Festival-goers will hear a few cuts from the Cincinnati Brass Band's new CD, "Pressing Onward." 
The Cincinnati Brass Band will represent the North American Brass Band Association, which sponsors an annual competition of the member bands from across the United States and Canada. The CBB entered its first NABBA competition in 1996 and has won first place in the competition section in four of the six years in which it competed. As a commitment to the vision and the principles of NABBA, the CBB was selected to host the 2002 NABBA Championships in Cincinnati.
The band was formed in 1993 to provide an opportunity for qualified adult musicians to experience playing traditional British brass band music. Its goal is to educate both young people and adults about the unique sound and repertoire of the brass band and to continually improve musical skills.
There are currently 35 members of the CBB, who along with their conductor, volunteer their time and efforts to spread the sound of a brass band to the general public.
The CBB has traditionally been active in performing at churches, universities, schools and concert series programs. They regularly perform at the Ashland Brass Band Festival in Kentucky, the Ohio Music Educators Association convention, benefit concerts for Habitat for Humanity, and with Maestro Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra on the Riverbend and Music Hall concert series.
In May 2000, the band was featured in a concert for the unveiling of the refurbished historic Tyler-Davidson fountain on Fountain Square, Cincinnati.
As recognition of its contributions to the Fine Arts in the Greater Cincinnati area, the CBB was honored in 1999 and 2001 at the Cincinnati Post Corbett awards, which salute excellence in the arts. The Cincinnati Brass Band was proclaimed as the "Official Brass Band of Cincinnati" by the Mayor of Cincinnati as further recognition of its contributions to the musical culture of Cincinnati.
Instrumentation used in the CBB is based on the British brass band tradition of mostly conical instruments rather than cylindrical ones. Hence cornets (both B- and E-flat) are used instead of trumpets, and alto horns take the place of French horns. The upper voice is completed with Flügel horns, while the bottom is composed of baritones, euphonia, trombones and tubas. A small percussion section generates additional rhythmic effects. The CBB is conducted by Anita Cocker Hunt.