When an Eastern music professor started Low Brass Day four years ago, he was out to start a tradition.

“I just wanted to start a tradition that the Eastern music community would enjoy and further the level a playing before students get to college,” Jemmie Robertson, a music professor and the event’s organizer, said. “It’s not just for the college students; not only do they get to play, they also get to hear great music.”

Musicians from all over the state will gather Sunday in the Doudna Fine Arts Center to listen and learn at the fourth annual Low Brass Day, which is hosted by the Eastern’s music department.

Robertson said the event is for Eastern and high school students, but is also open to younger musicians in junior high and elementary school.

“It’s a pretty mixed age group event and is a lot of fun,” he said.

The event begins at 1 p.m. in the Doudna and goes until 9:30 p.m., which is when the final performance by the guest musicians will end. The event consists of clinics, master classes, classes for music educators and a final performance by guest musicians Mark Fisher and Chelsea French.

Robertson said the classes for music educators count as Continuing Professional Development Units, credits the state requires teachers to take in order to continue their educations.

“All of the clinics and classes are free, except for the CPDU credit ones,” Robertson said. “We had to charge a small fee to process the state paperwork.”

Robertson said he invited Fisher and French to perform after meeting and working with them when he used to live in Chicago.

“I worked with Mark when I worked with the Chicago Lyric Opera and know a few friends who have taken classes from him,” Robertson said.

Robertson said part of his motivation in asking Fisher to play is that Fisher plays the euphonium.

“There are a lot of good euphonium players out there, but we haven’t been able to bring in a profession to play in my time here,” Robertson said. “He’s great inspiration for students to see and hear play.”

He said one the more interesting classes being taught over during the day is taught by French and is called Tromboga (Trombones + Yoga = Tromboga).

“She’s really into yoga and has developed some exercises to help musicians relax,” Robertson said. “Breathing is really important in what we do, and when we work on a difficult piece, we tend to tense up. It’s important to know how to relax.”

The day will end with a lecture/recital that will feature Robertson, French, Kent Conrad, Ka-Wai Yu and Todd French.

“It counts for CPDU credit, so we will be talking about the pieces between the songs and lecturing a bit,” Robertson said.

The recital begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Recital Hall of the Doudna Fine Arts Center.

Amy Wywialowski can be reached at 581-2812 or alwywialowski@eiu.edu.