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Artist Series 2026 | Brass Journeys

The International Chamber Artists Brass Quintet performed this year’s Artist Series: Brass Journeys. The group delivered a high-energy, top-notch performance with a wide variety of brass pieces from many all over the world. 

Performers

In 2006, a small group of Chicago-based musicians formed the International Chamber Artists (ICA), which has grown into one of the premiere chamber music organizations in the area. Today, ICA is a non-profit ensemble of 17 musicians that presents a wide variety of music each season, with concerts combining music education and performance. ICA has performed at numerous venues and concerts, including the Chicago Cultural Center, St. James Cathedral, 98.7 WFMT, and the Dame Myra Hess concert series. In 2010, ICA toured Germany to critical acclaim, and the ICA Brass Quintet represents the brass-playing members of ICA.

Mike Brozick is Second Trumpet of the Grant Park Orchestra and performs with the Elgin Symphony Orchestra, Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Philharmonic, and as Principal Trumpet of the Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra. He has performed with leading ensembles including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, with whom he toured internationally. He appears on major orchestral recordings and holds degrees from Duquesne University and Rice University, and was a Fulbright Fellow at the Stätliche Hochschule für Musik in Detmold in Detmold, Germany.

Sarah Carrillo, a Massachusetts native, began her musical training with members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. She is currently Principal Trumpet of the Peoria, Northbrook, and Oistrakh symphonies and performs with the Elmhurst Symphony. She has appeared with major ensembles including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and Indianapolis Symphony, and has performed internationally in Lisbon. She holds degrees from Boston University and Northwestern University.

Mary Jo Neher, originally from Anchorage, Alaska, studied music at Boston University and has performed with ensembles including the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Chicago Sinfonietta, Elgin Symphony, and Milwaukee Ballet and Symphony. Her career includes international touring, major productions, and numerous recordings, including the Grammy-nominated Hotel Lafayette. She is a member of the Millar Brass Ensemble, co-founded the ’Rona Horn Quartet, and holds degrees from Boston University, Northwestern University, and DePaul University.

Thomas Stark is Principal Trombonist of the Northwest Indiana Symphony, New Philharmonic, Camerata di Chicago, and Elmhurst Symphony, and performs with the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra. He has appeared with major ensembles including Lyric Opera of Chicago, Milwaukee Symphony, and Colorado Symphony, and has toured nationally and performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival. He collaborates across classical and jazz genres with famous artist and serves as Adjunct Professor of Trombone at Elmhurst University, Concordia University Chicago, and Harper College.

Sean Whitaker is Principal Tuba of the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra and Millar Brass Ensemble, and a member of International Chamber Artists. He has performed with major ensembles including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, and Ravinia Festival Orchestra. He holds degrees from Northwestern University and Duquesne University and is an active low brass and electric bass performer. He currently lives in Glenview with his wife and three sons.

Performance

Displaying the full range and versatility of the brass quintet, the ensemble presented a program that spanned classical masterworks, folk traditions, and beloved popular favorites. They performed original works such as Escape by Kevin McKee and Victor Ewald’s Quintet No. 1, highlighting both technical brilliance and rich ensemble color. The group also explored folk-inspired repertoire with Béla Bartók’s Four Folk Songs, and brought familiarity through arrangements like Rossini’s William Tell Overture and selections from Bernstein’s West Side Story. Patriotic marches and a tribute to John Williams made for a celebratory conclusion, and their encore of “Let It Go” from Frozen delighted the audience with a memorable close.

Audience members commented on the technical excellence and masterful artistry of the group, praising the engagement the quintet had with the audience. The group earned the respect of the audience, with one student in particular saying the performance was “by far the best Artist Series I have been to.” 

Recording

View a limited recording of the performance below: