The Midtown Brass

Based in Atlanta, Georgia, the Midtown Brass Quintet has been thrilling audiences since 2005. The five individual members of MBQ are some of the most sought after performers in the Southeast, and you have likely heard individual members perform locally with the Atlanta Symphony, Atlanta ballet, Atlanta Opera, Atlanta Pops Orchestra, or The Joe Granston, Big Band, among many others. Their versatility covers the gamut of musical styles…from Bach to Beatles, Mozart to Mraz, Elgar to Elvis, Gershwin to Gangnam (and all points in between), MBQ has something for all ages and tastes.

Paul Poovey, Trumpet

Paul Poovey has capitalized on his versatility to carve a diverse career which has allowed him to perform all over the globe. Some notable career experiences include the soundtrack of Bungie’s hit game Destiny 2 and performances with Kristin Chenoweth, the Four Tops, Sarah McLachlan, Ronnie Milsap, Shakira, and the Temptations, to name a few. Paul currently holds the position of Third Trumpet with both the Augusta and John’s Creek Symphonies and enjoys regular opportunities to perform with the Atlanta Ballet, Atlanta Opera, and Columbus Symphony. Paul is also proud to be a founding member of the Midtown Brass Quintet.

David Sayers, Trumpet

David Sayers is an Atlanta-based trumpet player and educator. He has served as Principal Trumpet of the Johnstown Symphony and Trilith Pops Orchestras. David also performs as a substitute musician with the Atlanta Ballet Orchestra and the Columbus, Chattanooga, Greenville, and Johns Creek Symphonies. Active in a variety of ensembles, he serves as Solo Flugelhorn with the Georgia Brass Band, Repiano Cornet with the Fountain City Brass Band, and performs with the Atlanta Contemporary Music Collective, Sugarloaf Polka Band, and Old Bay Brass Quintet. David was also the first Solo Grand Champion title winner of the North American Brass Band Association national solo competition in 2025. In addition to his performing career, David maintains a vibrant teaching studio and works with students in schools throughout the Atlanta area.

Alan Brown, French Horn

Alan Brown, a native of Atlanta, completed his Bachelor of Music at Georgia State University, and his Master of Music degree from the Manhattan School of Music in 1991 in horn performance. He graduated from the Berklee College of Music in 2003, majoring in “Film Scoring” and “Contemporary Writing and Production.” He has performed French horn professionally with many orchestras and ensembles in the Southeast, New England and the San Francisco Bay Area including the Atlanta Ballet Orchestra, the Atlanta Opera Orchestra, the Boston Ballet Orchestra and the Napa Valley Symphony. His French horn teaching credentials include serving on the faculty at Georgia State and Clayton State University. Alan has done over 40 arrangements for woodwind and brass quintets. He is also a registered nurse and works for Grady Memorial Hospital as the Team Lead for the outpatient telephonic advice nurse line.

Hollie Lawing Pritchard, Trombone

Hollie Lawing Pritchard is an active freelance trombonist in the Atlanta area on both tenor and bass trombone. Hollie is the Bass trombonist with the Savannah Philharmonic, Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra, Johns Creek Symphony, and Georgia Brass Band. She has played with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Atlanta Opera Orchestra, Atlanta Ballet Orchestra, Chattanooga Symphony, Charleston Symphony, as well as many others. Hollie is a founding member and Trombonist with the Midtown Brass Quintet. She played solo Trombone with the DIVA big band in the show “Maurice Hines is Tappin’ thru life.” Hollie has performed twice with the Athena Brass Band at the International Women’s Brass Conference. Hollie was a featured soloist on the Georgia Brass Band’s album “A Christmas Festival” and Principal Trombone on their album, “American Voices.” Hollie graduated with her B.M. in Music Performance from Georgia State University and did Graduate studies at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Hollie is adjunct instructor of trombone at Reinhardt University, was formerly trombone professor at both Kennesaw State University and Mercer University, and maintains a private studio of trombone in her home in Marietta, GA. Her students have been accepted into prestigious schools of music such as Indiana University, Oberlin Conservatory, The Royal Academy of music, and New England Conservatory of Music. Hollie’s students have subbed with major orchestras such as The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and The London Philharmonic. Hollie’s students have gone on to win positions with the Houston Grand Opera, The Navy Fleet band program and The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra fellowship program

Corey Sherman, Tuba

Corey Sherman leads an active career as a performer, clinician and private instructor in the Atlanta area. Sherman has performed with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra brass, Alabama, Columbus, Macon, Johns Creek, and Mobile Symphony Orchestras. He currently serves as Principal Eb Bass of the Georgia Brass Band and founding member of the Atlanta Chamber Brass. Sherman has served as an instructor at LaGrange College and Columbus State University. Most recently, he began serving as Director of Recruitment and Enrolment with the Atlanta Low Brass Academy, an educational non-profit aimed to serve the youth low brass students of the greater Atlanta area. As a private instructor, Sherman’s students are highly decorated, earning positions with the Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony, Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra, National Youth Orchestra, the Georgia Governor’s Honors Program, GMEA All-State and District Honor Bands, as well as numerous collegiate scholarships. As a performer, he has most recently recorded with the Backburner Tuba and Euphonium Collective for the debut album “Ignition” and has performed with the group since 2018. In addition to his local performing schedule, Sherman has also performed across the U.S. southeast region as a soloist and clinician at various universities and professional conferences. Sherman holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from the University of Alabama and a Master of Music degree in Music Performance from Columbus State University Schwob School of Music. His primary teachers are Andrew Miller, Demondrae Thurman, and Joel Mason, with additional instruction from Michael Moore, Sam Pilafian, David Zerkel, and Dan Perantoni.