Welcome. We have a new Facebook page with our current events and more info!
The Greater Dayton Brass Ensemble has an amazing variety of repertoire and educational programs. As a quintet, we perform many styles of music for weddings, ceremonies, senior centers, libraries, malls, services, parties, receptions, and recitals, such as in this video:
You might also click to hear our performance at a 2018 Dayton Dragons baseball game.
Our popular educational programs, “Musical Mythbusters” and “Traveling Trio Trivia,” have had 58 performances in schools and other venues between 2017 and 2019:
If you would like to hire the GDBE please contact Rich Begel through the information at the top or bottom of the page, or submit a comment on the main page of this site.
Here are some of our members:
Chris Jeffery, trumpet
Chris, a relative new comer to the Southwestern Ohio music scene, has become a constant member of the Dayton Jazz Orchestra, the Ohio Valley British Brass Band, the Wright State University Department of Theatre, Dance and Motion Pictures Pit Orchestras as well as being frequently called to work with the Tom Daugherty Orchestra, Hal Harris Big Band, Clueless (the Syndicate-horn section) and many other professional organizations. After 25 years of touring the world with several U.S. Air Force Band assignments, the Air Force dropped him here. Chris brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to a wide variety of musical genres, from Concert Band to Brass Quintet, Jazz Band to Orchestra, Rock Bands to Liturgical and solo work; lead chair to section player, a true chameleon with a trumpet.
Along with performing, Chris is an Adjunct Professor-Trumpet at Indiana University East, and has a large trumpet studio in the Beavercreek City Schools. He was also invited to be one of three jurors for the first round of the 2017 National Trumpet Competition.
Chris’ studies outside of the military have included terms with Robert Stibler-UNH, Jan Carroll-UTSA, John Irish, Noel Langley-United Kingdom and has shared the stage with many greats including: Clark Terry, Mel Torme, Darius Rucker, Allen Vizzutti, The Pointer Sisters, The Mills Brothers, Chely Wright, Jiggs Whigham and the Boston Pops.
Chris Braun, trumpet
Christopher Braun is a versatile Southwest Ohio performer and educator. Christopher currently serves as the Adjunct Trumpet Instructor at Sinclair Community College. In addition to teaching at Sinclair he has taught at the Salvation Army Kroc Center and throughout the greater Dayton area. As a performer Christopher plays principal trumpet with Sinclair’s Community Wind Symphony, solo trumpet with the Generations Big Band, leads his own small groups and is regularly called upon for freelance work.
Christopher earned his Master of Music in Performance degree from Wright State University and his Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Studies from The Ohio State University. He has studied trumpet with Pharez Whitted, Daniel Zehringer, Jim Stokes, William Campbell and Bill Adam and conducting with Richard Blatti, Max Cordell and Hank Dahlman. While at Wright State, Christopher was a Graduate Teaching Assistant who assisted and performed with the WSU Jazz Band, Chamber Orchestra and the University Symphony Orchestra taught Jazz Improvisation and performed with the WSU Faculty Brass Quintet.
During his career Christopher has had the opportunity to share the stage with many talented artists including Hank Marr, Pharez Whitted, Jim Masters, Vince DiMartino, Brian Cashwell, Christian Howes, Eddie Bayard, Imer Santiago, Jon Eshelman, the Jacksonville Jaguars D-Line, Mike Speck, Sergei Babayan, Katherine Borst Jones, the Oakwood Brass, The Wright State University Faculty Brass Quintet and the Dayton Jazz Orchestra. Some of Christopher’s career highlights include performing on Premier Cruise Lines’ ship, the Sea Breeze, organizing and producing the 2012 FBC Summer Music Fest live concert recording and performing at the “Exploring Brass in Greece” Conference in 2015, the 40th International Trumpet Guild Conference in Columbus, Ohio and the inaugural Declare Dayton worship event at the University of Dayton Arena in 2016.
Christopher spent over nine years as Minister of Music at Faith Baptist Church in Dayton, Ohio where he led the choir and orchestra at all worship services, developed and led children’s music classes, coordinated all holiday presentations and led all media activities in the church. In addition to the aforementioned position he has been a guest lecturer and clinician at a number of schools and churches and maintains an active private teaching schedule.
Brian West, trumpet
Lead trumpet player Brian West is one of the most in-demand players in Southwest Ohio, performing with Dayton Jazz Orchestra, Vaughn Wiester’s Famous Jazz Orchestra, Kim Kelly Orchestra, Tom Daugherty Orchestra, Eddie Brookshire Orchestra, Hal Harris Big Band, Hauer Swing Band, This Side Up, Blue Wisp Big Band, Pat Kelly’s PsychoAcoustic Orchestra, Dangerous Jim and the Slims, and Different Hats Orchestra, among others. He’s not very good at saying “no”.
Brian has had the pleasure of playing with Jerry Lewis, Wayne Bergeron, Bill Holman, Bobby Shew, Chris Vadala, Jon Faddis, John Fedchock, Tim Hagans, Joey Tartell, John Von Ohlen, Vaughn Wiester, Norris Turney, Marvin Stamm, Miles Osland, Patrick Hession, Rob Parton, Alan Hood, Pete Olstad, Brad Goode and John Harner.
Bands: Dayton Jazz Orchestra, Indianapolis Jazz Orchestra, Sammy Kaye Orchestra, Blue Wisp Big Band, Pat Kelly’s PsychoAcoustic Orchestra, Vaughn Wiester’s Famous Jazz Orchestra, Kim Kelly Orchestra, Tom Daugherty Orchestra, Eddie Brookshire Orchestra, Hal Harris Big Band, Hauer Swing Band, This Side Up, Dangerous Jim and the Slims, Different Hats Orchestra, Rick Brunetto Big Band, Generations Big Band, Buckeye Ballroom Big Band, In Full Swing, Big Damn Jam Band, Cyndi Black Big Band, Swing’s The Thing Big Band, Sound of America Honor Band European tour (1984, 1993)
Musicals: The Wiz, West Side Story, Anything Goes, My Fair Lady, The Music Man
Studied with Wayne Bergeron, Roger Ingram, John Harner, Patrick Hession, Mike Vax, Clay Jenkins, Dave Scott, Jay Saunders, Mike Steinel, Dick Cool, Eric Murine, Bobby Shew, Larry Meregillano
Brian enjoys golf, watches too much television, and is the owner of Park-N-Go Airport Parking, across from Dayton International Airport.
Daniel Lewis, trumpet
An active freelance musician and teacher, Daniel currently holds the third trumpet position with the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra. He has toured extensively playing hundreds of concerts a year in the United States and around the world with the King’s Brass, a nationally renowned brass ensemble. Daniel has also performed with several other orchestras and organizations including the Richmond Symphony Orchestra (VA), West Virginia Symphony, Charleston Symphony, Springfield Symphony (OH), the Dayton Bach Society, and is a member of the University of Dayton Faculty Brass Quintet. He has also been a featured soloist on the Dayton Philharmonic’s chamber series “Sound and Song.” He currently teaches the trumpet studio at Stivers School for the Arts in Dayton. Daniel received his Master of Music Degree in performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music and his undergraduate degree from Cedarville University in Cedarville, Ohio.
Mary Emery, horn
Mary Emery is an active horn player and teacher in the Dayton and Cincinnati area. A graduate of the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, she performs regularly with the Middletown Symphony, Hamilton-Fairfield Symphony, and Clermont Philharmonic. She was a member of the Kentucky Symphony for ten years and also has appeared with the Springfield Symphony, Richmond Symphony, Blue Ash Symphony, Lebanon Symphony and countless chamber ensembles throughout the region. She has been the adjunct horn teacher at the Stivers School for the Arts since 2007 and also teaches lessons in the Fairfield schools and at home in Lebanon. Ms. Emery enjoys teaching students of all levels and has helped her students to achieve positions in the Dayton and Cincinnati Youth Symphonies and State and Regional Honor Bands.
Sean Vore, horn
Sean Vore is currently Assistant Principal Horn of the Dayton Philharmonic and a member of the Utah Festival Opera and Theatre Company. In addition, he maintains an active freelance and teaching career in southwest Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky.
As an orchestral musician he has performed in orchestras throughout the United States, Europe and Asia. He performs regularly with the Dayton Philharmonic, Toledo Symphony, and the Richmond (IN) Symphony.
Mr. Vore maintains an active horn studio and currently teaches at Earlham College, Indiana University-East, and in the past has served on the faculty at Wright State University and the Bay View Music Festival.
Mr. Vore received his Masters of Music in Horn Performance from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and a Bachelors of Music from Mannes College of Music in New York.
Rich Begel, trombone
Rich has been a trombonist with the Dayton Philharmonic since 2003, and he is in Malarkey, Trombones of Dayton, and The Greater Dayton Brass Ensemble. He has performed as a substitute with ensembles around the country such as the Naples Opera, Southwest Florida Symphony, Charlotte Symphony (FL), the Klezmer Company Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony, Columbus Symphony, Boston Ballet, Alabama Symphony, Kentucky Symphony, Summit Brass, Canadian Brass, Scythian, Enter the Haggis, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, The Beach Boys, The Indigo Girls, The Temptations, Sarah McLachlan, John Pizzarelli, Arturo Sandoval, & others. He is a former member of the Springfield Symphony, Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Tanglewood Festival, National Repertory Orchestra, Spoleto Festival, And Festival of Two Worlds (Italy).
Rich has been a soloist with the Miami Valley Symphony Orchestra, the Kettering Seventh Day Adventist Church Band, the Sinclair Community College Band, the Northwest Indiana Symphony, a chamber orchestra in Anchorage, Alaska, and he performs solo jazz at retirement facilities and Klezmer music at Jewish facilities.
Rich teaches Music Technology, Music Appreciation, and Low Brass at Sinclair Community College; Low Brass & Brass Choir Director at Earlham College; Low Brass at Indiana University East and Spring Valley Academy; and Brass at the Miami Valley School. He has been a clinician for Sinclair, Valparaiso University, University of Alaska Anchorage, the USAF Band of the Pacific in Anchorage, the Raphael Mendez Brass Institute, & more. Rich has taught at the Park City International Chamber Music Festival (UT), Pine Mountain Music Festival (MI), & other festivals. In addition, Rich has been public-school certified in three states and taught general music, orchestra, and brass class.
He is the author of A Modern Guide for Trombonists & Other Musicians & the editor of Intonation Repair Tool (first edition). His students are now in youth orchestras, colleges & conservatories (on scholarship), professional performers, teachers, & administrators.
Rich received his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education & Performance from The Crane School of Music at The State University of New York at Potsdam and a Master of Music degree from New England Conservatory. He later did doctoral work at Michigan State University. Rich’s instruments include the trombone, alto trombone, and euphonium.
Don Greiman, bass trombone
Don Greiman studied under Thomas Swanson at Bemidji State University and taught music in the public schools before joining the 702 Strategic Air Command Band. After a 20 year hiatus from performance, he joined the Sona (Verona Italy) community band and brass ensemble. He has performed with The Wright State University Trombone Choir, is a member of the Ohio Valley British Brass Band, and plays frequently in Dayton Area brass ensembles, including holiday appearances at Epiphany Lutheran Church, Wittenberg University (Springfield OH), and the Austin Landing Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony.
Tim Olt, tuba
Tim Olt is is originally from Dayton, Ohio and completed his 
Bachelor’s of Music Education at Wright State University. He has since earned his Master’s of Music Performance at Miami University, and then attended Florida State University for doctoral work.His music career has developed in several areas including performing, conducting, teaching, arranging and composing.
As an educator, Tim taught for three years for Versailles Schools before moving on to collegiate teaching. He has served on the faculty of Bowling Green State University, Northern Kentucky University, God’s Bible College, Adrian College, Wittenberg University, Miami University, and Ohio Northern University. In addition, he has served as an instructor for the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp. He has also given masterclasses at Indiana University/Purdue University of Fort Wayne, Nazareth College, Edinboro University, the Tubonium Conference in Minnesota, and recently returned for his fourth masterclass at the Eastman School of Music.
An extremely active tubist, Tim has performed with numerous orchestras, including the Lima, Columbus, Springfield, Middletown, Toledo, Kentucky, Tallahassee and Hamilton-Fairfield Symphonies, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic, and Cincinnati Opera Orchestra. He has recorded with the Cincinnati Symphony and Cincinnati Pops Orchestras. As a chamber musician, he can be heard with various faculty brass quintets, the Queen City Brass, and All the King’s Tubas, a professional tuba quartet. He regularly tours with the Ambassador Brass Quintet and Keith Brion’s New Sousa Band. He is also often called upon as a tuba soloist, and has performed throughout the United States and in Scandinavia and Asia.
Tim is also a prolific arranger and composer of music, with numerous published works for various chamber ensembles and solo instruments as well as a series of studies designed to prepare tuba players for orchestral auditions. His works have been commissioned by such groups as the Cincinnati Pops, Denver Philharmonic, Seattle Philharmonic, Miami Valley Symphony Orchestra, Muse Machine, Eastern Iowa Brass Band, Springfield Symphony, Lima Symphony, Colorado State University of Fort Collins Faculty Brass Quintet, International Euphonium Institute (IEI), the Ambassador Brass, and the Rodney Mack Philadelphia Big Brass. His works have been published by Solid Brass Publications, Cimarron Music Press, Tuba-Euphonium Press, and Euphonium.com.
To add to an already daunting schedule, he is often called upon to serve as conductor/music director for various ensembles. In the past Tim has led ensembles for Theatre Under the Stars, Bowling Green State University, Florida State University, Northern Kentucky, the Dayton Ballet Orchestra, Miami University, and Ohio Northern University. He has also been called upon to serve as a rehearsal conductor for the Lima Symphony and Springfield Youth Symphony and interim conductor of the Miami Valley Symphony Orchestra.
Dave Freedy, tuba
Dave is the Principal tubist with the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra and the Ohio Capital Winds, and an accomplished guitarist specializing in blues and rock.