JOURNEY OF COURAGE
Building Bridges Through Music, Memory & Remembrance
EUROPEAN REMEMBRANCE TOUR | JUNE 2027
We remember what divided us so we can keep building what connects us. Sketches of Courage brings this history to a new generation through music and human stories. Learning about war’s human cost and remembering together can strengthen the connections that help us recognize and resist division.
Why Support this Project?
This is more a tour, more than a recording, and more than notes on a page or a performance. This is about remembering our shared history and the lessons we have learned from it. That the events of World War II are more than just stories living in our history textbooks, but are cold and horrifying facts tied to the worst reality endured by many. And yet, Sketches of Courage is more than a piece about WWII. The struggles that Frank X Hennessy went through when the war ended are not unique to him, or to those of the Greatest Generation. One patron came up to conductor Warren Deck after a performance and shared that as an Afghanistan veteran, "This is my story, too."
"My hope is that listeners not only hear the echoes of history, but also fee the weight of memory, sacrifice, and unspoken pain that so many service members carry--and that, in doing so, they gain a deeper appreciation for the courage it takes to serve, survive, and carry on," says composer Sean Schafer Hennessy.
"A record. A warning. A gift." That was what Sean found in his grandfather's sketchbook. It is what Denver Brass has found in this work. And it is something we must share with the world.
A STORY THAT BEGAN WITH A SKETCHBOOK
Francis Xavier Hennessy II served as a forward observer with the U.S. 30th Infantry Division. He came home from World War II with a sketchbook and memories he rarely spoke about. His grandson, Colorado composer Sean Schafer Hennessy, turned that journey into Sketches of Courage: live brass, narration, original drawings, and historical imagery.
WE WENT BACK
In September 2026, Sean and Denver Brass concertmaster David Artley retraced Francis’s path through France, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany. They met civic leaders, educators, historians, and memorial institutions. Across the route, they found strong interest in welcoming the music and shaping events with local communities.
Our current tour plan is June 15–30, 2027.
Our journey will roughly follow the path of the 30th Infantry Division, “Old Hickory”, of which Francis X. Hennessy II was a member.
Paris → Saint-Lô → Mortain → Maastricht → Malmedy → Bastogne → Weimar/Buchenwald → Farsleben/Wolmirstedt → Berlin
Denver Brass plans to return with approximately 14 Colorado musicians and artists. Each performance will be a gift to its host community; Denver Brass will receive no performance fee. Local partners can make the concert free to attend or use it to raise funds for a cause important to them.
MAKE YOUR GIFT TODAY:
Help us share this gift with the world.
A Commission → An Album → A Tour → A Gift
About Sketches of Courage
Francis X. Hennessy, II
Sketches of Courage, by our trumpeter and composer-in-residence Sean Schafer Hennessy, is a powerful original commission by Denver Brass which premiered in May 2025. Every generation carries stories from those who came before. For composer Sean Schafer Hennessy, those stories came in the form of a sketchbook created by his grandfather, Francis Xavier Hennessy II, a WWII forward observer who saw combat from Normandy to Germany, and witnessed the concentration camps, such as Buchenwald. He observed trauma that few of us can imagine. But he didn’t speak of it. Instead, he sketched. Sean transforms those ink-lined memories into sound. Through Sketches of Courage, we feel the tension of life on the front lines, the fragility of humanity, and the weight of silence that many veterans carry. It is music born not just from history, but from grief, love, and a longing to understand someone we’ve lost. This multi-movement work evolved from a 5-minute concept to a full-fledged symphony for brass with narration and multimedia components. It’s a new, modern Lincoln Portrait, that touches on the impact and weight of war and the cost of freedom. This story is told through two kinds of images: the photographs taken in the moment by members of the 30th Infantry Division, and the sketches Frank made when the moments were too heavy to speak aloud.
The Recording Project
There are moments in an ensemble’s life when everything converges—mission, artistry, history, and vision. For Denver Brass, recording Sketches of Courage is one of those moments.
Sean Schafer Hennessy and Elaine Martone in conversation between takes at the album recording session in June 2026.
This new album is more than a collection of pieces. It’s a statement of who we are: an American brass ensemble rooted in storytelling, shaped by 45 years of innovation, and committed to pushing our art form forward. At its core is Sketches of Courage by Sean Schafer Hennessy—a work that captures the human cost, sacrifice, and resilience woven into our shared history. This album is centered on a distinctly American voice—bold, expansive, and deeply human. It’s patriotism, yes—but not confined to marches or nostalgia. This is a broader, more nuanced expression of what it means to reflect on our past and imagine our future.
The repertoire reflects that vision:
Sketches of Courage – Sean Schafer Hennessy
Known but to God – Sean Schafer Hennessy
Overture for a New Day – Andrew Wolfe
Fanfare for the Common Man – Aaron Copland
Fanfare for the Brave – Andrew Wolfe
They Gave All – Andrew Wolfe
Together, these works form a narrative arc—honoring sacrifice, celebrating resilience, and pointing toward hope. We've hired 7-time Grammy-Award winning Recording Producer, Elaine Martone, to guide us on this project. The goal is to put this album and piece in front of the Recording Academy.
The Costs:
Tour Expenses: $254,375
We’d be bringing a team of 18 to Europe, for approximately 2 weeks, with 9 concerts across 4 countries.
We're looking at roughly the following:
Travel & Lodging: $140,875
Airfare: $45,600
Additional baggage and oversized instrument fees could add another: $5,000+
Lodging: $28,275
Meals & Incidental Expenses: $41,250
Ground Transportation: $15,000
Cartage, Cargo/Equipment Transportation: $10,750
Concert Expenses, 9 Estimated Performances: $67,600
Concert Wages for Musicians & Narrator: $25,200
Venue Expenses: $13,500
Production Expenses, including Audio Engineers: $5,400
Marketing Expenses, including Photographers & Videographers: $23,500
Fundraising/Administrative Expenses: $45,900
Album Recording Expenses: $62,000
This covers Denver Brass musicians, recording personnel, venue fees, and a rough estimate for mastering and release
ALL-IN, this project will cost a total of $316,375.
We are actively writing grants and seeking corporate support. Our board of directors has made a pledge of support to the project as well.
“The Sketches of Courage piece was phenomenal. The combo of the music with the images and spoken word was so powerful and touching. His grandpa would be proud. I hope you do this piece again in the future!”
“The music was well performed and interpreted. The outstanding presentation was the world premiere of “Sketches of Courage” by Sean Hennessy. The music and narration with the images of the sketches on the pages of the notebook brought to the audience a memorable experience. The photos selected with the heartfelt narration were heightened by the Denver Brass’ expressive rendering of the different sections of the collection. My hope is that this is heard and seen in all high schools across the United States of America. This story needs exposure. Thank you, Sean, for your idea, for your perseverance in creating a meaningful documentary, and for your strength to play your trumpet during this unfolding of your grandfather’s WWII story.”
— "Sketches of Courage" Concert Attendee, May 2025
World Premiere Performance, Parker, CO, May 2025.
Performance of Sketches of Courage in Colorado Springs, CO, October 2025.