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Capital City Brass Band
Michigan
About
Capital City Brass Band (CCBB) was founded in 2001. Its members gather from across mid-Michigan and its broad repertoire includes not only classic British brass band works, but also virtuoso transcriptions of orchestral works, jazz, and popular music. CCBB began competing in brass band festivals in 2011, capturing the 3rd Section title in the North American Brass Band Association (NABBA) Championships. The band has made three appearances at the U.S. Open Brass Band Championships, earning a third place award with its 2013 performance and a second place finish in the 2022 Challenge Section. Subsequent trips to the NABBA Championships have garnered the band second place finishes in the 2nd Section in 2014 and 2015, and first place trophies in 2016 and 2019. Ensembles and soloists from the CCBB have won multiple awards in the NABBA Solo and Ensemble Competitions. The band performs frequent concerts in the mid-Michigan area. The CCBB is dedicated to inspiring younger brass musicians and has teamed up with area high school programs to present clinics and shared concerts. Capital City performs several concerts during its regular season and has an active summer season of three to five outdoor concerts each year.
Musical Director
Dr. Steven Kandow
Dr. Steven Kandow is currently working as a freelance musician in the Lansing area in addition to his full-time position as a software developer at Auto-Owners Insurance Company. Prior to moving to Lansing, Dr. Kandow served as Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Bands at the University of Saint Francis in Fort Wayne, IN, where he was responsible for the formation and development of the USF Marching Pride and the USF Concert Band. Dr. Kandow continues to teach at the University of Saint Francis as an adjunct Music Appreciation instructor. As a conductor, he served as the music director of the Five Lakes Silver Band from 2016-2019 and has guest conducted the Michigan State University Wind Symphony and Symphony Band, as well as the Saginaw Eddy Concert Band. Dr. Kandow holds degrees from Michigan State University and Central Michigan University and has studied under Kevin Sedatole, Ava Ordman, and Robert Lindahl. His primary areas of research deal with performance technique of quarter-tonal literature and the effective usage of leitmotif in video game soundtracks.
Choice Program
Between The Two Rivers
Philip Sparke
Program Notes
Between the Two Rivers was originally commissioned by Fanfare ‘Prins Hendrik’, from Aalst in the Netherlands. The title derives from the fact that the town of Aalst lies between two tributaries of the River Dommel. The community is a highly religious one, so the famous Luther chorale, Ein’ Feste Burg (also known as A Mighty Fortress Is Our God), was an obvious choice for Philip Sparke to use as the theme for this new work. The work is comprised of four contrasting variations - a moto perpetuo, a slower march, a sinister treatment, and a fugue each form the basis of the variations before the final full recapitulation of the chorale tune.
NABBA Results History (8)
| Section | Best Finish | Wins |
|---|---|---|
| Second | 1st | 2 |
| Third | 1st | 1 |
| Event | Section | Place | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Championships 2026 | Second | 3rd | 93.267 | |
| NABBA Championships 2025 | Second | 6th | 89.217 | |
| NABBA Championships 2019 | Second | 1st | 278.600 | |
| NABBA Championships 2018 | Second | 5th | 273.000 | |
| NABBA Championships 2016 | Second | 1st | 283.400 | |
| NABBA Championships 2015 | Second | 2nd | 279.200 | |
| NABBA Championships 2014 | Second | 2nd | 87.800 | |
| NABBA Championships 2011 | Third | 1st | 261.000 |