During its 23 year history, Basic'ly Brass! has performed hundreds of engagements throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey,  New York and Connecticut.  Some of the "Brass's" most noted venues have been Rowaton Connecticut's Five Mile River Concert Series, Reading Public Museum’s Bagels and Bach Series, Bethlehem Musikfest and Christkindlmarkt, Longwood Gardens, Albright College, Lebanon Valley College, performing with the Susquehana Chorale and Lebanon Valley College Alumni Chorale, Reading's Scenic River Days, Fall Festival of the Arts, and the New York Brass Conference, where the quintet finished in the top three in the 1990 Brass Quintet competition. 

Christopher D. Campbell has been teaching music in the Cornwall-Lebanon SchoolDistrict for the past twenty years.  Dr. Campbell holds a DMA from Shenandoah University in trumpet performance, a MM in music education from Miami University, and a BS in music education from Clarion University.  In addition to his duties at Cornwall-Lebanon teaching string orchestra for grades 3-5 and 9-12, Dr. Campbell is an adjunct professor of trumpet at Lebanon Valley College where he maintains an active studio of ten students and teaches classes in trumpet literature and trumpet pedegogy. As a performer, Dr. Campbell specializes in the Baroque trumpet and is a three time finalist in the Historic Division of the National Trumpet Competition.  In addition, Dr. Campbell performs with many regional orchestral and chamber ensembles and plays solo cornet in the Lancaster British Brass Band.

 Andrew Kissling received an undergraduate degree in Trumpet performance fromArizona State University, under the tutelage of David Hickman.  He has studied with Emory Harvison, Frank Kaderabek, Samuel Pilafian, and Timothy Erdman.  Mr. Kissling has performed with a variety of musical ensembles including The Reading Symphony, The Philadelphia Opera Company, The Mesa Symphony, The Tempe Symphony, Ballet Arizona, The Bolshoi Ballet, The Salt River Brass Band, The Phoenix Bach Choir, The Reading  Pops, The Reading Choral Society, The Schuylkill Valley  Symphony, The Royal Brass Quintet, The Sonorous Brass Quintet and Basic’ly Brass.  Andrew is also active as a composer and arranger. He has done over 75 arrangements and original compositions for various brass ensembles.  In 2000, Andrew was the winner of the MENC National Young Composer Competition Small Ensemble Division for his original work for brass quintet, “Impressions.”   Andrew is the owner of AK Brass Press, a publishing company specializing in sheet music for brass musicians.  AK Brass Press sheet music can be found in stores and concert halls throughout the United States, Europe and Asia. (www.AKBrassPress.com) As a teacher, Andrew has 11 years of experience. His students have auditioned for and made various honor bands and competitions in Pennsylvania and Arizona. Andrew has served as trumpet teacher at The Haverford School for Boys in Haverford PA and at The Hill School in Pottstown PA. He is currently teaching private lessons around the Reading PA area.

Alan “Al” Stokes attended West Chester University as a Music Education candidatemajoring in French Horn, and has attended master classes with Barry Tuckwell and Richard Todd.   Mr. Stokes has performed with the Allentown, Pottstown, and Schuylkill Symphonies as well as the Ringgold Band and Concert Band of Lancaster.  He is presently principal horn with the Reading Pops Orchestra.  Mr. Stokes is also principal horn with Dave Stahl and his Sacred Orchestra and has recorded two CD’s with that group.  Mr. Stokes freelances with numerous other groups and ensembles in the eastern Pennsylvania area and teaches French Horn privately in Laureldale (Reading), PA.

John Lemke earned his B.S. in Music Education at Lebanon Valley College and hisM.M. in Orchestral Performing from The Penn State University.  He is presently on staff at The Millersville University teaching Trombone. As a professional musician, Mr. Lemke brings a wealth of experience having performed with over one hundred big name stars including Ray Charles, Bobby Darin, B. J. Thomas, Bob Hope, Bobby Vinton, Dolly Parton, Barbara Eden, Susan Anton, Helen O’Connel, Margaret Whiting and Rosemary Clooney.  Mr. Lemke has also performed with many popular singing groups including The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Ink Spots, The Letterman and Manhattan Transfer.  His performing also includes national Broadway touring companies.  For several years Mr. Lemke served as the staff trombonist at the American Music Theater located in Lancaster.    Mr. Lemke’s freelance performing also includes appearances with The Harrisburg Symphony, The Lancaster Pops, The Altoona Symphony, many of the areas Big Bands and other music ensembles.  Mr. Lemke has served as guestconductor/clinician/adjudicator for bands from all over the eastern seaboard.

Ken Kemmerer, can be heard performing throughout Pennsylvania on Tuba andBass Trombone with numerous groups, including Basic’ly Brass!, the Reading Pops Orchestra, Hesse’s Nasty 9, The Snack Club, The Dave Stahl Sacred Orchestra and Big Band, the Lancaster British Brass Band and whomever else will call.  Ken holds music degrees from Rutgers and Millersville Universities, and has studied with the Empire Brass at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute.  He is presently in his 24th year as Instrumental Music Director at the Muhlenberg Elementary Center and is Music Director of the Cadet Band of Reading. In 2004 ken founded the Berks Summer Band Institute, an intergenerational band program for musicians of Berks County.  Ken is married to Kristel Pfeil Kemmerer and is the proud father of two young musicians, Kate and Karl.