Jerry Brubaker (born 1946) is an American

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Defi ...

and

arranger In music, an arrangement is a musical adaptation of an existing composition. Differences from the original composition may include reharmonization, melodic paraphrasing, orchestration, or formal development. Arranging differs from orches ...

of more than 200 works of music for

concert band A concert band, also called a wind band, wind ensemble, wind symphony, wind orchestra, symphonic band, the symphonic winds, or symphonic wind ensemble, is a performing ensemble consisting of members of the woodwind, brass, and percussion famil ...

symphony A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, most often for orchestra. Although the term has had many meanings from its origins in the ancient Greek era, by the late 18th century the word had taken on the meaning com ...

, and

chorus Chorus may refer to: Music * Chorus (song) or refrain, line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse * Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound * Chorus form, song in which all verse ...

and a professional

French horn The French horn (since the 1930s known simply as the horn in professional music circles) is a brass instrument made of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. The double horn in F/B (technically a variety of German horn) is the horn most ...

soloist.

Education and career

In 1968, Brubaker received his undergraduate degree from the

Eastman School of Music The Eastman School of Music is the music school of the University of Rochester, a private research university in Rochester, New York. It was established in 1921 by industrialist and philanthropist George Eastman. It offers Bachelor of Music (B.M ...

and later pursued a Master of Music degree from the

Catholic University of America The Catholic University of America (CUA) is a private Roman Catholic research university in Washington, D.C. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by U.S. ...

. Brubaker served for 30 years in the

United States Navy Band The United States Navy Band, based at the Washington Navy Yard in Washington, D.C., has served as the official musical organization of the U.S. Navy since 1925. The U.S. Navy Band serves the ceremonial needs at the seat of government, performin ...

in Washington, D.C., as a French horn soloist and composer and arranger. In 1985, he became the band's chief arranger, and held that position until his retirement from the navy in 1998. After retiring from the military, Brubaker has performed and arranged for the Village Band of Estes Park (CO), City of Fairfax (VA) Band and the Virginia Grand Military Band and is the current President of The Association of Concert Bands. He is an exclusive composer and arranger for Alfred Publishing Co. Inc., and has written commissions for musical organizations across the United States, such as the

East Winds Symphonic BandThe East Winds Symphonic Band (EWSB)is a community concert band based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1981, the band's membership includes more than 80 amateur, volunteer musicians from the greater Pittsburgh area. The band has performed at ...

in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Personal life

Brubaker was born in

Altoona, Pennsylvania Altoona is a city in Blair County, Pennsylvania. It is the principal city of the Altoona Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). The population was 43,963 at the time of the 2020 Census, making it the eighteenth most populous city in Pennsylvania. ...

, in 1946 and was an active musician throughout his early years. During grade school, he performed in a German band with classmates Terry Detweiler and Allen Gibboney. He graduated from the

Altoona Area School District The Altoona Area School District is a large, urban, public school district based in Altoona, Pennsylvania. The school district encompasses which includes all of Altoona, Logan Township and a small portion of Tyrone Township. According to 2 ...

in 1964 and received a "Distinguished Alumni Award" from school district in 2006. He is married to Virginia (Ginny) Brubaker and currently lives in

Estes Park, Colorado Estes Park is a statutory town in Larimer County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 5,904 at the 2020 United States Census. Estes Park is a part of the Fort Collins, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Front Range Urban Corr ...

Recordings

Concert Suite from The Polar Express, arr. Jerry Brubaker

Star Wars Heroes, arr. Jerry Brubaker

Music of Disneyland, arr. Jerry Brubaker

Suite from Hamilton, arr. Jerry Brubaker

Peaceful Nation by Jerry Brubaker

What's Up at the Symphony? Bugs Bunny's Greatest, arr. Jerry Brubaker

Flower Duet (from Lakmé) arr. Jerry Brubaker

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Medley), arr. Jerry Brubaker

References

* American composers Eastman School of Music alumni 1946 births Living people {{US-composer-stub