Members of Seraph Brass have performed with such esteemed ensembles as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Musicians from Marlboro, Luzern Music Festival in Switzerland, National Symphony, Brass Band of Battle Creek, Daejeon Philharmonic and Auckland Philharmonia. They currently hold positions in the Richmond Symphony, World and European Brass Association, Louisville Orchestra, Artosphere Orchestra, University of North Texas, University of Richmond, University of North Carolina School of the Arts, University of Wisconsin-Madison and Shenandoah Conservatory.

Concert Program

• • Edvard Grieg Arr. Jeff Luke: “Prelude” from Holberg Suite
  • W.A. Mozart Arr. Jeff Luke: “Der Hölle Rache” from Die Zauberflöte, KV 620
  • Isaac Albéniz Arr. Jeff Luke: Three Pieces from Suite Española
  • Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky 7 Arr. Benjamin Miles: Romances, No. 6, Op. 47 Does the Day Reign
  • Alexander Borodin Arr. Rolf Smedvig: “Polovetsian Dances” from Prince Igor
  • Franz Liszt Arr. Jeff Luke: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2
  • Anthony DiLorenzo, b. 1967: Go
  • Giacomo Puccini Arr. Ivaylo Hristov: “Nessun Dorma” from Turandot
  • Reena Esmail, b. 1983: Tuttarana
  • Grigoraș Dinicu Arr. Tim Olt: Hora Staccato
  • Vittorio Monti Arr. Gretchen Renshaw James: Csárdás
  • Catherine McMichael, b. 1954: Virgo
  • Kevin McKee, b. 1980: Vuelta del Fuego (Ride of Fire)

Our Members

Mary Elizabeth Bowden

Bowden began full-time college studies at the age of 14, receiving an Associate degree from the Joliet Junior College. Subsequently, she earned her Bachelor of Music degree from The Curtis Institute of Music, where she studied with the principal trumpeter of the Philadelphia Orchestra, David Bilger. She was awarded her Master of Music degree in 2006 from the Yale School of Music where she studied on a full scholarship with trumpeter Allan Dean.

Jean Laurenz

Jean Laurenz is an eclectic musician who loves variety and collaboration. She is the Assistant Professor of Trumpet at The University of Wisconsin-Madison. As a performer, Jean has enjoyed appearances with Adele, The Hanson Brothers, The Boston Pops, and the Hong Kong Philharmonic. Her favorite genre is chamber music and she frequents this arena with innovative ensembles including Seraph Brass, The Knights, A Far Cry, and with Carnegie Hall’s resident fellow chamber group, Ensemble Connect.

Rachel Velvikis

The vast myriad of musical encounters Rachel Velvikis, horn, has accumulated in her almost twenty years as a professional musician validates the reason she chose the profession at the age of ten: music is enormously much bigger than herself; every opportunity to spread its message is a joyous occasion!

Samantha Lake

Samantha Lake began her musical career with the study of classical piano at the age of five and continued to take lessons for 13 years. Unafraid to be different, Ms. Lake chose tuba in sixth grade and never looked back. Since then, she has been heard in venues as diverse as Carnegie Hall, the MetLife Stadium, and the streets of New Orleans.

Victoria Garcia

Victoria Garcia is a freelance trombonist in the Boston and New England area who was born and raised on Long Island, New York. When it came time to pick an instrument to study at age nine, her mother, who was a tubist in college and working as a high school band director, left Victoria with the following instruments to choose from; French Horn, Trombone, Euphonium, Tuba and oddly, the Bassoon. When Victoria asked her mother why she couldn’t pick an instrument like the flute or clarinet her mother said, “you can not pick an instrument you can stick in your backpack!” With that, Victoria decided to go for the big guns and picked the instrument that was as tall as she was at the time; the trombone. There has been no turning back since.

More Info

Seraph Brass - web page