Our Mission

The Historic Brass Society is an international music organization concerned with the entire range of early brass music, from Ancient Antiquity and the Biblical period through the present including the development of jazz and its influence on brass instruments, literature and playing techniques. The history, music, literature and performance practice of early brass instruments such as natural trumpet, natural horn, early trombone, cornetto, serpent, keyed bugle, keyed trumpet, early valve horn, 19th century brass instruments are some of the main issues of concern to the HBS.

Our mission statement: A global community that unites and educates all who are interested in historic brass instruments, their music, use and culture.

The HBS publishes the scholarly, refereed journal, The Historic Brass Society Journal, our new multilingual periodical e-Zine, Historic Brass Today, as well as articles and reviews on its website, and as published, in collaboration with Pendragon Press, BUCINA: The Historic Brass Society Series.

The HBS also sponsors and co-sponsors periodic events and symposia in the United States and Europe on various topics that often include concerts, lectures and even early brass playing sessions. Organizations with which the HBS has collaborated on events in the past include the American Musicological Society, the International Musicological Society, Galpin Society, the Vintage Band Festival and others.

The HBS has also established The Christopher Monk Award, an annual award presented to an individual for outstanding contributions to the scholarship of early brass music.