The Potsdam Brass Quintet, established in 1968, is the brass quintet-in-residence at The Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam. The current members of the Potsdam Brass Quintet are Brianne Borden and Luke Spence (trumpet), Lauren Becker (horn), Christopher Hernacki (trombone) and Charles Guy (tuba). All are members of the Crane faculty. The Potsdam Brass Quintet has performed in concert throughout much of the United States and Canada, including performances at New York’s Lincoln Center and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.

 

The ensemble has been featured at state, national and international music conferences, including appearances at the International Brass Festival, International Trombone Festival, International Horn Society Workshop, College Music Society Conference, Skyline Brass Music Festival, MENC National Conference, Texas Music Educators Association Convention, New York State School Music Association Conference, New York State Band Directors Association Conference and the New England Brass Convention. In addition to recital performances, the Potsdam Brass Quintet regularly presents workshops for music educators and clinics for younger audiences in elementary and secondary school settings. The ensemble has performed in concert with Canadian Brass and the Gregg Smith Singers. The Potsdam Brass Quintet has recorded four albums on the RCA Custom, Kendor and Mark Recording labels—"New York Composers,” “Music for Brass Quintet,” “La Réjouissance” and “The Art of Brass.” Preceded by the New York Brass Quintet (est. 1954), the American Brass Quintet (est. 1960), and the St. Louis Brass Quintet (est. 1964), the Potsdam Brass Quintet (est. 1968) is one of America’s oldest professional brass quintets.