorn
• 3 Eb Tenor Horns
• 2 Bb Baritones (Small Bore)
• 2 Euphoniums
• 2 Bb Tenor Trombones (Small Bore)
• 1 Bass Trombone (Big Bore)
• 2 EEb Basses
• 2 BBb Basses
• 3 Percussionists
MUSIC DIRECTOR AND CONDUCTOR
Motor City Brass Band is fortunate to have Craig Strain as its Musical Director and Conductor. Craig received a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Performance and Political Science and a Bachelor of Music Education as well as a Masters Degree in Music Composition and Trumpet from Eastern Michigan University. Following an extensive career in teaching which included high school, community college and Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, Craig is currently performing and arranging music, owner and operator of a 24 track digital recording studio, directing and/or leading several musical organizations.
In 1996 when this fledgling band concluded its second rehearsal one of the tuba players, a friend of Craig’s, invited him to rehearse the band. By the end of the session the affinity between the musicians and Craig was evident and he was asked to be the Musical Director and Conductor. Since then he has played a vital role in the band’s growth. There has been growth in membership and, because of Craig's understanding of the musical and technical capabilities of brass instruments and his experience as a brass performer, teacher, arranger, and conductor, he has taken Motor City Brass Band to ever higher levels of musicianship and performance.
A prolific arranger for many genres, his clients include drum and bugle corps, marching bands, brass quintets, brass bands, (many of these for Motor City Brass Band), orchestras, professional and school jazz bands, and national as well as local acts and bands. For more about Craig's arrangements and other musical organizations go to
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