Talos Brass

Named after the brass bull in Greek mythology that guards the island of Crete, the Talos Brass Quintet was founded in 2022. The group is composed of trumpeters Sarah Jessen and Bethany Vaughan, hornist Rachel Côté, trombonist Alex Ertl, and tubist Ben Poirot – all graduate students at the Northwestern University Bienen School of Music. As burgeoning professionals, between them they have been named fellows at such institutions as the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Tanglewood Music Center, and Aspen Music Festival, and they have subbed professionally with the symphony orchestras of Chicago, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Houston, Montreal, Indianapolis, and more. The group was recently named a finalist at the 2023 MTNA National Chamber Music Competition and will compete in late March as the only brass group invited.