Gordon Hann, Trumpet, Founder and Leader
For Gordon, the Stained Brass name has special significance. Gordon is a Christian and he believes that all are stained and in need of the Master Artist, God, to accept our broken piece, through Jesus Christ, and work us into the beauty He is creating. Gordon plays to the glory of God in all his performance venues whether they are sacred or secular.
For more information on Gordon Hann, please visit, gordonhann.com. You can contact Gordon there or by using the Stained Brass Contact page.
For more information on Gordon Hann, please visit, gordonhann.com. You can contact Gordon there or by using the Stained Brass Contact page.
Craig Retzlaff, Trumpet
Craig Retzlaff is currently the Principal Trumpet of the Union Symphony Orchestra and an active freelancer in the greater Charlotte area. His training started in Delaware at the age of 9 with his middle school band director Jason Rogers and continued while attending the prestigious Peabody Conservatory of Music of the Johns Hopkins University earning both a Bachelor of Music (Trumpet Performance) and Bachelor of Music Education. After graduating Peabody, Craig attended the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music at the California State University, Long Beach earning a Master of Music degree (Trumpet Performance) and serving as a trumpet teaching assistant and brass chamber music graduate assistant.
His primary trumpet instructors include Robert Frear (Former Principal Trumpet, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra), Wayne Cameron (Peabody Institute), Gene Young (Oberlin College) and Charles Schlueter (Former Principal Trumpet, Boston Symphony Orchestra). Additional studies include Chris Gekker, Andrew Balio, Jonas Haltia, and Steve Hendrickson. He has also performed in master classes and chamber music coachings given by Susan Slaughter, Charles Schlueter, Anthony Plog, John Rojack, Toby Hanks, Peter Landgren, James Olin and Graham Ashton.
Craig has performed with the California Philharmonic Orchestra, the West Los Angeles Symphony Orchestra, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra's "Soulful Symphony", the Salisbury Symphony Orchestra, and the Delaware Choral Society Orchestra.
An avid music educator, Craig is in his fifth year as Director of Bands at Monroe Middle School where the bands have received “Superior” ratings at the SCDBA MPA Festivals. Several of his trumpet students have received top chairs in the county, regional and state honor bands as well as gained admittance into the prestigious music schools.
To contact Craig Retzlaff, please visit, craigretzlaff.com or use the Stained Brass Contact page.
His primary trumpet instructors include Robert Frear (Former Principal Trumpet, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra), Wayne Cameron (Peabody Institute), Gene Young (Oberlin College) and Charles Schlueter (Former Principal Trumpet, Boston Symphony Orchestra). Additional studies include Chris Gekker, Andrew Balio, Jonas Haltia, and Steve Hendrickson. He has also performed in master classes and chamber music coachings given by Susan Slaughter, Charles Schlueter, Anthony Plog, John Rojack, Toby Hanks, Peter Landgren, James Olin and Graham Ashton.
Craig has performed with the California Philharmonic Orchestra, the West Los Angeles Symphony Orchestra, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra's "Soulful Symphony", the Salisbury Symphony Orchestra, and the Delaware Choral Society Orchestra.
An avid music educator, Craig is in his fifth year as Director of Bands at Monroe Middle School where the bands have received “Superior” ratings at the SCDBA MPA Festivals. Several of his trumpet students have received top chairs in the county, regional and state honor bands as well as gained admittance into the prestigious music schools.
To contact Craig Retzlaff, please visit, craigretzlaff.com or use the Stained Brass Contact page.
Bill Tyler, Horn
Bill Tyler, a native of western New York, earned a Bachelor of Music-Performance degree from the University of Memphis, and a Master of Music-Performance degree from the University of Wyoming. He was a concerto contest winner at both schools. Past performing experience include the Cheyenne Symphony and the Abilene (Texas) Philharmonic.
Currently, Bill is a member of the Fayetteville Symphony and the Greenville Symphony. He performs occasionally with the Winston-Slem Symphony, the South Carolina Philharmonic, the Hendersonville Symphony, the Salisbury Symphony and the Charlotte-based horn club, the Horn Society of the Carolinas.
Bill retired from the FAA in April 2010 after working for over 25 years as an air traffic controller.
To contact Bill Tyler, please visit the Stained Brass Contact page.
Currently, Bill is a member of the Fayetteville Symphony and the Greenville Symphony. He performs occasionally with the Winston-Slem Symphony, the South Carolina Philharmonic, the Hendersonville Symphony, the Salisbury Symphony and the Charlotte-based horn club, the Horn Society of the Carolinas.
Bill retired from the FAA in April 2010 after working for over 25 years as an air traffic controller.
To contact Bill Tyler, please visit the Stained Brass Contact page.
Brent Ballard, Trombone
Brent W. Ballard is a music instructor and a professional musician in the city of Charlotte and surrounding areas. He earned his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Winthrop University and his Masters of Music degree from the University of Akron.
His past teaching experiences include band directing for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools as well as providing music instruction at the university level. Brent is currently an adjunct professor for Gardner-Webb University and has been on the faculty of Limestone College, Livingstone College, and Appalachian State University.
In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Brent can be found performing professionally at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center in such Broadway musicals as "The Lion King," “Mary Poppins,” and “The Lion King.” He also performs in professional music ensembles including big bands and regional symphony orchestras.
To contact Brent Ballard, please visit http://www.linkedin.com/pub/brent-ballard/22/b46/94 or use the Stained Brass Contact page.
His past teaching experiences include band directing for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools as well as providing music instruction at the university level. Brent is currently an adjunct professor for Gardner-Webb University and has been on the faculty of Limestone College, Livingstone College, and Appalachian State University.
In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Brent can be found performing professionally at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center in such Broadway musicals as "The Lion King," “Mary Poppins,” and “The Lion King.” He also performs in professional music ensembles including big bands and regional symphony orchestras.
To contact Brent Ballard, please visit http://www.linkedin.com/pub/brent-ballard/22/b46/94 or use the Stained Brass Contact page.
Sarita Maxwell, Tuba
Sarita Maxwell, a native of Charlotte, North Carolina, is a freelance tuba and euphonium artist. She has a Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree in Music Performance from Appalachian State University and a Graduate Performance Certificate from the University of South Carolina at Columbia.
She has traveled and performed extensively as a musician with the U.S. Navy. In addition to her duties as principal euphonium soloist in the Ceremonial Band and Wind Ensemble, she frequently performed on bass trombone in the jazz and rock groups. After relocating to the Virginia Beach area, she was on staff as one of the Music Librarians for the Virginia Symphony and frequently performed on tuba with the Tidewater Winds, Virginia Wind Symphony and Polished Brass Quintet.
Currently, Sarita freelances in the North and South Carolina regions in chamber ensembles, the Union Symphony Orchestra, the Carolina Wind Orchestra, and broadway productions. In addition to her performance activities, she instructs numerous students in the Charlotte, Fort Mill and Rock Hill areas, and serves on faculty at Winthrop University as the Tuba and Euphonium Professor. She can often be found floating down the Catawba River in a Kayak while playing her pocket tuba!
To contact Sarita, please visit https://sites.google.com/site/sjmaxwellproject/contact-info, or vuse the Stained Brass contact page.
She has traveled and performed extensively as a musician with the U.S. Navy. In addition to her duties as principal euphonium soloist in the Ceremonial Band and Wind Ensemble, she frequently performed on bass trombone in the jazz and rock groups. After relocating to the Virginia Beach area, she was on staff as one of the Music Librarians for the Virginia Symphony and frequently performed on tuba with the Tidewater Winds, Virginia Wind Symphony and Polished Brass Quintet.
Currently, Sarita freelances in the North and South Carolina regions in chamber ensembles, the Union Symphony Orchestra, the Carolina Wind Orchestra, and broadway productions. In addition to her performance activities, she instructs numerous students in the Charlotte, Fort Mill and Rock Hill areas, and serves on faculty at Winthrop University as the Tuba and Euphonium Professor. She can often be found floating down the Catawba River in a Kayak while playing her pocket tuba!
To contact Sarita, please visit https://sites.google.com/site/sjmaxwellproject/contact-info, or vuse the Stained Brass contact page.
Like the clips playing? See and hear the entire concert!