Introduction
Kenneth Amis (born 1970) is the tuba player with the Empire Brass. He is also the assistant conductor of the MIT Wind Ensemble, a group he has been involved with since its creation in 1999. In addition, as of 2005, Amis is an Affiliated Artist of MIT.
He was born and raised in Bermuda. He began studying at Boston University at age 16. After that, he earned a Masters Degree from the New England Conservatory of Music. Amis held the International Brass Chair at the Royal Academy of Music in London. He teaches at Lynn University.
Amis is the first known person to transcribe Bach's Art of Fugue for wind ensemble (all of the fugues and canons).
He currently resides in Norwood, Massachusetts.
Performances
At many Empire Brass concerts, Amis performs the piano solo from the third movement of Mozart's Sonata in A on his tuba. In addition to his work with the Empire Brass, Amis has performed on tuba for:
- English Chamber Orchestra
- Tanglewood Festival Orchestra
- New World Symphony Orchestra
- Palm Beach Opera Orchestra
Compositions and Commissions
His first published work was A Suite for Bass Tuba, composed when he was fifteen years old. He has been commissioned to write music for many groups including:
- Belmont High School Band
- The Massachusetts Instrumental Conductors Association
- New England Conservatory Wind Ensemble
- University of Scranton
- College Band Directors National Association
- Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra of Boston
- Boston Classical Orchestra
- MIT Wind Ensemble
Teaching
Amis is on the faculty at the Longy School of Music, the Boston Conservatory, Lynn University, and MIT.