The concert also gets a great lift from cornetist Drew Fennell's "Arlington Anthem," a lovely hymn to those who have sacrificed for their country.

- Bob Karlovits, Writer for the Tribune-Review, Pittsburgh, PA (2007)

Veteran flugelhornist Drew Fennell gave a thoughtful and engaging solo performance of Gerard Fahy's "Magh Seola." ... The ensemble artfully realized this timbral backdrop, supporting Fennell's musically satisfying vibrato and phrase ending decays.

- Burkhardt Reiter, Writer for the Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh, PA (2007)

Visit the website of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review to view Drew's answers to a just-for-fun personality test. (Published 9/6/2007)

And I will also make special mention of cornet soloist Drew Fennell's playing of "People" (as in "People Who Need People" that Barbra Streisand made popular a few years back). You would not logically imagine that a bunch of brass instruments could make any song sound wonderfully romantic, but Fennell and the RCBB did. Oh, sigh; be still my beating (in rhythm) heart.

- Jan Findley, Writer for the Sun-Herald, Englewood, FL (2006)

It was hard to believe that brass was producing the smooth sounds of Barbra Streisand's "People." Cheers were heard amidst the applause after Drew Fennell made his cornet cry with the familiar melody while the band closed with a Hollywood Bowl-style finish.

- Marylin D. Carpenter, Writer for the Herald Tribune, Englewood, FL (2006)

...He [Bernard Black] was then joined by Drew Fennell and David Gedris, who wowed the crowed with a performance of Herbert L. Clarke's "The Three Aces."

- Rick Justice, Writer for the Herald Tribune, Charleston, WV (2005)

And Drew Fennell's big band "Penn's Woods" arrangement that ended the program was a classic.

- Jane Vranish, Writer for the Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh, PA (2005)

Drew Fennell gives the River City Brass Band's Thanksgiving dinner a main course that rescues it from condiments that are a little bland. ... The band's "Presidents Concert" series is built around Fennell's "The Oval Office," a new work that looks at the meaning and history of the presidency in words and music. ... As the centerpiece of the concert, it stands out clearly. ... Fennell, who also plays cornet in the band, has been developing his own sound over the past few years in arranging works and writing original pieces for the band. "The Oval Office" might be his most individual work and hints at talents that could be used in soundtracks. ... The music that supports a collection of quotations from 12 presidents is sophisticated in subtlety. It hints at known elements of history with its use of quotes from the fanfare opening from "Hail to the Chief" and outright references to the presidential anthem itself. ... But it never gets in the way of the words assembled and narrated by Lanny Frattare, the Pittsburgh Pirates announcer, who also is a presidential history enthusiast. The only time that comes close is in the D-Day prayer by Franklin Delano Roosevelt, where the music builds to power that rivals that of the words. ... "The Oval Office" gives the first half of the concert a pleasing heft...

- Bob Karlovits, Writer for the Tribune-Review, Pittsburgh, PA (2004)

But it's hard to overlook the composing and arranging work of Drew Fennell, a cornetist who is more meaningful to the band than just a man with great chops. ... Fennell's "Fanfare and Theme" ... is a heroic-sounding piece that displays the technical strengths of the ensemble and has the kind of melody that can settle into a listener's mind. ... and his stunning version of the finale of Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 3 ... lifts the piece out of its symphonic nature and moves it into the realm of a lovely, instrumental ode. ... its striking beauty was moving.

- Bob Karlovits, Writer for the Tribune-Review, Pittsburgh, PA (2002)

Then, we received an encore to remember. ... A young man named Drew Fennell stepped to the front of the stage and, accompanied by his friends in the River City Brass Band, gave a performance of Lee Greenwood's "Proud to be an American" that defies description. By the time he had boomed out three notes, the audience was back on its feet and stayed there. If ever I have heard someone sing from his heart, it was Drew Fennell. Truly, I thought the roof was coming off the place!

- Ken Welborn, Writer for The Record, Wilkes Country, Wilksboro, NC (2002)

Drew Fennell showed vast talent. ... Fennell is composer in residence and conducted his "Hometown Miniatures." ... You could actually visualize through the music what he had explained. ... Fennell also arranged a wonderful upbeat version of, "Georgia On My Mind" by Hoagy Carmichael. ... Fennell again showed his talent in the arrangement of "A Fine Fare-Thee-Well" and his singing abilities as a soloist and a member of the River City Barbershoppers. Fennell's rendition of "Proud To Be An American" brought chills and was just as memorable as Lee Greenwood's original.

- Kathy Greene, Writer for the Palladium-Item, Richmond, IN (2002)