Cheers for Brassy Approach to Classical : Music: Canadian quintet knocks Performing Arts Center crowd on its ear with its playful program of standards.

The Orange County Philharmonic held its third annual high school night Sunday at the Orange County Performing Arts Center, where it played host to students from around the county for a free performance by the Canadian Brass.

Here are some reviews of the performance by the brass quintet from Canada, written by some of the teen-agers in attendance:

Attending a concert by a quintet with the intimidating name of the Canadian Brass at the prestigious Performing Arts Center Sunday, an evening of comedy was not exactly foremost in the minds of the waiting teen-agers.

However, after the playful way in which the band members reacted to the hyper high-school crowd, the audience spent the better part of the hourlong performance laughing out loud.

The quintet began the evening playing music as they entered the hall from the back and made their way toward the stage. Their first number, “Canzona,” was played as they dispersed themselves throughout the audience. Such interactions made the crowd feel especially close to the band.

While introducing a Christmas medley, Canadian Brass trumpeter Ronald Romm talked about the different words that can be used in songs. “For example,” he said, “Chestnuts roasting in a forest fire . . . “

The craziest part of the evening came when the band performed ballet songs, ranging from “Swan Lake” to “The Nutcracker.” The twist was that the group’s members danced, ballet-style, as they played. And the crowd was worked into an uproar when trombone player Eugene Watts came out in a tutu and danced in circles.

The quintet did show it also has a serious side. French horn player David Ohanian played the lead in Adagio for Strings, the theme song from the movie “Platoon.” The slow, sweeping melody was in direct contrast to many of the evening’s other songs, such as “Beale Street Blues,” during which the audience was encouraged to clap along and yell.

Occasionally, a member of the Canadian Brass would address the audience between numbers. Speaking about Johann Sebastian Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, tuba player Charles Daellenbach related what he believed were the most interesting parts of the piece. Pointing to the music as if the audience could actually see it, he said, “See Measure 115? It’s very important. That is where I come in.”

The evening culminated with the “The Saints’ Hallelujah,” a mix of “When the Saints Come Marching In” with Handel’s “Hallelujah” chorus in which trumpeter Frederic Mills led the band in its foot-stomping attack.

--JIM EICHSTEADT

Irvine

The performance of the Canadian Brass was a new and refreshing experience. I have been to the Performing Arts Center on several occasions, and Sunday’s performance was a great opportunity for me to share my love of music with one of my best friends.

The communication between artists and audience created a chemistry and made for an entertaining show.

Tuba player Charles Daellenbach added humor and character to the show. I especially enjoyed the “Tribute to the Ballet,” and only wish the performance could have been longer. It is rare for me to have so much fun at a classical music concert.

--HEATHER LEE

Villa Park

The talented clowns of classical music--the Canadian Brass--presented a spirited welcome to the holiday season Sunday.

Clad in wrinkled tuxedos and white Oxford shoes--their trademark--this crazy quintet strolled through the aisles, flirted with audience members, danced around the stage in tutus and encouraged cheering and clapping during their performance.

Their booming brass sounds overwhelmed the crowd, and their sarcastic humor left all laughing.

Romm explained that the Canadian Brass uses comedy to keep itself and its audience from losing appreciation for the music.

“I believe that once you’ve become bored, you’ve lost them (the audience),” he said. “We try everything to avoid that.”

--STEPHANIE AUSTIN

Irvine

Hollering and stamping, the predominantly high-school-aged crowd roared, whistled and cheered after a particularly rousing performance of Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D Minor.

Though by no means a personal slight to B-aa-ch-t , as Daellenbach jokingly pronounced the composer’s name, the crowd’s uproarious reaction was a bit unusual. But, hey, no one ever said the Canadian Brass were run-of-the-mill classical musicians, either.

The quintet astounded the audience with musical virtuosity and down-home humor.

The Canadian Brass has achieved worldwide fame as a witty band that performs pieces ranging from such classical staples as Vivaldi’s Concerto for Two Trumpets in C Major to seasonal favorites like “Frosty the Snowman.”

Several comic touches, such as their trademark donning of white dance Oxfords, leaves an indelible impression.

“It’s become a tradition,” Romm said. “Once we showed up in Virginia (for a performance) and all of the people in the audience had worn white shoes. You saw these ladies in nice gowns with them (white shoes) on.”

The band’s show demonstrated its flair for eclectic programming, but in actuality, Romm explained, “Things are very structured.”

This doesn’t mean the Canadian Brass plays the same songs over and over again. They said a considerable amount of time goes into learning new material.

“We substitute things as they are learned,” Romm said. “You just can’t allow yourself to get bored because then you allow the bad things to creep in.”

The Canadian Brass has helped introduce classical music to an audience ranging from seasoned concert-goers to first-timers. It’s the audience, in fact, that helps inspire the quintet to perform with zeal.

And when the right chord is struck between the two, Romm said, “it’s a really amazing feeling. There aren’t words to describe it.”

--JUNE FANG

Irvine