DALLAS, January 5, 2015 -- Local area youth band members met with the Baylor HealthbrCare System Foundation and donated funds raised over the holidays to benefit Parkinson'sbrresearch.br
The Just Brass Band, a local Southlake youth brass band ensemble, raised over $300 forbrParkinson's research by playing several concerts at the Southlake Town Center during thebrmonth of December. Concerts were free and were mainly for fun. Passerby's donated moneybrin the tuba case as they stopped to listen, watched children dance to the tunes and enjoyed thebrholiday spirit while shopping or waiting for Santa at the town center.br
Ethan Jezek formed the group last year for fun with four friends all from SL Carroll. Thisbryear, the group expanded to seven players ranging in age from seventh grade to sophomores inbrhigh school and decided to name themselves The Just Brass Band. They not only grew in size,brbut also in music repertoire, and they decided to give the money they raised to charity.
“My friends and I love to play our instruments and had so much fun last year playing,brthat we invited a few more friends to join us this season,” said Ethan Jezek, band leader. “Mybrgrandmother, who is a professional musician in the Houston area and has inspired my love forbrmusic, was recently diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. It's a debilitating disease that willbreventually prevent my grandmother from doing what she loves. The Band discussed it andbrdecided to donate the money we made to Parkinson's research in honor of my grandmother.”br
Baylor Health Care Foundation recently announced it is on the verge of bringing anbrinnovative research project to patients with Parkinson's in the North Texas region. Baylor hasbrteamed up with the University of Wisconsin to study the use of a small device, called abrPortable Neuromodulation Stimulator (PoNS) which is placed in the patient's mouth andbrstimulates nerves in the tongue that are connected to the brain. The research project aims tobrrestore the functions lost to Parkinson's disease.br
The Just Brass Band was also spotted over the holidays by Trisha Murphy-Rae, executivebrdirector of Christmas is for Children, who asked them to play at the local Christmas is forbrChildren charity food drive at St. John's Baptist Church earlier in December.br
“I was just coming out of Starbucks at the town center and heard this beautiful Christmasbrmusic,” said Trisha Murphy-Rae. “I got enough chutzpah and went over and asked them ifbrthey would play at the Christmas is for Children food drive. I'm so glad I went over andbrdiscovered them. The Band did such a great job. They were such a hit of the ball and brought so much joy to all the people volunteering. They even jumped right in and helped out with thebrfood baskets when they were done playing. What a great group of kids.”
As the name implies The Just Brass Band is a group of seven Southlake Carroll bandbrstudents, all brass instrument players. Members of the band include: band leader Ethan Jezek -brtuba (9th grade), his sister Devon Jezek - french horn (7th grade), Sally Hatfield - french hornbr(8th grade), Austin Woolsey - trombone (10th grade), David Coughlin - trombone (9th grade),brSamuel Ortiz - trumpet (10th grade) and Walter Gaman - trumpet (9th grade).br
“We had a lot of fun playing,” said David Coughlin, band member. “Raising that muchbrmoney for charity while getting to play my instrument, which I love to do, was amazing.”br
“I hope this experience is one that all the kids will remember throughout their lives,” saidbrband parent Anne Woolsey. “What a great way for the kids to gain more experience, andbrconfidence playing their instruments, while bringing joy to those around them during thebrholiday season.”br
“The Band would like to thank all those that stopped by to listen to us,” said Jezek.br“Thank you for your donations to Parkinson's research. With your help, we are one step closerbrto finding a cure and better treatment options.”br
The Just Brass Band plans to continue the tradition and will play again next holidaybrseason at the Southlake town center and is considering the possibility expanding theirbrrepertoire yet again to include other music to play all throughout the year.
Southlake's The JustbrBrass Band donated $325 to Baylor's Neuroscience Parkinson's research program, Monday,brJanuary 5, 2015. Pictured l-r are: Kelly Maher Thomas - Director Baylor Health Care SystembrFoundation, Ethan Jezek - band leader, David Coughlin, Devon Jezek, Walter Gaman, SamuelbrOrtiz, Austin Woolsey, and Tim Moore - Director Baylor Health Care System Foundation. Notbrpictured: band member, Sally Hatfield.
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Southlake's The Just Brass Bandbrperformed at the Christmas is for Children food drive December 20, 2014. Pictured l-r are:brSamuel Ortiz (trumpet), Walter Gaman (trumpet), Sally Hatfield (french horn), Devon Jezek (french horn), Austin Woolsey (trombone), David Coughlin (trombone), andbrEthan Jezek (tuba).
Find Just Brass Band on facebook https://www.facebook.com/justbrassband