082211 Air Force Band of Flights Prism Brass takes Wooster by storm
By Sharon Haught
August 16, 2011
428
Summary: The Square in downtown Wooster was filled with the sound of music when Main Street Wooster presented a concert by the U.S. Air Force Band of Flights Prism Brass ensemble on August 12.
For members of the military, homecomings are a very special time to re-connect with the community they call home and spend time with family members and close friends.
The homecoming reception United States Air Force Technical Sergeant Eric Knorr received on August 12 was a little larger than most.
An estimated 1000 people filled the Square in downtown Wooster to hear Knorr and the men and women he leads that comprise the U.S. Air Force Band of Flights Prism Brass perform a concert.
A Wooster native and a 1985 graduate of Wooster High School, Knorr earned his bachelor of arts in music from the College of Wooster before completing a masters in music from Akron University. He is currently completing his studies for a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.
Knorr enlisted in the Air Force in 1995 and was initially assigned to the Heartland of America Band at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska where he performed as part of the Concert Band and Offutt Brass Quintet.
Knorr was back in Ohio in 2001 taking up his duties as a member of the Band of Flight at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton where he serves as the principal trumpet with the Concert Band and Wright Brass quintet and as the Noncommissioned Officer in Charge of Prism Brass.
The ensemble Knorr leads is unique amongst military bands.
Formed in 2010 Prism Brass is the first large brass ensemble of its kind in the United States Air Force.
The versatile professional musicians that make up the ensemble perform a diverse and exciting program consisting of light classics, marches, jazz and classic rock throughout the seven state region that it serves.
In addition to its busy schedule of public concerts and performances at official military functions, Prism Brass has performed concerts and master classes at many colleges and universities including the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, Western Michigan University and the Kentucky Music Educators Association conference.
Prism Brass is one of seven musical groups that comprise the Air Force Band of Flight program.
In addition to the 45 piece Concert Band, which performs patriotic music, show tunes and marches, the program also includes a 20 piece jazz ensemble known as Night Flight, a brass quintet known as the Wright Brass, a woodwind quintet known as the Huffman Prairie Winds, a six member rock group known as Systems Go, a seven member rock/pop/country ensemble known as Nighthawk and Prism Brass.
The appearance in Wooster by Prism Brass was presented by Main Street Wooster and was sponsored by Sprenger Health Care System, Wooster Glass Company and The Daily Record.
The Prism Brass concert is part of a series of special events presented by Main Street Wooster. Next up on the organizations busy calendar of events is an appearance by the College of Wooster Pipe Band and Highland Dancers on the Square at 5:00 p.m. on September 9 and the Wooster Arts Jazz Fest on September 17.
For a full list of Main Street Woosters schedule visit the organizations web site at www.mainstreetwooster.org.
For more information on the United States Air Force Band of Flight program log on to www.bandofflight.af.mil.
