Friday, June 14, 2024
Hello from Iowa. We had a nice drive down today, through the countryside. We had some highway time, but lots of two lane roads and green hills.
It is the second annual Wurst Brass Festival here in the Amana Colonies. Keith played flugelhorn with the Sheldon band. They played two matches at three venues, rotating with 4 other brass bands. I just stayed at the first spot and listened to all the bands cycle through. I also gave informational talks to the people around me who had no idea what a British style brass band was.
The bands were being judged but we couldn’t care less about that, and haven’t looked for the scores. What we did like was that Mark Heidel, who used to be director of bands at UWEC and has been at the University of Iowa for years, was one of the judges. Keith was happy to get a chance to have a brief chat.
It made sense for Keith to just carry his horn without a case, doing his full Brassed Off impression. When I saw the lady with the stroller with a cornet tossed in the basket, I knew that had to be the potd.
We have never been in Iowa twice within a week. You just never know what is possible.