Alan Danson studied at the Colchester Institute and the Royal Academy Music in London, where he majored in French horn, piano and orchestration.

The Mainstreet Brass has commissioned Danson to write several major works for brass quintet and is privileged to have an ongoing collaboration with him. His latest work for the quintet, the four-movement, programmatic "A Christmas Carol - A Dickens of a Tale," sets the literary classic into a unique musical setting with narration.

Danson also composed "Intrada" in honor of the Mainstreet Brass's 15th anniversary season in 2001. His brass quintet "Passages of Time" has been performed by the Mainstreet Brass several times.

"It's been a very rewarding experience to work with Alan. The music he composes for us is always full of surprises and eagerly received by our audiences," said Kevin Long, principal trumpet and founding member of the Mainstreet Brass.

Danson's musical career spans orchestral performance, directing, arranging and teaching.

His music, influenced by his many years performing for London musicals, ballet companies, symphony orchestras and studio sessions, spans many genres, including symphonic, chamber and jazz.

His music is published by Broadbent & Dunn of London and includes works for violin and piano, wind trios, brass quintets, horn quartets and other chamber music.

Danson has conducted the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and has worked as an arranger for the British Broadcasting Corp. His tone poem, "Colours of Red," was performed in Salzburg, Austria, in 1993.

A native of Romford, Essex, Danson lives in London, England. Click here to visit Danson's Web site.

Dr. Carol Traupman-Carr, associate dean for academic affairs and associate professor of music at Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pa., has been appointed staff arranger for the Mainstreet Brass.

She recently completed a set of original arrangements for Christmas, including "The Boar's Head Carol," "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" and "Triangels," a unique work that combines "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," "Angels We Have Heard on High" and "Angels From the Realms of Glory."

She has also done stunning arrangements of "Shenandoah," "Loch Lomond" and "Greensleeves," a trio of classic folk songs that, with the Traupman-Carr touch, make a great fit for the brass quintet.

Traupman-Carr has been commissioned to do a series of arrangements of liturgical and secular music for the Mainstreet Brass and is exploring many possibilities to help the quintet in its mission to expand the brass quintet repertoire.

"We're delighted to have Carol on board as our staff arranger," said Mainstreet Brass trombonist Bryan Hay. "The work she has done for us is extraordinary, and we look forward to this relationship and performing and recording more of her thoughtful, creative arrangements."

A graduate of Moravian College, Traupman-Carr received her master of arts and doctor of philosophy degrees in musicology from Cornell University. She directs the choir at St. Ann's Roman Catholic Church in Emmaus, Pa., and has produced two recordings with the choir, including "Music for Jubilee," which contains sacred selections for Jubilee Year (2000) in the Catholic Church. Traupman-Carr is a past member of the board of the Allentown Academy of the Arts.

Dr. Frank Siekmann is founder, owner and principal writer for Brelmat Music. He has done several memorable hymn arrangements for the Mainstreet Brass, including "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" and "Nearer, My God, to Thee."

The commissioned arrangements are included on "Hymnos," the quintet's critically-acclaimed recording of classic hymns for brass.

A music education graduate from New York University and Columbia University (where he received his Ed.D.), Siekmann has been teaching music for 41 years, including 15 years in public schools and 24 years as professor of music at Kutztown University in Kutztown, Pa.

An instrumentalist who performs regularly on trumpet, piano, accordion and vibraphone, he has also spent 30 years as a church choir conductor and is choir director emeritus at St. John's United Church of Christ in Kutztown. His music has been published by eight companies.

Jonathan Smith, the newest member of the quintet's roster of composers and arrangers, comes from Gunthorpe, a Norfolk village in the East Anglian region of England. In 1977, he joined the Regimental Band of Her Majesty's Coldstream Guards. He was its principal euphonium player and soloist throughout his 24-year service, culminating in his appointment as a band sergeant major. Smith completed 11 international tours with the Coldstream Guards, including tours of Japan, Australia, the United States, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Canada and South Korea.

He now lives in the alpine area of the French Haute Savoie, where he works as an arranger and copyist with the Dakota Music Service team in musical preparation for Lloyd Webber and Cameron Mackintosh shows, films, television and concert spectaculars. In addition to running a small band publishing service, he is musical director of the Echo Des Memises de Thollon and plays euphonium in La Musique Municipale de Bernex.

For six months of the year, he arranges and orchestrates music for the Thursford Christmas Spectacular, the largest Christmas show in the United Kingdom, now in its 29th year. He has been involved in this successful production for the last 21 years.

He is delighted to be involved with Mainstreet Brass and looks forward to a long and happy musical relationship with the quintet.