Zach Brake

Zach Brake (ZB) has been a musician in Colorado since he joined his junior high concert band at Kinard in Fort Collins, where he tried his best to play the trumpet. He continued his musical career through his time at Fossil Ridge High School, the University of Colorado at Boulder and the University of Northern Colorado. During that time, he switched to tuba, trombone, euphonium and electric bass as his main instruments and now is a professional musician, performing and teaching throughout Colorado.

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In 2015, ZB founded the Guerrilla Fanfare Brass Band, which he manages and directs. As leader, this group has performed hundreds of times across the state, performing at many venues, festivals, municipality events and garnering Westword Magazine's Distinguished Brass Band award two times in 2018 and 2019. Guerrilla Fanfare has performed across the country, including Seattle, WA, Austin, TX and New York, NY. He is a former member of the Fire It Up Brass Band, Gora Gora Orkestar and the Royal Street Ramblers, and is under constant demand as a tuba, trombone and sousaphone player across the Denver-metro area, recently subbing in such groups as the Otone Brass Band, Badda Boom Brass Band, Jakarta Band, Illegal States Brass Band and the Denver Municipal Band. 

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Since 2021, Mr. Brake (as he is known in public ed) is one of the three Band Directors in Mapleton Public Schools, where he co-directs the Mapleton District Concert Band, teaches 6th grade beginning band at Monterey Community School, Explore PK8, Achieve Academy, Global Intermediate Academy, and York International, and serves as the director of the Jazz Studies Program: the Jazz Lab Band and the Mapleton Jazz Messengers. Mr. Brake arranges all the music for both the Jazz Studies Bands to fit the unique instrumentation.

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His education includes a Master of Music Education from the University of Northern Colorado where he was recognized as a distinguished music education graduate, a Bachelor of Music Education & Certificate in Music Technology from the University of Colorado at Boulder, which was awarded with highest honors, as well as over 7 years of experience directing, managing, producing, composing & arranging music for and performing hundreds of times with the Guerrilla Fanfare Brass Band. His compositions with Guerrilla Fanfare include "F-Town," "Muchacho," "Fall Out," "New Shoes," "Pools," "Heads Up," and "TFR" as well as numerous new compositions yet to be released in an album.  Some of his best pop arrangements for Guerrilla Fanfare include "Happy," "My Type,""Beat It," "Feel Good Inc.," "Levitating," and "Walking on Sunshine."

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Prior to joining the Performing Arts team in Mapleton, Mr. Brake was the Director of Instrumental Music from 2016-2021 at Thunder Valley K-8 School for 5 school years, where he directed the concert band, string orchestra and jazz ensembles. While at Thunder Valley, his concert band received "Excellent" ratings at the Colorado Bandmasters Association Festival, and his jazz ensemble received "Superior" ratings at the Skyline Jazz Festival.

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Outside of music, ZB is an avid home cook, gamer, home improvement and DIY enthusiast and yoga practicer who enjoys hiking, long walks and time with friends & family.