There are no orange construction barrels, but you can see that we have a different “look” as the Falcone Festival website undergoes a complete upgrade. The site is now responsive and you should still be able to find what you are looking for under the menu items, which have not been changed. We are working to make sure everything is still operating properly, with some design changes, and ultimately some upgraded functionality coming, but we may be unavailable off and on until roughly mid-January. We apologize for any inconvenience. If you have an urgent question, email Jane Goodrich or send a question to the falcone.festival on Facebook.

Fritz Stansell

StansellWe are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Fritz Stansell, founder and president emeritus of the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp. Fritz Stansell was also one of the original founders of the Falcone Festival and had an incredible impact on the music world. Our most sincere condolences to the Stansell family and BLFAC community during these difficult times.

Blue Lake’s founder and president emeritus, Fritz Stansell, has passed away at the age of 92. He leaves a legacy that will forever inspire our mission and vision. Thank you, Mr. Stansell. Ars longa, vita brevis. You can read his obituary here.

Guest Artist for 2013 - Benjamin Pierce

Benjamin PierceBenjamin Pierce is an accomplished low brass artist and teacher. He is a professor at the University of Arkansas, teaching a large studio of tuba and euphonium players and directing the tuba/euphonium ensemble. His studies took place at Bowling Green State University and the University of Michigan.  His primary teachers were David Saygers, Velvet Brown, Fritz Kaenzig, and Wesley Jacobs.

Pierce has notably been the winner of some dozen international tuba and euphonium artist competitions held in the United States, Japan, Germany, Finland, South Korea, England, and Italy, including Falcone Euphonium Artist in 1998 and Tuba Artist in 2001. He is a frequent soloist at home and abroad performing many solo recitals as well as concerti with such ensembles as the premier United States military bands, top American brass bands, and such orchestras as the Tokyo Symphony, Oulu Symphony (Finland), and Vogtland Philharmonie (Germany).

Enjoying a varied ensemble career, Pierce has performed with the Detroit Symphony, the Detroit Chamber Brass, the Toledo Symphony, the Flint Symphony, and the Tulsa Symphony. He has served as principal tubist of the Ann Arbor Symphony and is principal tubist of SONA, formerly the North Arkansas Symphony Orchestra. He is a member of the acclaimed Brass Band of Battle Creek, featuring many of the world’s greatest brass players. With the BBBC, he has performed on three different instruments.

Recently Pierce was appointed Editor in Chief of the Journal of ITEA (International Tuba Euphonium Association).

Benjamin Pierce can be heard on three recordings available from major online retailers. He is a Miraphone performing artist.

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