If you’re really brassy, you know what OVBBB stands for

The Ohio Valley British Brass Band was founded in February 1992 by Francis “Buddy” Laws and the late Ed Nickol, and since January 2009 has been under the leadership of music director Michael Gallehue. The 45-member ensemble is comprised of professional musicians, active and retired educators at secondary and collegiate levels, students, and selected brass and percussion players from southwest Ohio.

“My brass band experience goes back to 1963, with the man who kind of started brass bands in this country, John Kincaid of Gunnison, Colorado. Ed heard brass bands in this area that sparked his interest,” said Laws, a retired euphonium/trombone professor at Wright State who lives in Springfield. “One day I was down at Hauer [Music] to buy an instrument or something, and Ed said, ‘What do you think about starting a brass band?’ ”

That was 25 years ago, and the OVBBB is celebrating that milestone with a concert at 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 7, at the Kroc Center in Dayton.

For this special event the OVBBB is honored to welcome the internationally acclaimed composer/conductor, Stephen Bulla. He is the former chief arranger of “The Presidents Own” United States Marine Band.

Bulla will be guest conducting on four of his significant original compositions, including the world premiere of “Valley of the Adena.” This refers to pre-contact Native Americans who lived in southern Ohio, and some surrounding states, between 500 BC and 100 AD. It was commissioned by the OVBBB, along with “Fantasia for Euphonium and Brass Band” that will feature Laws as soloist. Pretty good for someone in the fifth grade who failed his music test. Laws had to bring his own instrument to be accepted by the grade school band.

The group currently has seven women members, and a wide age range. Kiersten Clemens of Centerville is 26; she plays trombone and joined at the age of 22. One of the older members is Lou Driever of Urbana; he is 84 and plays the cornet.

“I have played trumpet and cornet since the fifth grade, so being around guys feels normal,” said Linda Holt of Laura, who plays flugelhorn in the band. “I’ve heard it said that ‘the flugelhorn is a cornet on steroids.’ ”

There are two members from Kettering: Marcia Boisvert, second cornet, and Marty Jenkins, percussion. Wayne Markworth of Centerville plays the solo cornet and is the retired CHS band director. The band's mission is to perform a variety of worthwhile and engaging music, while providing an opportunity for the area's finest brass players to participate in a quality musical ensemble. Go online to www.ovbbb.org for more information.

“I wish everyone in the band had the same opportunity I have. I get to stand back, wave my arms, and listen to all of these fabulous musicians making beautiful music,” said Gallehue, a retired music educator who lives in Troy.