The Trenton Brass Ensemble will perform on Tuesday, July 3 at the Flat Iron Building across from the Grundy County Museum. Admission is free.
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The Trenton Brass Ensemble began in the late 1970s as the Trenton High School Christmas Card Band. Buddy Hannaford, band director at that time, started the group as a community service project to provide holiday cheer mainly to the nursing homes and the elderly, but also available to other individuals within the community.
Following his retirement in the late 90s, the group disbanded. Four years ago Hannaford re-formed the ensemble as the Trenton Brass, with its membership now composed of adults.
“This group has worked hard to regain their playing skills,” Hannaford said. “Their sense of humor has gotten us through rehearsals, yet they are determined to do their best with the music. I have enjoyed working again with some former students and becoming better acquainted with other players who I knew on a different level.”
The Trenton Brass Ensemble is scheduled to perform July 3 at the Flat Iron Building from 4 to 4:30 p.m.
Membership includes:
Dennis Browning. Browning and wife, Sandy, are the parents of one son, Jason. Dennis started on the tuba in junior high in Aurora and played through high school. The AHS Band marched at the Indianapolis 500, the Cotton Bowl and the Nixon Inaugural. Browning marched two years at Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield.
“The tuba is not an instrument that often plays the melody,” he said. “The opportunity to play with this brass ensemble has been fun. It has been a challenge to prepare to again play in front of an audience. I have enjoyed practicing with this tolerant group of musicians as I regain some of my past playing ability. I hope many in the community will attend our performance and enjoy our selections of oldies, but goodies.”
Danny Ebersold. Ebersold is the son of Stan and Ruth Ann Ebersold of Trenton. Danny graduated in 1986 from THS, where he was a member of the band. He is a veteran of the U.S. Army and is father to three children – two who graduated this year from THS and a third who will be a sophomore this fall.
“I have been telling myself I should start playing my trumpet again and have occasionally done so,” Ebersold said. “Participating in the Trenton Brass Ensemble during the Christmas Holidays this past December gave me a good start in getting back in a routine of playing. The opportunity to continue this experience by playing for Trenton’s 150th celebration is one more reason to keep playing. Hopefully there will be more opportunities for this ensemble to perform.”
Tim Gilham. Gilham is currently band director for the Trenton R-9 School District. He and his wife, Davina, have two children, Ellis and Emma, who attend Rissler Elementary. In high school, Gilham was a member of all-district and honorable mention all-state bands, the Kansas City Youth Symphony and many high school large and small ensembles.
At Central Missouri State University, he played with the marching, jazz, and concert bands, and the symphony orchestra. Recently he and Ellis played in the world’s largest guitar performance of “Smoke on the Water.”
Buddy Hannaford. Hannaford, before retiring, spent 30 years teaching instrumental music in the state of Missouri; 28 of those years were with the Trenton R-9 School District. He received his bachelor of music education degree from Missouri Valley College in Marshall and his master’s degree from Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg.
Hannaford has judged marching and concert band contests and festivals and has been an instrumental music clinician in Arkansas, Kansas, Iowa, Missouri and Oklahoma. He is currently chairman for the Retired Members of the Missouri Music Educators Association. Hannaford is the organizer and manager for the Missouri Day Marching Festival, an event held annually in Trenton, and member and director of the Trenton Brass Ensemble. He and his wife, Karla, are active in community affairs.
Jewell Gondringer Harris. Mrs. Harris is the daughter of John and Shirley Gondringer of Trenton. She is married Zach Harris. They have three children and reside north of Trenton. Mrs. Harris enjoys working at Wright Memorial Hospital Emergency Department as a registered nurse.
She graduated from THS in 1995. Her music career began as a child taking piano lessons. In sixth grade she joined band, playing the flute. Her sophomore year she switched to trombone and her junior and senior year she served as a drum major.
“I have enjoyed getting my trombone out from time-to-time since graduating and am thrilled to be a part of the 150th celebration,” Mrs. Harris said. “It has been so fun getting to play with old friends and new ones, and relive some of the memories with the Hannafords.”
Pam Mock Hattesohl. Mrs. Hattesohl is a 1989 graduate of Trenton High School. She is married to Richard and they have five children between them, including Calvin Cooksey, who will be a junior at Trenton High School. She has been employed since 1993 as the executive assistant at North Central Missouri Mental Health Center. Mrs. Hattesohl played trombone in the THS Band under the direction of Hannaford. She was a member of the Christmas Brass Ensemble in high school and renewed membership in that ensemble three years ago. She also plays piano and Guitar Hero.
Regarding the brass ensemble: ”I am so excited about this group. It’s been fun to play again with some of the same folks I played with in high school and intriguing to play with others in this community I didn’t even know played a musical instrument. We all have a good sense of humor. I think everyone is eager to perform well and have a great time.”
Lisa Zang Huffstutter. Mrs. Huffstutter is a 1992 graduate of Trenton High School where she played baritone BC in the THS Band all four years. Also an active vocal performer, she likes the challenge of performing in this brass ensemble and has enjoyed playing alongside other THS Band alumni, community members and her former instructor, Hannaford. She resides in Trenton with her husband, Aaron, and two children, Lauren and Andrew.
Rick Leafgreen. Leafgreen moved to Trenton in 1983 from southeast Iowa. He and his wife, Tammy, have two children. He is employed with the HyVee Food Store. He is a member of the Assembly of God Church. Leafgreen played trumpet in the Iowa National Guard Band during a six-year enlistment after high school.
“What a great opportunity for a variety of people with different backgrounds to come together and help bring history to life through music for Trenton’s Sesquicen-tennial Celebration,” he said.
Al Trump. Al Trump grew up in Trenton. He has a bachelor of science degree in music education from Truman State University in Kirksville and a master’s of science degree in music education from the University of Missouri. He taught music for 10 years before returning to Trenton to farm. He is married to Marilee and they have three children, Mark Trump, Amy Goldman and Marla Trickel, and six grandchildren.
Anita Munn VonBurg. Mrs. VonBurg is a graduate of Trenton High School, where she played tuba in the THS Band. She has been employed at Trenton’s Preferred Family Healthcare for the past five and one-half years and is currently the assistant program director. She has been married to husband, Scott, for eight years. They have two children, Echo, who is 7, and Canyon, who is 3. Anita plays in the Christmas Brass Ensemble. She is the daughter of Mary Lou Polley and the late Johnnie Munn.