About the Group

The members of the Sonorous Brass came together in the summer of 2006 to create a musical ensemble intent on bettering the world of brass chamber music performance and education. The members of the SBQ are at home both on stage and in teaching situations.  The members of the SBQ have played with various musical ensembles ranging from the Philadelphia Orchestra to the famous Russian “Bolshoi Ballet”. In addition to performing with world class musical ensembles, each member maintains vigorous teaching schedules at Universities, Public Schools and private music studios. The SBQ is dedicated to increasing musical awareness through interactive and exciting performances to both concert and student audiences.

Trumpet: Andrew Kissling received an undergraduate degree in Trumpet performance from Arizona State University under the tutelage of David Hickman. He has also studied with Emory Harvison, Frank Kaderabek, Samuel Pilafian and Timothy Erdman. Mr. Kissling has performed with a variety of musical groups including The Mesa (AZ) Symphony, The Tempe (AZ) Symphony, Ballet Arizona, The Bolshoi Ballet, The Salt River Brass Band (AZ), The Phoenix Bach Choir (AZ), The Reading (PA) Pops, The Berks Camerata Singers (PA), The Reading (PA) Choral Society, and the Skuylkill Valley (PA) Symphony.

 

Andrew has been an active chamber musician for many years. He was a founding member of The Royal Brass Quintet, The Elm Street Brass Quintet and The Sonorous Brass Quintet. Andrew has also played with the Bay Street Brassworks, The Sonoran Brass, Basc’ly Brass and Berkshire Brass.

 

Andrew is also active as a composer and arranger. He has done over 50 arrangements and original compositions for various brass ensembles. In 2000, Andrew was the winner of the MENC National Young Composer Competition Small Ensemble Division for his original work for brass quintet, “Impressions”. Andrew owns a publishing company, AK Brass Press, specializing in music for brass ensembles.

 

As a teacher, Andrew has 8 years of experience. He has presented master classes and taught lessons in schools throughout Arizona and Pennsylvania. Andrew is currently teaching over 30 students and actively performs with The Sonorous Brass and various ensembles in southeastern Pennsylvania.

Trumpet: Jean-Christophe Dobrzelewski received a "Prix de Trompette" from the Conservatoire de Musique de Rueil-Malmaison in Paris, France in 2000, a M.M. in Trumpet Performance from the University of Maine in 2002, and a D.M.A. in Trumpet Performance from Arizona State University in 2004. He is the author of 16 volumes of orchestral excerpts for trumpet entitled "Essential Excerpts for Trumpet", published by Hickman Music Editions, and does editing and typesetting work for the HME catalog.

 

Dr. Dobrzelewski travels extensively throughout the U.S., Europe and Central America as a soloist and clinician. He also enjoys performing with chamber ensembles of various instrumentation, and over the years has commissioned several pieces by American and Swiss composers.

 

Dr. Dobrzelewski served as co-principal trumpet of the Midland-Odessa Symphony in Midland, Texas, as well as the touring Lone Star Brass quintet. He is the founder of the West Texas Brass Project, an annual event in which accomplished brass players join forces in a large brass ensemble and tour throughout west Texas, performing for colleges and public schools to spread excitement about music and brass instruments. Dr. Dobrzelewski's primary teachers include David Hickman, Eric Aubier, Guy Touvron, Wolgang Bauer, and Samuel Pilafian. Dr. Dodrzelewski is a New York Trumpet Company Endorsing Artist and plays the Stage 1 instrument line exclusively.

French Horn: Elizabeth Pfaffle received a Master’s in Horn Performance from the University of Akron studying with William Hoyt and a Doctorate in Brass Pedagogy from Indiana University as a student of Michael Hatfield and Richard Seraphinoff. A Lecturer in the brass department at Indiana University for two years, Dr. Pfaffle is currently the Assistant Director and theory instructor for the College Audition Preparation Program at Indiana University and the horn instructor at the West Chester University and Franklin & Marshall College. 

 

The 2004 Midwest Solo Horn Competition winner, her performance experience includes the faculty orchestras at Indiana University and the University of Illinois.  She has also performed with the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra, Bloomington Early Music Festival, Ohio Light Opera, American Wind Symphony and both Akron, and Youngstown symphonies. 

Trombone: Paul Arbogast is one of Philadelphia’s most versatile freelance musicians.  His ambidextrous command of low brass instruments and chameleonic musical interpretation have led him to a career full of performances with symphony orchestras, Baroque period ensembles, musical theaters, and bands ranging from jazz to rock to Renaissance to Latino, authentically rendering the essence of each genera.

 

Paul can be heard frequently at venues such as the Academy of Music, Kimmel Center, Mann Music Center, Walnut Street Theater, and the Prince Music Theater, and in Atlantic City; recent theatrical productions have included Wicked, the Lion King, Annie, Windy City, 42^nd Street, Carousel, Man of LaMancha, Dreamgirls, the Pirate, and Annie Get Your Gun.  He is often seen with the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, the Reading Symphony Orchestra, and the Ocean City Pops Orchestra, playing both tenor and bass trombones.  He has performed with the Pennsylvania Ballet, and The Royal Ballet of London, and has shared the stage with Diana Ross and Aretha Franklin, as lead trombonist and jazz soloist. 

 

In demand as a studio musician, recent credits include pop music stars Al Green, R. Kelly, and Algebra Blessett.  He has also recorded for NFL Films, Billy Paul, and is highly requested for recordings in Philadelphia’s Latin music scene.  Specializing in historic performance practice, Paul also plays and tours as principal sackbuttist (ancient trombone ancestor) for the Orchestra of the 17^th Century, artistic ensemble in residence at the National Shrine at Catholic University.

 

Aside from his busy performance schedule, Paul balances his duties as Senior Lecturer at The University Of The Arts and Instructor at LaSalle College High School, where he helps cultivate budding tenor and bass trombonists.  He holds the degree of Master of Music in Jazz Studies from The University Of The Arts, in Philadelphia, where he studied jazz improvisation extensively with world-class virtuoso, John Fedchock, and Criss Cross recording artist, John Swana.  He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Delaware in Music Education.  Other principal teachers have included Glenn Dodson, Jay Hildebrandt, and Robert Streckfuss.

Tuba: Jonathan Fowler has been active throughout the New York/Philadelphia area for the last six years.  Aside from being the principal tuba player with the Haddonfield Symphony Orchestra, Dr. Fowler has also performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra, the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestra of St. Luke's, the Richmond Symphony Orchestra, the Reading Symphony Orchestra and the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra.  

 

Having recently received his doctorate from Rutgers University, he also holds degrees from Temple University and the University of Cincinnati College - Conservatory of Music.  As a clinician and educator, Dr. Fowler performs with the Haddonfield Symphony outreach program and the Solid Brass educational concert series.  His principal teachers include Scott Mendoker, Jay Krush and Timothy Northcut.  

6500 Ridge Ave - Philadelphia, PA 19128 - SonorousBrass@aol.com - (610) 301-2231