Formed in Los Angeles in late 2023, Brass Elephant brings together trumpeters Richie Francisco and Emma Breen, trombonist Spencer Schaffer, hornist Iona Pay and tubist Sam Adam. Our quintet members are active freelance musicians working in L.A.’s vibrant music scene, and can be found performing professionally in orchestras, chamber ensembles and studio sessions across the city.
We seek to elevate brass chamber performance through accessible concerts, engaging programming, community engagement and commissioning of new works.
Brass Elephant is available for educational concerts, private events, or to join your concert series. We're proud of our innovative programming and distinctive group sound, and are excited to bring our ensemble to your audience. If you're interested in working with Brass Elephant, please see our Contact page.
Brass Elephant is named for the Indian parable describing a group of blind men encountering an elephant for the first time. Each man has a limited understanding of the elephant; but together, they can picture the whole animal. Similarly, only when we play together as an ensemble can we truly understand what chamber music can be.