Gewandhaus Brass Quintett
When an ensemble’s name includes the word “Gewandhaus,” it is tantamount to being knighted. Since 2008, the Gewandhaus Brass Quintett has been one of the four chamber music ensembles permitted to use the world-renowned orchestra’s name, thus joining its centuries-old musical tradition. The title can only be bestowed by the Gewandhauskapellmeister and stands for the highest musical quality.
For the award-winning brass players, all of whom are members of the Gewandhausorchester while also enjoying solo careers, the name confers both responsibility and motivation. The five musicians not only successfully perform works from the existing canon, but also actively work with contemporary composers to expand the repertoire for their instrumental combination. The Quintet commissioned five works in 2018 and 2019 alone, recording them on CD with GENUIN classics.
Their exceptional technique and virtuosity combined with their musical passion and distinctive “Gewandhaus sound” make the Quintet a truly unique ensemble. From the resplendence of Baroque works to the shimmering tone colors of Romanticism, from jazzy groove to film music pathos – the five brass players bring together versatility and stylistic assurance as they captivate their audiences with stunning effects and virtually symphonic dimensions.
The Musicians
Lukas Beno, Trumpet
is Principal Trumpeter of the Gewandhausorchester, a member of the Bayreuther Festspielorchester and the Australian World Orchestra. In 2005 he founded the Gewandhaus Brass Quintett together with principal brass players of the Gewandhausorchester. Since then the ensemble has performed successfully throughout Europe. As a regular guest principal trumpet, he has appeared with the Berliner Philharmoniker, NDR Sinfonieorchester Hamburg, Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden, and many other renowned orchestras.
The trumpet player has performed as a soloist with orchestras including the Düsseldorfer Symphoniker, Nürnberger Symphoniker, and Jenaer Philharmonie as well as with prestigious chamber orchestras such as the Camerata Bern. Lukas Beno gives regularly master classes in Germany and abroad, including in Venezuela, the U.S., Cyprus, Brazil, Taiwan, Australia, Singapore, and China, and also taught for many years at the University of Music and Theatre Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy Leipzig. Lukas Beno studied with Günther Beetz in Mannheim.
David Cribb, Tuba
is originally from Australia and studied with Craig Cunningham and Steve Rosse. He performed regularly with the Sydney Symphony and Melbourne Symphony orchestras and during this time discovered his love of chamber music, performing extensively with the Sydney Brass ensemble and as a founding member of the Australian Brass Ensemble. In 1998 Cribb moved to Germany to continue his studies with David Glidden in Frankfurt am Main. From 2000 until 2005 he was Principal Tuba of the Orchester der Komischen Oper Berlin and performed regularly with all of the professional orchestras in Berlin.
Since 2005 he has held the position of Solo Tuba with the Gewandhausorchester, where he has also had the opportunity to perform Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Tuba Concerto as a soloist. David Cribb currently teaches tuba in Leipzig at the University of Music and Theatre “Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy” and is a regular guest teacher and artist at international brass courses.
Tobias Hasselt, Trombone
has been Principal Trombone of the Gewandhausorchester in Leipzig since 1992. He studied in Munich, where he graduated with honors, and was then a scholarship student at the Karajan Orchestral Academy. As an enthusiastic chamber musician, he plays in all the brass ensembles of the Gewandhausorchester—the Ensemble
Avantgarde, Leipzig Sinfonietta and Modern Bone Quartet—and is also a member of the Salonorchester Cappuccino. He gives regular guest performances in Germany’s leading concert halls and opera houses.
Jonathan Müller, Trumpet
studied with Reinhold Friedrich at the University of Music in Karlsruhe. In 2010 he was awarded the scholarship of the German Music Competition and participated in the German Young Artists Concerts. Jonathan Müller has held a scholarship from the German National Academic Foundation since 2011. He plays regularly in orchestras such as the Frankfurt Radio Symphony, Badische Staatskapelle and National Orchestra of Spain (Madrid). He has been Principal Trumpet of the Gewandhausorchester in Leipzig since 2013. Müller has appeared as a soloist with orchestras such as the Nürnberger Symphoniker, Munich Chamber Orchestra and Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra.
Jan Wessely, Horn
studied in Leipzig and Cologne and was a scholarship student at the Karajan Orchestral Academy. Initially engaged as Principal Horn of the Robert Schumann Philharmonic Orchestra in Chemnitz, he has been Associate Principal Horn of the Gewandhausorchester since 2001. With his Orsolino Wind Quintet, which was founded in 1996, he was an award winner of the ARD Music Competition in Munich (1997, 2001) and the German Music Competition in Bonn (2000). As a teacher of horn and chamber music, he gives regular master classes in Germany, Taiwan, England, Austria and China. He also teaches brass chamber music at the University of Music and Theatre “Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy” Leipzig.
Former Members
Otmar Strobel, Trombone
is from Brigachtal in the Black Forest area of Germany and studied in Trossingen with Professor Branimir Slokar from 1985-1992. During this time he was also a member of the „Slokar Trombone Quartet". In 1987 he was appointed Solo Trombonist with the Dortmund Philharmonic Orchestra where he played until joining the Gewandhaus Orchestra in 1999 also as Solo Trombonist. Otmar Strobel has a keen interest in jazz and is a founding member of the German Philharmonic Big Band. He is responsible for teaching the trombone students in the Orchestra-acadamy of the Gewandhaus Orchestra and teaches trombone at the „Hochschule für Musik" in Weimar.
Peter Wettemann, Trumpet
was born in Ravensburg and studied from 1995-2000 in Saarbruecken with Bernhard Kratzer. He played solo trumpet in various youth orchestras including the Jeunesses Musicales World Orchestra and was the recipient of an internship with the Saarlandisches Radio Orchestra. In 1999 Peter Wettemann won the position of solo-trumpet with the Jenaer Philharmonic Orchestra where he played for two seasons before joining the Gewandhaus Orchestra in 2001 as associate principal trumpet. Peter has recieved numerous prizes and awards and appears regularly as a soloist and chamber musician often in the combination of trumpet and organ.
Foto: Konrad Stöhr
The artist's homepage: 
https://www.gewandhaus-brass.de/
When an ensemble’s name includes the word “Gewandhaus,” it is tantamount to being knighted. Since 2008, the Gewandhaus Brass Quintett has been one of the four chamber music ensembles permitted to use the world-renowned orchestra’s name, thus joining its centuries-old musical tradition. The title can only be bestowed by the Gewandhauskapellmeister and stands for the highest musical quality.
For the award-winning brass players, all of whom are members of the Gewandhausorchester while also enjoying solo careers, the name confers both responsibility and motivation. The five musicians not only successfully perform works from the existing canon, but also actively work with contemporary composers to expand the repertoire for their instrumental combination. The Quintet commissioned five works in 2018 and 2019 alone, recording them on CD with GENUIN classics.
Their exceptional technique and virtuosity combined with their musical passion and distinctive “Gewandhaus sound” make the Quintet a truly unique ensemble. From the resplendence of Baroque works to the shimmering tone colors of Romanticism, from jazzy groove to film music pathos – the five brass players bring together versatility and stylistic assurance as they captivate their audiences with stunning effects and virtually symphonic dimensions.
The Musicians
Lukas Beno, Trumpet
is Principal Trumpeter of the Gewandhausorchester, a member of the Bayreuther Festspielorchester and the Australian World Orchestra. In 2005 he founded the Gewandhaus Brass Quintett together with principal brass players of the Gewandhausorchester. Since then the ensemble has performed successfully throughout Europe. As a regular guest principal trumpet, he has appeared with the Berliner Philharmoniker, NDR Sinfonieorchester Hamburg, Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden, and many other renowned orchestras.
The trumpet player has performed as a soloist with orchestras including the Düsseldorfer Symphoniker, Nürnberger Symphoniker, and Jenaer Philharmonie as well as with prestigious chamber orchestras such as the Camerata Bern. Lukas Beno gives regularly master classes in Germany and abroad, including in Venezuela, the U.S., Cyprus, Brazil, Taiwan, Australia, Singapore, and China, and also taught for many years at the University of Music and Theatre Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy Leipzig. Lukas Beno studied with Günther Beetz in Mannheim.
David Cribb, Tuba
is originally from Australia and studied with Craig Cunningham and Steve Rosse. He performed regularly with the Sydney Symphony and Melbourne Symphony orchestras and during this time discovered his love of chamber music, performing extensively with the Sydney Brass ensemble and as a founding member of the Australian Brass Ensemble. In 1998 Cribb moved to Germany to continue his studies with David Glidden in Frankfurt am Main. From 2000 until 2005 he was Principal Tuba of the Orchester der Komischen Oper Berlin and performed regularly with all of the professional orchestras in Berlin.
Since 2005 he has held the position of Solo Tuba with the Gewandhausorchester, where he has also had the opportunity to perform Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Tuba Concerto as a soloist. David Cribb currently teaches tuba in Leipzig at the University of Music and Theatre “Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy” and is a regular guest teacher and artist at international brass courses.
Tobias Hasselt, Trombone
has been Principal Trombone of the Gewandhausorchester in Leipzig since 1992. He studied in Munich, where he graduated with honors, and was then a scholarship student at the Karajan Orchestral Academy. As an enthusiastic chamber musician, he plays in all the brass ensembles of the Gewandhausorchester—the Ensemble
Avantgarde, Leipzig Sinfonietta and Modern Bone Quartet—and is also a member of the Salonorchester Cappuccino. He gives regular guest performances in Germany’s leading concert halls and opera houses.
Jonathan Müller, Trumpet
studied with Reinhold Friedrich at the University of Music in Karlsruhe. In 2010 he was awarded the scholarship of the German Music Competition and participated in the German Young Artists Concerts. Jonathan Müller has held a scholarship from the German National Academic Foundation since 2011. He plays regularly in orchestras such as the Frankfurt Radio Symphony, Badische Staatskapelle and National Orchestra of Spain (Madrid). He has been Principal Trumpet of the Gewandhausorchester in Leipzig since 2013. Müller has appeared as a soloist with orchestras such as the Nürnberger Symphoniker, Munich Chamber Orchestra and Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra.
Jan Wessely, Horn
studied in Leipzig and Cologne and was a scholarship student at the Karajan Orchestral Academy. Initially engaged as Principal Horn of the Robert Schumann Philharmonic Orchestra in Chemnitz, he has been Associate Principal Horn of the Gewandhausorchester since 2001. With his Orsolino Wind Quintet, which was founded in 1996, he was an award winner of the ARD Music Competition in Munich (1997, 2001) and the German Music Competition in Bonn (2000). As a teacher of horn and chamber music, he gives regular master classes in Germany, Taiwan, England, Austria and China. He also teaches brass chamber music at the University of Music and Theatre “Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy” Leipzig.
Former Members
Otmar Strobel, Trombone
is from Brigachtal in the Black Forest area of Germany and studied in Trossingen with Professor Branimir Slokar from 1985-1992. During this time he was also a member of the „Slokar Trombone Quartet". In 1987 he was appointed Solo Trombonist with the Dortmund Philharmonic Orchestra where he played until joining the Gewandhaus Orchestra in 1999 also as Solo Trombonist. Otmar Strobel has a keen interest in jazz and is a founding member of the German Philharmonic Big Band. He is responsible for teaching the trombone students in the Orchestra-acadamy of the Gewandhaus Orchestra and teaches trombone at the „Hochschule für Musik" in Weimar.
Peter Wettemann, Trumpet
was born in Ravensburg and studied from 1995-2000 in Saarbruecken with Bernhard Kratzer. He played solo trumpet in various youth orchestras including the Jeunesses Musicales World Orchestra and was the recipient of an internship with the Saarlandisches Radio Orchestra. In 1999 Peter Wettemann won the position of solo-trumpet with the Jenaer Philharmonic Orchestra where he played for two seasons before joining the Gewandhaus Orchestra in 2001 as associate principal trumpet. Peter has recieved numerous prizes and awards and appears regularly as a soloist and chamber musician often in the combination of trumpet and organ.
Foto: Konrad Stöhr
The artist's homepage: https://www.gewandhaus-brass.de/
CDs released by GENUIN
with Gewandhaus Brass Quintett
Gewandhaus Brass Quintett presents...
Werke von Koetsier, Lutoslawski, Bach, Albinoni, Debussy, Ewald und Brahms
GEN 89142 – 20.3.2009