Today we’d like to introduce you to Rick Spitz.
Hi Rick, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
The Houston Brass Band (HBB) was formed in 2000 by several brass enthusiasts inspired by the British film “Brassed Off”. HBB has been a vital part of the cultural landscape in Houston for 25 years. Last year alone the Houston Brass Band reached an estimated 6,025 members of the Houston community. This year will be celebrated as the Silver Anniversary Season through special performances and events.
Among highlights of the events planned for this season was an October performance in Round Top, Texas featuring Schilke Music performing artist Morris Northcutt. HBB will perform a joint concert in November with the Galveston Symphony Orchestra. This event will include a world premiere of “Crossings,” a new work celebrating the bicentennial of Norwegian immigration to America.
Houston and Galveston have strong ties with Norway as they enjoy Sister City status with the city of Stavanger. The “Crossings Celebration Concert,” will be presented in Galveston at the Grand 1894 Opera House in conjunction with the Galveston Symphony Orchestra on Sunday, November 23, 2025 at 4 pm. This concert has been registered with the Norwegian American Historical Society. The GSO will perform works written by one of the most famous composers of Norway, Harald Saeverud. The conductor of the GSO, Trond Saeverud is a direct descent. The ensembles will also perform together on 2 selections, Entry of the Byars march by Norwegian composer Johan Halvorsen and Shostakovich Festive Overture.
The band will also perform in March, in Dallas, as a part of Texas Brass Fest. There is a 25th Anniversary Concert in April at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Houston. HBB has commissioned a new composition for the occasion from composer Dr. William Brusick. The winner of the 2025 student solo competition will also be featured.
In 2022 Dr. Rick Spitz was appointed music director and is fulfilling HBB’s mission to share the unique British brass band style and sound through inspiring and entertaining performances. Youth outreach is also an important part of the Band’s mission. In 2015 HBB began the annual Young Brass Soloist Competition where young musician perform for a panel of prominent musicians. The Houston Brass Band has established itself as one of the premier brass groups in Houston, Texas. HBB strongly supports diversity and inclusiveness in music and the arts.
HBB has performed at venues and events such as POST Houston 4th of July Celebrations, Houston Public Library Family Winter Festivals, Houston Make Music Day, Houston City Lights Downtown Holiday Magic, Houston, Public Radio broadcast, Houston Turkish Festival, British Consulate of Houston events, Grand Opening of Houston’s James Driver All-Inclusive Park, British American Foundation of Texas Gala, Saint Arnold’s Brewery, No Label Brewery, and numerous churches. In 2021, the band placed 3rd in the First Section of the international Whit Friday competition, HBB has been featured on Houston Public Radio Encore Houston in July of 2022. The band was also featured in a Scottish radio broadcast, “Sounds of Brass,” in 2024. The band has performed at the Texas Band Masters Association Conference in San Antonio, TX. A photo journal of activities of the band over the past 3 seasons is available at our website: www. houstonbrassband.org under the blog menu.
HBB was awarded a grant this year from the Cullen Foundation in order to expand our outreach through performances and educational activities in the Houston area. The Mary Louise Dobson Foundation also recently awarded HBB funds to support the instrumental music programs at Wharton Senior High and Wharton Junior High schools. HBB members will provide master classes at these rural, Title 1 campuses this school year. For the past 2 years The Houston Arts Alliance has provided grant support for HBB to present free concerts in downtown Houston at the Public Library Family Winter Festival.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
As with any arts organization, operating expenses are a constant challenge. HBB has worked very hard in the past several years to seek out grant and individual support. This year for example, we are reinstating our summer HBB Youth Brass Band Camp which we operated successfully for 10 years prior to COVID. We have just recently applied for several grants to fund it. We are moving ahead with plans, with confidence that necessary funds will fall into place over the next several months.
The long term end goal is to then sustain a youth brass band presence throughout the school year in fall of 2026. Recently brass band including youth bands has really gained momentum with new competitions and opportunities available. HBB is committed to fulfilling our mission to enhance and support public school music programs. As another example, just two weeks ago our Schilke Music guest artist from Seattle Morris Northcutt presented clinics in 5 different schools to over 500 students.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My conducting credits cover a broad range of settings including Houston Brass Band (Music Director), Masquerade Theatre Company of Houston, Houston Civic Symphony (associate conductor), and Opera in the Heights Opera Company (apprenticeship). In 2023 I traveled to Stavanger, Norway to train at the University of Stavanger Dirigentuka (Conductor’s Week) workshop for brass band conductors. I have also frequently led jazz ensembles throughout my career.
Performance credits as a trombonist include Theatre Under the Stars (TUTS) Orchestra. Houston Grand Opera, Houston Ballet, Houston Gilbert and Sullivan Society, American Pops Orchestra, Opera in the Heights, Ebony Opera, ECHO Orchestra, The Woody Witt Big Band, as well back up orchestras for many high-profile artists. While residing in Los Angeles I performed with the Los Angeles Classical Ballet Orchestra, San Juan Capistrano Symphony, Downey Symphony, and the Torrance Symphony. Dr. Spitz has also recorded and toured nationally with the Americus Brass Band.
I served as Director of Instrumental Music at Houston Christian University for eight years. Prior to that appointment he worked in a similar capacity at Cerritos College in the Los Angeles area, where he also served as department chair. I was employed in Alief ISD for twenty years as an orchestra director. My string orchestras consistently received awards at UIL competition. Both masters and doctoral degrees (music education and trombone performance) were earned at the University of Southern California. A bachelor of music degree, in music education, was completed at the University of Wisconsin – Madison.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
I think that an artist must be multifaceted in their talents, and stay true to themselves in terms of their personal objectives. My career has lead me in many unexpected directions. Yet, I embraced every new opportunity and was rewarded with new collaborative opportunities and artistic fulfillment. When I was in college and early on in my career had only a very broad picture of where I wanted to go. I remain fascinated with just how it has panned out for me over the years, whether it was a new teaching setting, performing in a new musical medium, or making the shift from facing the podium, to standing on it
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.houstonbrassband.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/houstonbrassband/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/houstonbrassband
- Twitter: @houbrassband
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@HoustonBrassBand
