Chair of Western’s Music Department Elected to Colorado Brass Board of Directors

The Chair of Western Colorado University’s Music Department, Dr. Ben Justis, was recently elected to the Board of Directors of Colorado Brass, the state’s premier British-style brass band comprised of players from across the state dedicated to performance and education.

Dr. Justis will serve on the organization’s education committee, where he will help guide outreach and educational programming for students, educators, and emerging musicians across Colorado.

His election comes after years of participation with Colorado Brass, which Dr. Justis began performing with in 2022, regularly commuting from Gunnison to Denver for rehearsals. That same year, he helped the group take second place at the North American Brass Band Association Championships in Huntsville, Alabama.

Dr. Justis also traveled with the ensemble to the US Masters Brass Band Championship in Kansas City, Missouri. There, he won awards for Outstanding Soloist and Outstanding New Work, honoring both his performance and an original composition.

“Since I began playing with Colorado Brass, it’s been clear that the ensemble deeply values both artistic excellence and education, which aligns closely with my work at Western,” Dr. Justis said. “I’m excited to support its educational mission and help expand opportunities for students and young musicians. It’s also a great opportunity for me to do music recruiting on the Front Range when I work with young percussionists participating in their youth band programs.”

According to the group’s website, the band performs an annual subscription concert series in addition to national competitions and festivals, including the Rocky Mountain Brassworks Festival, the U.S. Masters Brass Band Championships, and the North American Brass Band Association Championships. As a board member, Dr. Justis will help shape programming that connects professional musicians with students and educators.