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French Horn Rebellion Break Orchestral Mold to Drop "Hot Dance Beats"

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Stories that begin with “this one time…at band camp…” tend to be the butt of many jokes. The story that comes after that opening line suggests a wild memory of nerdy band kids doing something unexpected.

But most band kids know that the stereotype is a false one.

The group French Horn Rebellion is out to prove that former band students can play other music besides Sousa marches, overtures, and their jazz band’s rendition of “Glow Worm.”

Robert Perlick-Molinari, who founded the French Horn Rebellion with his brother, David, believes that band students get a bad rap because school bands mainly play music that is not found in today’s Top 40, unless if it is pep band music.

Perlick-Molinari, who was studying at Northwestern with Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra’s Bill Barnewitz, spent hours and hours rehearsing famous orchestral French Horn solos until he could play them flawlessly. By his senior year, he just wanted to break out of that mold and go have fun. He then called his brother to ask if he would go on tour.

“I told him, ‘I just want to go on tour. Just go make rock ‘n’ roll. I’m just going to go,’’ says Perlick-Molinari.

And that they did. They booked over thirty shows across the country. Their music has “hot dance beats” and are topped with a “really loud French Horn on top.”

Robert Perlick-Molinari is a founding member of the group French Horn Rebellion. French Horn Rebellion will be in Milwaukee Saturday May 3rd at Mad Planet starting at 9 PM.