issue no. 5675 - 23 july 2011 - the leading international … · written applications detailing...
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Price £1.25 Issue no. 5675 - 23 July 2011 - THE LEADING INTERNATIONAL BRASS MAGAZINE - www.britishbandsman.com
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BRITISH BANDSMAN PAGE 2
Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/YamahaNeo
The new standard in brass band instruments
Scottish Brass Band Association
Development Manager This is a challenging role in promoting and developing opportunities
for young people in Scotland to participate in brass bands.
SBBA is recognised as one of the most effective brass band development bodies in the world. We have had outstanding success
in creating new youth bands and in running events efficiently.
The post requires a good understanding and knowledge of brass bands, as well as experience of working with local authorities and
young people.
It will involve managing our 5 part-time regional development officers, and liaison with local bands and schools, Heads of
Instrumental Teaching in Scotland (HITS), and local authorities, as well as internally with the National Youth Brass Band of Scotland,
SBBA Area Associations and member bands.
This post is for an initial period of 15 months.
Written applications detailing relevant experience and a CV should be sent by 31 July to [email protected]
For further information, please visit www.SBBA.org.uk
Funded by a grant from Creative Scotland.
Registered Charity in Scotland No. SC033163
BB 2-3.indd 2 19-07-2011 15:59:34
BRITISH BANDSMAN PAGE 3
NEWS
Adjudicators Association boost for UKBBA working party
The third Kiveton Community Woodland Brass Festival, organised by the
Yorkshire and Humberside Brass Band Association in partnership with the
Forestry Commission, took place last Sunday (17th), with the top prize in the
competition going to Trinity Girls Band.
The event took place on the site of the old Kiveton Park Colliery, South
Yorkshire. The site has been reclaimed by the Forestry Commission and
includes a natural amphitheatre where the bands performed their 20-minute
entertainment programme.
Open to 3rd and 4th section and unregistered bands, the event had a full
entry of 12 bands. The music adjudicator was Mike Kilroy, while entertainment
judges were Councillor Peter Blanksby and Brenda Bradley.
The results were:
1. Trinity Girls
2. Hade Edge Youth
3. Thurlstone
Best Soloist: Gillian Hinckley, Trinity Girls
Best March: Hucknall and Linby
Best Hymn: Dronfield Colliery Miners Welfare
Sheona White
mouthpiece
competition winners
In June, Yamaha announced the arrival of
its new Sheona White Tenor Horn signature
mouthpiece. To celebrate its launch,
Yamaha had ten to give away and all our
readers had to do was answer the following
question: Name the three types of brass
band instrument currently available in the
Yamaha Neo range. The correct answer was
tenor horn, euphonium and BBb bass.
The following readers will soon be
receiving their new Sheona White Signature
Mouthpiece in the post: Janet Lymath
(Leeds), Amanda Mars (Worsley), Pat
Parkinson (Cumbria), Garry Smith (Leighton
Buzzard), Mary Ransom (Faversham),
Kenneth May (Greenwich), Alan Poultney,
P.J. Lyons (Bolton), Sam Brodison (Co.
Antrim) and George Guyer (Burnley).
To keep up to date on all Yamaha Neo
developments visits the Facebook fan page
at www.facebook.com/YamahaNeo or the
official website: uk.yamaha.com/neo
The United Kingdom Brass Band Alliance
(UKBBA) working party, nominated by the Brass
Band Summit in July 2010 to formulate an
umbrella organisation for banding in the UK,
received a timely boost this week with a show
of support from the Association of Brass Band
Adjudicators (ABBA).
Plans for a third Summit meeting were recently
put on hold when discussions reached an
impasse over the working party’s proposal that
entry to all major contests in the UK would be
dependent on each competing band being in
membership of its own national federation. The
group received a further setback in June with
the withdrawal of Kapitol Promotions, organiser
of the National Brass Band Championships
of Great Britain, as well as a number of its
regional associations deciding not to support
the proposals, while Butlins, although
indicating support for the UKBBA, announced
that it would not be implementing any entry
restrictions on its events in the near future.
Speaking on behalf of the ABBA, the
organisation’s Public Relations Officer, Malcolm
Brownbill, commented: “At the Executive
Meeting of the Association of Brass Band
Adjudicators, held on Monday 11 July, it was
unanimously passed that we as an association
should publicly acknowledge our support for
the formation of the proposed United Kingdom
Brass Band Alliance.”
ABBA’s announcement follows hard-on-the-
heels of support for the UKBBA proposals from
the Scottish Brass Band Association, while
BB understands that moves are being made
towards the formation of a Welsh body that
would represent the Principality on any future
UK umbrella group.
Trinity Girls triumph at Kiveton
Most Entertaining Band: Hade Edge Youth
Most Entertaining Item: Trinity Girls
Best unplaced 4th Section band: Oughtibridge
Andy Medhurst, Sherwood and Northants District Forest Management
Director, expressed delight at the continued success of the contest
and the support from the appreciative audience and confirmed that,
dependent on funding becoming available, the Forestry Commission
would be supporting the event again in July 2012.
Open house at NYBBGB
The National Youth Brass Band of
Great Britain (NYBBGB) has opened its
doors to all young brass players with
an invitation to attend its annual Open
Day during its summer course, held at
Repton School, Derby.
Speaking to BB on behalf of the
NYBBGB, Richard Robinson said:
“This is a great opportunity to
experience an insight into the NYBBGB,
where Britain’s finest young brass and
percussion players from across the
UK rehearse and perform. All children
who attend the open day will receive
a complimentary ticket to attend the
concerts at the Albert Hall, Nottingham
on Friday 29 July or the Victoria Hall,
Stoke-on-Trent on Saturday 30 July.
Anyone interested in attending should
contact Martin Armstrong on 07876
741944 or at armstrong_martin007@
hotmail.com, or Philip Biggs on 07710
505689 or at nybbgb@bandstand.
demon.co.uk
BTS launches composers’ competition
The British Trombone Society (BTS) has announced details
of its 2011/12 composers’ competition, which aims to
encourage composers throughout the UK and abroad to
write for the trombone. The competition is open to both
BTS and non-BTS members, and composers are invited
to write music for the trombone in one of six categories:
unaccompanied trombone, trombone and piano, trombone
and brass band, trombone and rhythm section or big band,
trombone quartet for junior players (under 16 years) and
trombone quartet for senior players.
All submissions must be made by 1 December 2011 and they
will be judged by a team of expert trombone players and
composers including Professor Philip Wilby, Dan Jenkins,
Andrea Price and Brett Baker. No submission should be more
than 15 minutes in duration. Entries can be made by email to
[email protected] in the form of PDFs
and an mp3 file, or as a Sibelius file (version 5 or lower).
Further details are available from Brett Baker at British
Trombone Society composers’ competition, 35 Yew Tree
Drive, Barnton, Northwich, Cheshire, CW8 4NH.
The winner of each section will have the opportunity for
the following: the publication of the composer’s score by
a music publisher affiliated with the BTS, performances
of the work at a major BTS event in 2012 and the Black
Dyke Festival on 20 May 2012 and an opportunity for
the piece to be recorded at a BTS event by leading UK
trombone players.
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BRITISH BANDSMAN PAGE 4
ACCENT ON YOUTH
To see and hear the youth bands playing
in the brass bands day in Symphony Hall,
Birmingham, as part of the week-long
National Festival of Music for Youth, was
a life-affirming experience. These young
people, together with their teachers and
conductors, are building a future for
banding in a spirit of co-operation and
mutual support. The Music for Youth
organisation has taken banding to its
heart. It has released it from the arid
legalism of the traditional contest and
has resolutely put the music, the players
and the listeners first. It has transformed
a 19th century tradition and made it fit for
purpose for the 21st.
So:
there are no entry fees - they are • unnecessary because the credibility of the
festival makes it attractive to sponsors
there is no artificial limit to the size of • bands - bands have as many players as their
conductors choose
there are no age limits - bands decide their • age range for themselves
there are no set test-pieces - each band • plays its own-choice 20-minute programme
there are no adjudicators - instead there • are two mentors whose job is to identify the
positive aspects of each band’s performance
(they are assumed to be intelligent enough to
know what didn’t work)
the mentors sit in the open - that way • they can also give commendation for aspects
such as presentation and deportment (and the
deportment was unfailingly impeccable)
there are no points and no placings•
there are no monetary prizes - instead • two bands from each section are given special
commendations which put them in line for a
possible invitation to play at one of the Schools
Prom concerts in a ‘packed to capacity’ Royal
Albert Hall in November
bands are invited into the hall free of • charge to listen to each other as well as to
hear the feedback from the mentors. Generous
mutual appreciation replaces any hints of
mutual antagonism.
Everyone arrives knowing that this is not
a competition, it’s a week-long festival in
Symphony Hall and four other Birmingham
venues, with days devoted to all kinds of
ensembles, choirs, youth orchestras, wind
bands, jazz orchestras and groups. During each
day, the National Youth Music organisations
provide parallel workshops - the National
Youth Orchestra, Youth Choir, Youth Music
Theatre, Jazz Collective. Mark Wilkinsion and
Glyn Williams were also there as National
Youth Brass Band of Great Britain (NYBBGB)
tutors to give coaching sessions throughout
the brass band day.
The Festival also spills out into Centenary
Square, with the full variety of ensembles giving
performances of a commissioned piece - Play by
Tim Steiner, designed with an infinitely flexible
range of parts playable by any number and
combination of instruments and voices.
It was commendable to see the number
of bands which were being supported
by leading banding personalities, among
them Lee Rigg (Wardle), Ray Farr and Reg
Vardy Band (Ecclescliffe), Mark Bousie (St.
Helens), Richard Evans (Wigan), Brad Turnbull
(Northamptonshire) and Chris Turner (Greater
Gwent).
Twenty-two bands participated, with an overall
strength of 927 young instrumentalists, divided
into three sections - schools bands, music
centre bands and open (mainly county youth)
bands.
School Bands
Commendations in this section went to Wardle
High School and Smithills.
Wardle’s well-planned programme of
worthwhile music began with a stylish On the
Quarterdeck, with a mature sound and some
really delicate piano playing, followed by Peter
Graham’s Dimensions, which benefitted from
a huge horn sound and two superb cornet
soloists, and concluding with The Lost Chord.
Smithills and Chris Wormald took the risk of
putting all their eggs in one basket by playing
just one piece, a selection by the conductor
from the music of John Williams, played with
great élan and precision.
Music Centre Bands
Commendations in this section went to
Wigan and Youth Brass 2000. Wigan had
taken the risk of playing just one piece, Paul
Lovat-Cooper’s The Dark Side of the Moon.
The mentors, Eric Tebbett (formerly of the ISB
and GUS) and Keith Hewson, were especially
impressed with the way the band conveyed
the sense of mystery in the music. Youth
Brass 2000 has an age range of 8 to 18 and
Inspiring, nurturing and supporting young musicians at every level
the motto of Music for YouthRoy Terry visits Birmingham for one of the most important youth music festivals to take place in the UK
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BRITISH BANDSMAN PAGE 5
ACCENT ON YOUTH
a skills range of Grade 2 to 8. They show how
a mixed-ability group can still give a high
quality performance. The all-round security
of technique gives a purity of sound, with
a strong horn section and one of the best
euphoniums and flugels of the day. James
Fountain gave a bravura performance of
Napoli (he had to hot-foot it to Grimethorpe’s
rehearsal as soon as the band came off stage),
and the band’s accompaniment was equally
sure-footed, thanks to the conducting of Adel
Hudson, ably deputising for Chris Jeans. Peter
Graham’s Cossack Wedding Dance showcased
the virtuosity of the euphoniums and the entire
solo cornet bench.
Also standing out in this section was St.
Helens, conducted by Mark Bousie in
vivacious performances of Vitae Aeternam
and Goff Richards’ arrangement of The
Saints. The integrity of the fortissimo playing
was particularly impressive and the flugel
soloist deserves a gold medal! The spirituality
communicated in the first piece came not from
any association of words but from the inherent
quality of the playing and the quality of the
music as music.
Open Brass Bands
In the final section of the day, honours went to
Northamptonshire and Greater Gwent. The
48 players of Northamptonshire (Brad Turnbull)
began with some classic cornet playing in the
fanfares of Ray Farr’s arrangement of Ein Feste
Burg, followed by some highly sophisticated
music-making in Steven Ponsford’s Cristo
Redentor. There wasn’t an ugly sound in sight,
Brad Turnbull’s clear direction producing a
clarity in the playing so that 46 players played
as one. This was a life-enhancing performance
fully worthy of Symphony Hall.
Every bit as exhilarating, the 70 members of
Greater Gwent played the most substantial
piece of the day, Simon Dobson’s Penlee. The
somewhat hyper compère, who seemed to have
seen his job as winding up the audience (every
teacher’s worst nightmare!), had been kept in
check by being given a script so that the scene
was appropriately set for this very serious piece
of music. The dramatic aspects of this score
were communicated without any loss of control
because there was a symphonic quality to the
interpretation which made the sometimes
disparate parts gell into a meaningful whole.
The expressive purpose of every aspect of
the score was clearly portrayed so that the
concluding Resurgam quote produced a
tangibly held silence.
It would be unfair to omit from special mention
Hampshire, which gave a good account of
Frode Rydland’s arrangement of Alfred Reed’s El
Camino Real, and Pembrokeshire, which played
a good light music programme which found
well-deserved favour with the audience.
All of the bands showed evidence of excellent
teaching. The first thing to strike the listener
was the essential tunefulness of virtually all
of the playing, the consistency in production
and the unanimity of style within sections.
Somewhat against expectation, the tightest
playing of the day came from the biggest
bands. The bands receiving commendations
were in the range of 40 to 70 players. In fact a
general rule emerged that the smaller the band,
the greater the problems of achieving good
ensemble and tuning. The level of consistency
found here is in contrast to the variability
evident in the National Final at the Royal Albert
Hall. Part of the challenge for senior bands
hoping to attract and retain young players is
to ensure that the direction they provide is
of good quality, and that the level of playing
is at least equal to that of these youth bands.
From my days working in summer music
schools, I know that one of the unintended
consequences of the music school experience
was that young players and singers returning to
their community bands and choirs can quickly
became disillusioned if there wasn’t the same
level of aspiration and achievement.
The quality of the music centre bands and
the county youth bands show why local
authorities are so important - this is authentic
localism which current policies seem set to
undermine. To their credit, the councils of
Northamptonshire and Greater Gwent have
maintained a rich programme of ensemble
work, with orchestras, wind bands, jazz
formations and youth choirs also performing
during the Festival.
If Michael Gove is looking for examples
of world-class educational practice and
achievement, he should have been in
Symphony Hall for this event. It was there that
the true strength and hope of the British brass
band movement was to be found.
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BRITISH BANDSMAN PAGE 6
ACCENT ON YOUTH
Over the coming fortnight, no fewer than 356
young musicians between the ages of 12 and
21 will be developing their skills on brass and
percussion - and having a great time in the
process - at one of four residential courses
taking place between 22 July and 6 August. The
National Youth and Children’s bands of Great
Britain, Scotland and Wales continue to nurture
the future brass band stars of our movement
- and in this context I think that ‘movement’ is
wholly appropriate, since these organisations
are all about development and progression.
While none of the bands has enjoyed the high
profi le of the National Youth Orchestra of Great
Britain, with its annual BBC Prom appearances
and roster of international conductors, the
quality of the teaching and music making
on these courses has never been better and
deserves to be much more widely appreciated
and acknowledged than it is.
The summer course of the National Youth
Brass Band of Wales (NYBBW), which was due
to begin yesterday (22 July) in Malvern was the
fi rst to get underway. There are 55 members on
this course, under the direction of Dr. Nicholas
Childs, who has taken over the reigns from his
brother, Dr. Robert Childs. The continuity of
direction in all the national youth bands has
been one of their strengths, something that
clearly resonates with Nicholas, as he observed
to British Bandsman earlier this week: “I have
been lucky to have been a tutor and guest
soloist with Bramwell Tovey in the past, and last
year I helped to prepare the band for Edward
Gregson. I’m really looking forward to my fi rst
course as Artistic Director. I have a very hard
act to follow as Bob was there for the previous
decade. My ambitions are to develop the young
players who are a little older in age group
compared to the NYBBGB.”
The upper age limit of the youth bands in
Scotland and Wales is 21, allowing those in full-
time university or college education to continue
to participate. The NYBBW is very much a
hand-picked band, since, unlike some other
youth bands, and all players are auditioned by
the Artistic Director each year; so this year’s
repertoire has been carefully chosen to suit the
strengths of the current band. The coaching staff
is both strong and youthful, including principal
players from Black Dyke and Cory - Tom
Hutchinson and Paul Duff y (cornets), Sheona
White (horns), Chris Thomas (trombones), David
Childs (baritones and euphoniums), Matthew
Routley (tubas) and Alun Horgan (percussion).
David Childs is also the soloist, performing the
Karl Jenkins Concerto once again and also the
solo version of Peter Graham’s Brilliante. The
remainder of the programming juxtaposes
sacred and secular, classic and contemporary
in a satisfying balance. Dean Goffi n’s wartime
Rhapsody in Brass and Eric Ball’s tone poem,
Resurgam, are set against James Curnow’s
exuberant Trittico and Philip Wilby’s National
Children’s Band commission from a few years
back, Psalms and Alleluias.
Although the residential course is taking place
in England, the NYBBW will travel back home
for its two end-of-course concerts. The fi rst
takes place as part of the Margam Festival on
Wednesday 27 July in the Margam Orangery,
and the second on Thursday 28 July in the brand
new and much-praised Stoutzker Hall of the
Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.
The 80-strong National Youth Brass Band
of Great Britain gathers today at Repton
School in Derbyshire for a week of intense
music making under the direction of guest
conductor, Allan Withington, who is making his
conducting debut with the band. With former
principal cornet, James Fountain, on tour with
Grimethorpe Colliery Band, there will be a new
occupant of the end chair, which has provided
such a valuable stepping stone for many a
cornet and trumpet star, from the late Maurice
Murphy to his successor at the LSO, Philip Cobb.
Working with Allan Withington at the NYBBGB
course in the coming week will be Martin
Armstrong (horns and fl ugel), Philip Goodwin
(basses), Mark Landon (percussion), Phillip
McCann and Mark Wilkinson (cornets), John
Maines and Chris Stearn (trombones) and Glyn
Williams (baritones and euphoniums).
Allan Withington is one of the most ‘in-demand’
brass band conductors in Europe at the
moment. Last week (14 and 15 July) he was
in Durham conducting his Norwegian band,
Stavanger, in a creative ‘fusion’ programme,
Bach and Beyond. Over the past few years with
Stavanger, Allan has enjoyed the creativity,
surprise, tension and sometimes revelation
of stylistic opposites. His eclectic approach
will certainly provide a challenge for the 2011
NYBBGB - one that Allan is looking forward to:
“The National Youth Band of Great Britain is
a great institution with some fantastic young
players. It must be our job then to help guide,
nurture and inspire this young talent. I am trying
to include three diff erent and distinct styles
in this year’s repertoire. Movements from Eric
Ball’s arrangement of Elgar’s Enigma Variations,
a new piece by Maurice Hamers and, to end,
a light-hearted reference to the beginning.
When Edward met Edvard at an Exhibition is a
sequence of arrangements and original music
by Norwegian composer, Jostein Stalheim.”
As the notes in the Stavanger Band’s recording,
Jabulani, tantalisingly puts it: ‘As far as we know,
Edvard Grieg never met Edward Elgar. Would
they have become friends? Would Grieg have
had the honour of having his initials written
at the head of one of Elgar’s compositions?
Would they have become more than just friends
or would this relationship have taken a more
sinister turn? What would Queen Victoria have
made of all this?’
While the great Norwegian romantic composer,
Edvard Greig, travelled to this country to receive
a doctorate from Cambridge University (10 May
1894), and went on to conduct a concert of his
music for the Royal Philharmonic Society in
London, he never returned to this country, so
the two great men didn’t meet, but they do here
Paul Hindmarsh previews the summer courses of the National youth and children’s b
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BRITISH BANDSMAN PAGE 7
ACCENT ON YOUTH
in music, courtesy of the fertile imagination of
Jostein Stalheim.
The guest soloist this year is Katrina Marzella,
who will be performing the Concerto written
for her by Martin Ellerby and the two course
concerts take place in two fi ne 19th century
halls - at 7.30pm on Friday 29 July in the Albert
Hall, Nottingham and at 7.30pm on Saturday 30
July in the Victoria Hall, Stoke-on-Trent.
One of the success stories of young people’s
banding in the ‘noughties’ has been the
National Children’s Brass Band of Great
Britain. I am not usually lost for words, but
to describe a NCBBGB end-of-course concert
as ‘inspirational’, or ‘exceptional’ is rather too
clichéd and inadequate to convey the unique
atmosphere of these occasions. The band
includes many exceptionally gifted young
musicians among its 57 members. Percussionist,
Kieran Johnson, already plays for Black Dyke at
the tender age of 14!
Striking the right balance between education
and enjoyment rests in the expert hands of the
busy coaching staff , which this year comprises
John Doyle and Alexandra Kerwin (cornets),
Andrea Price (percussion), Matthew Routley
(tubas), Christopher Thomas (trombones), David
Thornton (baritones and euphoniums) and
Shoena White (horns).
Setting the tone for the week is the band’s
Artistic Director, Nicholas Childs (hot-foot
from Cardiff and the NYBBW). I asked him
to set the scene for us, beginning with his
aims for the week: “ …Unquestionably, to
create an environment that is enjoyable and
inspirational, allowing young people of a
similar age to celebrate each other’s gifts and
talents. It is a number of years since Peter Moore
was on solo trombone, but I remember his
mother expressing thanks for a great course
and allowing Peter to be ten! We have a new
composition from Paul Lovatt-Cooper with a
salsa inspiration, so during the week there will
also be salsa classes! The guest soloist will be
Sheona White, who will also lead a workshop,
and we have John Doyle’s ‘Sing for Fun’ choir, not
forgetting the fun and specially organised free
time which they share with each other.”
The NCBB’s fi nal concert (this year at 2.30pm on
Saturday 6 August, Repton School) never fails
to inspire with its blend of talent, skill and great
fun. It’s one of my favourite band events of the
summer.
While the youngsters of the NCBB are working
hard and having fun in Derbyshire, no fewer
than 164 talented brass and percussion players
north of the Border, will be benefi tting from
the expertise on off er in St. Andrews at the
annual summer course of the National Youth
Brass Band of Scotland (NYBBS). The youth
brass band ‘explosion’ that has taken place in
Scotland over the past fi ve years - the outcome
of the Scottish Brass Band Association’s
acclaimed youth development programme - is
now revealing itself in the numbers of young
‘banders’ eager to become part of the NYBBS
‘family’, which now boasts three bands, as Neil
Cross, the NYBBS administrator outlined for
British Bandsman: “Our Children’s Band, for
players aged 13 and under, will be about 35
strong this year. The band’ s conductor, Gordon
Evans MBE, will be assisted in particular by
a new member of the coaching staff , Jamie
McVicar. One of his tasks will be to work with
the more able players, stretching them in some
ensemble pieces. The Reserve Band, for those
over 13, but for whom there is simply not
space in the full NYBBS band, will be directed
once again by John Boax. We are expecting
over 60 players, who will receive the best
of encouragement from the coaching team
headed by Michael Robertson, conductor of
Carnoustie and District Youth Band and soon to
receive the Mortimer Medal for his work with
young brass musicians here in Scotland.
“Richard Evans will be at the helm of the
60-strong NYBBS for the 18th year. He has
only missed one summer course since he was
appointed musical director in 1992. He will be
working with a great line-up of tutors - Phillip
McCann and Archie Hutchison (cornets), Lesley
Howie (horns), Lyndon Baglin (baritones and
euphoniums), Mark Boyd (trombones), Les
Neish (tubas) and Mark Landon (percussion).
Paul Lovatt-Cooper is our very welcome guest
conductor. He’s going to work with all three
bands on one of his pieces, including Equilibrium
for the NYBBS.”
Also on the stands will be a classic arrangement,
Wagner’s Rienzi Overture, and a brass band
classic, Pageantry by Herbert Howells. Richard
Evans has also programmed a tribute to the late
Goff Richards - the test-piece, Oceans. NYBBS
includes in its ranks a fi ne young bass trombone
player and budding composer, Joe Walters. His
extrovert composition, Carpe Diem, is on the
concert programme for 6 August.
The special guest is the American trumpeter,
Rex Richardson, who will work with all three
bands and give a couple of masterclasses, as
Neil Cross continued: “Rex doesn’t know it yet,
but he’ll adjudicate our solo contest for the
Richard Evans trophy. At our Saturday evening
concert, he’s going to perform part of the
concerto written for him by jazz composer, Jim
Stephenson, entitled Rextreme. The orchestral
version received its world première last July
in Sydney and we will, I think, be giving the
brass band world première (although not of
the full piece). Richard and I are always keen to
introduce something new to the course and this
year, with Rex Richardson, it’s jazz!.”
All three bands will be performing in St.
Andrews on 6 August. The Children’s Band and
Reserve Band share an afternoon slot with a
3.00pm start. The NYBBS concert begins at 7.30
pm. Whether you are a parent, friend, supporter,
brass band enthusiast or all-round lover of good
music, well played, the summer courses and
concerts of the four National young people’s
brass bands are one of the musical joys of the
summer and open a window on the future of
the brass band movement we all wish to cherish.
n’s bands of Great Britain, Scotland and Wales taking place over the next two weeks
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BRITISH BANDSMAN PAGE 8
TALKING POINT
It’s three o’clock on a beautiful afternoon and
I’m sitting at my desk overlooking the Emilia
Romagnian countryside, basically because at
38 degrees it’s too hot to be outside in the
garden any longer. Summer always catches me
unaware in Italy. Accustomed to London’s fairly
warm, fairly wet, fairly dry - sometimes not,
version of summer, the baking heat of northern
Italy half way up a mountain always comes as
something of a shock, as does the garden. Ugo
Vitali, a retired friend from the next village, had
spent a morning with us in late spring planting
onions, shallots, potatoes and garlic - all crops
that theoretically could look after themselves
while we were in London, but I arrived this
time, only a month after our last visit, to find
mayhem. First it had been too cold, then too
wet, too hot and, in the middle of the too hot
bit, there were two massive thunderstorms
that deposited hailstones a foot deep all over
the garden - so deep that all the local roads
were closed and so fierce that all the fruit in the
orchard was either blown off the trees or just
plain ruined.
Despite all the above, the weeds seem to grow
unfettered so most of this morning was spent
with the strimming machine (a Honda that
seems to chop down everything from small
trees to grass, but needs me to go on a fitness
regime just to pick it up) in an attempt to
find what is left to salvage from the problems
caused by the weather. All this keeps me away
from what is really important, like making sure
I get some trumpet practise done, and reading
the pile of novels that we have collected to
while away the warm hours on the balcony...
perhaps tomorrow!
What hours of mindless grass cutting and weed
culling do, is give you lots of time to think,
and with the many letters, articles, statements
and papers being published by this and that
organisation, either in magazines or on the
Internet, then the future of the brass band in
the United Kingdom has to be somewhere at
the forefront of those thoughts. I am told by
various people who believe that they know,
that there are grave problems in store for the
brass band culture in UK and if something isn’t
done about it, and soon, it will all descend into
chaos, or words to that effect. Because of the
nature of my work, I am privileged to see and
work with brass players of every level, from the
young and inexperienced to the not very good
and ancient, as well as the very best in between.
I have just been involved in presenting a
concert celebrating the 50th anniversary
of Alder Valley Brass - what was called the
Aldershot Brass Ensemble when George Prior
first conducted it in 1961. The concert was in
the Princes Hall, Aldershot, on the same sunny
afternoon as the men’s final at Wimbledon, yet
there was a sizeable audience who seemed to
enjoy every minute of it. With great aplomb,
Roger Burke conducted a full band of regulars.
Gordon Campbell, who had served in the Royal
Corps of Transport Band with Roger, was the
guest soloist, and a good time was had by all.
Lots of people who had been involved with
the band over the years were there, as were all
George Prior’s children who had played with
the original band and had travelled from all
over the world to celebrate and remember. So,
there didn’t seem to be a lot wrong there. The
reason they asked me to be involved is that, in
the 1960s, I conducted Guildford Silver Band,
which was Aldershot’s local rival, but because of
our proximity, great friends too, and when that
band fell on bad times in the 1970s and 80s lots
of players changed allegiance. Now Guildford
has a band again in the shape of Friary, and
with a gifted and able young conductor is a
settled and committed group that has just
made it back into the Championship Section.
Not a lot wrong there either!
When I started playing again (chronicled in my
last article for BB), I went along to a local band
to see where I was at, and sat on 2nd cornet. All
around me were people in their middle years
enjoying playing for a good conductor who
treated them with respect while getting more
out of them than they thought possible. It was
a tremendous evening, made better by being
among like-minded adults who were all giving
of their best in a quite unstinting manner. What
was really impressive was that, despite my
complete inability to offer anything worthwhile
to the proceedings, they treated me with
respect, offered friendly advice and generally
made me feel better about the whole business
of playing again. Not a lot wrong there either
then!
Michael Robertson, who conducts and teaches
in Carnoustie, has just been awarded the Harry
Mortimer Medal by the Worshipful Company of
Musicians in recognition of his work with young
people, and that’s wonderful. However, there
are people doing the same up and down the
country, not all with the success of Michael, but
all introducing thousands of young people to
the fun of banding. The National Youth Brass
Bands of Scotland, Wales, and Great Britain are
all over subscribed, so there can’t be much of a
problem there either!
In May, I was one of the adjudicating panel at
the Spring Festival in Blackpool - three sections,
each with 20 bands and all oversubscribed by
groups that all have the ambition to work their
way up through the sections until they are in
the British Open in September. Bands from all
over the country are clamouring to be involved,
so there’s no problem there either!
In June, I was in a packed Royal Albert Hall
to celebrate the 120th anniversary of the
International Staff Band of the Salvation Army.
From two o’clock in the afternoon, the eight
staff bands from round the world paraded their
It’s that time of yeby Frank Renton
BB 8-9.indd 8 19-07-2011 16:00:34
BRITISH BANDSMAN PAGE 9
TALKING POINT
talents then all came together for a massed
concert in the evening that was, at times, quite
stunning. There didn’t appear to be much
wrong there either!
So, where, and what, is the problem, how can it
be indentified and who can put it right?
Tradition is a wonderful thing. It binds us
all together by shared experience, and by
providing a view of the past it allows us
to shape the future. When the best of the
experiences are used as the template for the
future it can lead to exciting things happening.
When tradition is used as a blanket to smother
new development, and to stifle innovation, then
a less successful outcome is inevitable.
I can remember as though it was yesterday
going to London with Black Dyke to play in my
first National Championship Final. Eric Ball’s
Festival Music was the test-piece and what an
occasion it was for a teenager. A year later, we
won the British Open, playing for the first time
under Major George Willcocks. Ten years later,
I conducted Guildford Silver Band and won
the 4th Section at Hammersmith Town Hall,
and ten years after that I conducted at both
my first ‘Open’ and National Championship
Section Final with Wingates. It was all part of a
shared experience with so many people and all
within the developing tradition of the banding
culture in the UK. The memory of those events
is so intense that they could all have happened
yesterday, but in fact they started in 1956 - 55
years ago! Perhaps we have to find what made
those experiences so intense and use it as a
template for the future. Unfortunately, however,
that was all destroyed.
I can remember playing in the great massed
band concerts in the Royal Albert Hall - an
entertainment for 10,000 happy souls (the
RAH filled twice in one evening, as well as for
the contest during the day!) who were thrilled
by the sheer sound of it all. Then it seemed as
though suddenly they became educational
events, with the programme reflecting modern
brass band culture rather than ‘entertainment’...
that word again! Guest conductors from the
orchestral world became a thing of the past and
good people from the band world took charge.
Great PR I’m sure, but not nearly so much fun,
and the audience figures reflected it. Then some
bright spark decided that it was too difficult
to organise all the sections in London on the
same day and devolved the Lower Sections
from the Championships. In one fell swoop, the
whole concept of a wonderful festival of brass
that took place in London on a given day in the
autumn was ended, and the world outside our
closed community lost interest.
Perhaps we have arrived at the central problem
facing the brass band, that nobody except
those involved, or who were in the past, is
actually interested anymore, and that sounds
too glib to be true. The audience figures speak
for themselves, though. Fifty years ago, the
audiences were not interested bystanders, but
people involved in banding, so there is one
area where a great tradition has been lost,
perhaps through carelessness, perhaps through
someone not having the will to tackle a difficult
situation and make it work. If the awareness of
the general public is the problem, perhaps the
powers that be have to work harder to create
a truly National festival of brass that will prove
interesting and attractive to those not directly
involved with the culture.
I seem to remember that there were few
guidelines when I started out. The band decided
who was going to be in it, which competitions
we were going to attend and which
commitments were too much to take on. The
contest organisers picked the music and the
judges and we abided by their decisions. There
was a registry of players and bands were not
supposed to play anyone who was registered
for another band or, more importantly, wasn’t
registered to them. I don’t remember it being
a problem. Now we have a major competition
to select the band that will represent England
in the European Championships, and bands
playing in it can borrow principal players from
other bands! How can that be right? Perhaps
the traditional way was better after all.
None of this matters to the vast majority of
bands. The players are there for personal
enjoyment - the sheer fun of making music with
other like-minded people. They quite enjoy
going to a contest a couple of times a year, but
it’s no big deal and they do get a bit bored with
having to rehearse one piece of music a lot,
at the expense of being able to play through
lots of more interesting music. They want to
be part of a better band; there is no point in
practising otherwise, but it’s a gradual process
and enjoying it is more important. They would
just like to be left alone to get on with it in their
own way.
Then there is the small minority of bands that
need the oxygen of publicity to keep their
empires going.
Maintaining the tradition of invincibility has
become more important than making music.
The kudos and financial gain from competition
success has become essential to keeping
these semi-professional bands on the road,
so competition success has become more
important than audience approval in the
concert hall. Perhaps all that is wrong with the
brass band is that at the highest level it has
become distant from the reality of popular
culture, and giving pleasure has become
secondary to the need to be winners!
Perhaps the band culture has become too
insular. Perhaps there are too many composers,
conductors and adjudicators who have never
gone outside the brass band culture and played
in orchestras that have had to wrestle with
Wagner, Puccini, Bruckner and Mahler, not to
mention the staple diet like Mozart, Beethoven
and Brahms. Those who have never had to
interpret anything bigger than a 15-minute
test-piece are less likely to have the awareness
to build an intellectual arc that can captivate
the listener and enliven the players. Neither are
they likely to be aware of the kind of musical
perfection sought by the best professional
ensembles of all genres, from Jools Holland
(what an eye opener that was) to the London
Symphony Orchestra, from Mnozil Brass to the
Vienna Philharmonic.
Perhaps the brass band needs to begin looking
outwards again, to find what people enjoy and
then find a way of delivering it. Maybe it’s time
for some of the top brass bands to come down
from the pedestal that they have created for
themselves and join the common herd again.
Now that would be a good starting point for a
progressive banding movement!
year again!
BB 8-9.indd 9 19-07-2011 16:00:39
BRITISH BANDSMAN PAGE 10
BRASS ROOTS
A dream will come true today (23rd) for Tony
Blain, Co-ordinator of the City of Chester
Training Band, when the band performs in
Hyde Park, one of London’s prestigious Royal
Parks. In 2010, Tony contacted the organiser of
events in the Royal Parks and asked whether
the Training Band could perform in London to
mark the tenth anniversary of its formation. It
proved impossible to get the band to London
in 2010, but the organiser scheduled it into the
2011 concert programme and this afternoon
it will play on the bandstand in Hyde Park,
under the baton of Steve Cutler, whose musical
background is in The Salvation Army and the
Royal Green Jackets. Birkenhead-based Steve
will have the support of his wife and two sons,
who all play in the Training Band.
Formed in 2000 to encourage young people
aged from seven to 70 to learn to play a brass
instrument, it is the training arm of the City of
Chester Band and undertakes engagements in
its own right. Since formation, a good number
of Training Band members have graduated into
the main band. Áine Jackson has gone even
further and has progressed to the Cheshire
County Youth Band/Orchestra and the National
Youth Brass Band of Great Britain (NYBBGB).
Áine is attending the summer course of the
NYBBGB at Repton School, Derbyshire and
will be unable to be with the Training Band in
London.
The visit to London will also see Training Band
members visiting Wellington Barracks as guests
of the Band of the Scots Guards and later
visiting Buckingham Palace to watch the Scots
Guards perform the ceremony of Changing of
the Guard, as well as taking in a West End show.
Quite a month then for Tony Blain and his wife,
Paula, for their eldest daughter, Kirsty, and
son, Nick, have just obtained LL.B and B.Sc
degrees respectively. On coming down from
Aberystwyth University, Kirsty has returned to
play with the bands and she will be playing in
Hyde Park along with her younger sister, Jessica.
Tony and Paula will also be celebrating their
silver wedding anniversary!
Anyone interested in playing in the Training
Band should contact Tony Blain on 01244
398468.
PolySteel Youth Band (PYB) has launched its
new website at polysteel-youth-band.webs.com.
PYB is a community youth brass band based in
Cheltenham, which offers young aspiring brass
instrumentalists access to high quality tutors
and conductors, together with opportunities
to perform with the band at prestigious and
unique concerts, all in a friendly and enjoyable
atmosphere. Under the helm of composer
and conductor, Tom Davoren, the band is
looking to increase its ranks and provide this
opportunity to as many players in the area as
possible. He commented: “If you are aged
up to 19 years, have your own instrument
and play to Grade 2-3 standard or above in
brass and/or percussion, then PYB is the band
for you to extend your playing experience,
technique and social network of brass-playing
friends in your age group. We have no limit
on the number of players in any section,
as long as we can all fit in the hall!” PYB is
looking to create strong partnerships with
Gloucestershire Music, GBBA and schools in
the Gloucestershire area and can be contacted
Willson UK Euphonium Artist, Charley
Brighton, will be soloing through Europe in the
next three months.
From today (23rd), he will be soloist with the
BBC Elstree Winds in Ostend and Bredene
music festivals, then to Royan in France in
August with the Brass Reflections Ensemble.
September takes him to Turin, Italy with the
Staines Salvation Army Brass. Whilst there, he
will donate four instruments from his collection,
to a young brass beginners group.
In addition, his 43rd recital at St. Mary’s Slough
takes place in August for which he has lined up
no less than three recently acquired vintage
euphoniums on which to perform.
Plans are also underway for Charley to return
to Virginia, USA next spring, when he will be
guest soloist with the Henrico Concert Band. He
previously toured and presented masterclasses
there in 2008.
Cranbrook Town Band is today (23rd) holding
a ‘Sponsored Blow’ in Cranbrook. As a part
of the local community, the band provides
free brass tuition for pupils in three local
primary schools as well as giving a number of
free concerts for local and national charities
during the year. The aim of the event is to
raise enough money for the band to be able to
continue to offer both of these activities.
The band aims to play outside the Hospice
in the Weald (next to the George Hotel) in
the centre of the town and will perform
continuously from 9.00am until 7.00pm.
However the members are allowing themselves
a ten-minute break every hour. Should it
be raining, the event will take place in St.
Dunstan’s Church during the morning and then
move to the Vestry Hall and take over from the
Farmer’s Market in there for the afternoon and
early evening.
The BB Issue No. 5669 11 June included a report
on how Wilton Royal British Legion Band
paid tribute to its oldest member, Jack Dwan,
by staging a concert in his honour. Jack, an
ex-Royal Marine bandsman and now 94 years
old, has played cornet in the band for over 65
years. The article was read by Mike Priscott,
aged 72, who realised that Jack was his teacher
60 years ago, and had introduced him to the
world of brass bands, with the then Salisbury
City Silver Band. After all this time it was a real
privilege for Mike to travel from Bath to meet
his tutor again, and attend a band practise at
Wilton, playing alongside Jack. Not many have
the opportunity to express their thanks for their
early training after such a time gap.
Jack was amazed to be shown an album,
Famous Cornet Solos, from Chappell (three
shillings and sixpence!), on which 60 years
before he had written comments and advice.
His tuition had included stressing the
importance of the need to play with feeling,
not obvious at the age of 12.
Wilton Royal British Legion Band’s practise
evening with Jack was most enjoyable, and
Mike was assured of another warm welcome at
any time. To view the concert, visit
www.wiltonband.co.uk
Friday 8 July saw the launch of a series of
workshops at Sellers International Youth
Band. Designed to give the youngsters a broad
yet intensive approach to music, the first one
was a huge success.
Chris Bradley, principal percussionist of Opera
North, led Sellers players through a rhythm
workshop. Chris’s warm nature ensured that
the players responded and grew in confidence
and skill throughout the evening. Starting off
with basic clapping, the class progressed to
more complicated rhythms and eventually to
BRASS ROOTS
BB 10-11-12-13.indd 10 19-07-2011 16:04:22
BRITISH BANDSMAN PAGE 11
BRASS ROOTSimprovisation using their instruments.
Sellers MD, Alexandra Kerwin, said: “It is both
my, and our co-conductor, Simon Kerwin’s
aim to give the band as many diverse music
experiences as possible. It benefits the band of
course but it also is of huge importance to the
players in their music education. Many thanks
to Chris; he was a delight to work with.”
Plans are in progress for the next workshops
including, jazz, singing and classes led by
leading players beginning in the Autumn.
President of the British Trombone Society (BTS),
Brett Baker, is inviting all trombone players
to attend a recording of trombone ensemble
music on Wednesday 27 July at the Adrian
Boult Hall at Birmingham Conservatoire, where
the first ever BTS trombone choir recordings
will take place. This is to introduce the BTS
Membership to a variety of ensemble music
and encourage groups to come together and
play. The membership is invited to join in on
the activities from 6.00pm onwards.
Brett would also like to highlight four further
BTS days taking place in the Autumn after a
busy start to the year, they are:
Sunday 11 September 2011: Northwest /
Midlands / North Wales BTS Day
featuring Davur Juul Magnussen, principal
trombone of the Royal Scottish National
Orchestra, Brett Baker and the Black Dyke Band
Quartet, Stephen Lomas (bass trombone) and
Porthywaen Silver Band - Porthywaen Silver
Band Hall, Oswestry.
Sunday 18 September 2011: Wessex Trombone
Day featuring Stephen Sykes, John Pritchard
and Brett Baker - Pimperne Village hall,Near
Blandford Forum.
Saturday 1 October 2011: East Riding
Trombone Day featuring Brett Baker, James
Stretton, Richard Walker, and Stephen Lomas -
The Hexagon Music Centre, Beverley.
Sunday 2 October 2011: East Anglia Trombone
Day and Annual General Meeting - Oundle
School, Peterborough.
It has been quite a year for the members of
Test Valley Brass. The band has performed
at Royal Wedding celebrations, St. George’s
Day Parade, travelled around and presented
taster sessions to local Cub and Beaver packs,
taken part in a tug of war competition at the
Houghton Poppy Party, been ten-pin bowling
and also to Laser Quest, held duck races to
raise funds, contested in the 3rd Section of
the Regional Championships at Torquay along
with performing with Steven Mead. On 22 July,
the band was due to set off to perform in York
Minster and at Alton Towers.
However, this dynamic group just doesn’t stop
pushing the boundaries. Last weekend, Test
Valley Brass Youth Band had no less than five
young musicians conducting and leading the
band at the concert, totally without assistance.
A fantastic first for Test Valley Brass!
During the past few months, as part of its
education scheme, the band has introduced
conductor training. The Test Valley Brass
Education Scheme has been designed to
compliment and link with that of Hampshire
Music Service, along with examining bodies
ABRSM and Trinity Guildhall. The conductor
training helps the young musicians understand
the importance of the whole band working
together and performing as a team, along with
helping them have an understanding of some
of the techniques used prior to moving on to
further studies if they so wish.
Alec Grimsey of Test Valley Brass said: “This
is a first for us and, I believe, for many brass
bands, to introduce conductor training to our
education system. The young people have
really enjoyed it and risen to the challenge.”
He added: “I don’t believe other bands offer
this and it allows those learning conducting to
have a greater understanding of a brass band
and how all the instruments work together.
It also helps these young people grow as
individuals and help with their self confidence
and leadership qualities as they have total
responsibility for the whole band when
conducting. This can be quite a challenge.”
New roadside signs have
been installed in Queensbury,
near Bradford, celebrating
the village’s most famous
occupant - Black Dyke
Band. One has been put on
each of the four main roads
leading into the village to
put both it and the band
‘on the map’. The signs have
been sponsored by a local
company. Among other
bands celebrated in similar
ways are Black Dyke’s local
rival, Brighouse and Rastrick,
and Wingates. We would
be delighted to hear of any
others.
On Friday 1 July 2011, Solent
Fellowship Band presented a charity
concert at Portsmouth Citadel Salvation
Army Corps. The concert commenced
with the band playing a march,
Wonderful Day (Steven Ponsford). Major
Cedric Hills (Corps Officer, Portsmouth
Citadel) welcomed everyone to the concert,
after which the band played, Trumpet Tune
(Purcell, arr. Ray Steadman-Allen) and Troika
(arr. Alan Fernie).
Also on the programme was God and God Alone
(Phil McHugh), Count your Blessings (Brindley
Boon - trombone soloist: Steve Jones), Deep
Harmony, a horn feature Thine Alone (James
Curnow), Can you Feel the Love Tonight (Elton
John and Tim Rice, arr. Frank Bernaerts) and
Love Changes Everything (Andrew Lloyd-
Webber, arr. Stephen Bulla).
The band concluded the first half of the
programme with The Blessing (William Himes).
The march, To Regions Fair (Norman Bearcroft),
a further congregational song and Light up
the Sunshine (Joy Webb, arr. Maurice Ozanne)
followed the interval.
People need the Lord (Greg Nelson and Phil
McHugh, arr. Tom Fettke, trs. Howard Davies)
and two works by Dean Goffin, The Light of the
World and Anthem of the Free concluded the
programme.
Further information regarding the band can be
found on its website:
www.solentfellowshipband.co.uk
BB 10-11-12-13.indd 11 19-07-2011 16:04:24
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BB 10-11-12-13.indd 12 19-07-2011 16:04:26
BRITISH BANDSMAN PAGE 13
BRASS ROOTS
Fairlop Brass is pleased to announce that its
first Christmas Concert of 2011 was a great
success!
The concert was held at The Old Parkonians
Sports Club on Friday 1 July, when an excellent
audience enjoyed a traditional festive evening
of carols, Christmas music and tinsel. This event
originated from a flippant remark made by
the band’s Musical Director, Kevin Jordan, last
December. The painful decision to cancel the
Old Parks annual Christmas was made due to
the poor weather. The car park was under a foot
of snow and access was impossible from the
main roads. At this point, Kevin said: “One of
the problems of staging concerts at this time of
year is the weather. The only way round this is
to hold the concert in the summer!” From that
point the whole thing snowballed!
The concert was excellent preparation for the
band, which this summer is recording its third
CD, which will feature Christmas music.
Christmas seems to start earlier and
earlier every year, with some of the major
department stores opening their Christmas
departments in August - Fairlop has started
just one month earlier!
Sunday 26 June was a busy day at the Royal
Northern College of Music (RNCM), with young
brass players arriving from all over the country.
This year, because Black Dyke Band was not
performing, resting after its triumph in Preston,
the event had a different flavour, including a
collaboration with the British Trombone Society,
as well as the usual wide range of events for
young participants.
The day was led by Nicholas Childs and John
Miller, with additional events devised by BTS
president, Brett Baker. Following good brass
practice, the first session was participatory,
with a choice of three warm-up events, full of
wonderful ideas for young players.
A noon concert was a shared event, starting
with a debut appearance of the brass band
of Junior RNCM, conducted by Les Neish and
Maria Molund, a Norwegian Masters conducting
student at the RNCM. This ensemble has grown
to full strength in the last year, and fielded 30
players in a high-impact performance. It was
followed by Chetham’s School Brass Band,
conducted by both David Thornton and David
Chatterton, who showed a polished and highly
musical approach to their performance. It is
wonderful that such institutions take brass band
and ensemble performance so seriously as part
of musical development.
The lunch break was serenaded by the Black
Dyke trombones on top form, with strong chops
after Preston, and this preceded a number of
afternoon masterclasses. Two of these were
generously hosted by Besson Instruments,
which supported Dr. Roger Webster and Les
Neish. I witnessed two spellbound groups
of young players watch and listen to these
exceptional communicators and performers. I
am further pleased that Les will be involved in
an ongoing role as Besson Visiting Tutor of Tuba
at RNCM, with four visits each year, in addition
to his pivotal role in the Junior school with the
brass band.
The day concluded with a Nicholas Childs
vintage special - a varied programme given by
the RNCM Brass Band. Following an opener of
Heaton’s Praise, the concert connected with
the British Trombone Society through Brett
Baker conducting a slick performance of Philip
Sparke’s Concerto Grosso. This was followed by
trombone soloist, Stephen Sykes, playing the
Langford Rhapsody. A radiant reading of Shine
as the Light was followed by a fond farewell to
various students who are leaving RNCM after
their studies, including Austrian Christoph
Blatzer, American Aaron Rivkin, as well as
familiar British banders, Rebekah Caldwell and
Mike Wells, who are moving on from their
outstanding studies in Manchester. Meanwhile,
the day’s participants took their places on stage
for a massed performance of 1812 to bring the
day to a close.
Roll on the RNCM Festival of Brass 2012…
John Miller
Les Neish workshop
Combined Junior RNCM Bands and Chetham’s School Brass Band
BB 10-11-12-13.indd 13 19-07-2011 16:04:36
WIRELESS BRASSWe take every possible precaution to ensure the accuracy of the details
given below. However, we cannot be responsible for changes to stated
times or running order.
Wednesday 27 July, 2130-2200. BBC Radio 2
Listen to the Band. Lucy Pankhurst is a young and innovative composer
who has seen one of her pieces ridiculed by a British audience then
applauded to the roof in America. Playing tenor horn herself, she believes in
giving today’s musicians something interesting and new to play while still
respecting the traditions of brass band writing. She talks to Frank Renton
about her award-winning music, the place banding has in her life and the
music she’d like to write for it in the future.
Listen to the Band is available all week via Radio 2’s website at
www.bbc.co.uk/radio2. Click on the playback section to hear the show, on
demand, for a week following transmission. Also available on the BBC iPlayer
by selecting Radio 2.
World of Brass Radio. John Maines introduces a weekly one-hour
programme of the best of international banding. Commencing on Fridays, the
rolling programme of the most recent two shows can be accessed 24 hours a
day, seven days a week, 52 weeks of the year on www.worldofbrass.com (then
click on the WOB Radio link) or www.worldofbrass.com/wobradio
This week’s programme includes: International Staff Band of The Salvation
Army (Dr. Stephen Cobb): Fanfare and Flourishes (Martin Cordner); Black
Dyke (Dr. Nicholas Childs): Peter Schmoll (Weber arr. Howard Lorriman),
Only For You (Paul Lovatt-Cooper - soprano cornet soloist: Paul Duffy); Cory
(Dr. Robert Childs): Ghosts, Goblins, Witches and Wizards (Darrol Barry);
New Mexico Symphony Orchestra: Bolivar (Eric Cook - trombone soloist:
Joe Alessi); Cory (Robert Childs): The Corsair (Berlioz); Black Dyke (Nicholas
Childs): One Day (Paul Lovatt-Cooper - flugel horn soloist: Zoe Hancock);
Household Troops Band of The Salvation Army (John Mott): True Courage
(Norman Bearcroft); Grimethorpe Colliery (Richard Evans): Little Fugue in
G Minor (J.S. Bach); Black Dyke (Nicholas Childs): Immortal (Paul Lovatt-
Cooper).
Local Radio for next weekSunday 17 July, 1905-2000. Sounds of Brass. FM frequencies: Bristol
94.9, Cornwall 95.2, Devon 103.4, Gloucestershire 104.7, Guernsey 93.2,
Jersey 88.8, Swindon 103.6, Wiltshire 104.3.
Available on the Internet at 1905 British time or at any time for seven days
after the broadcast. To hear the programme, access www.bbc.co.uk/devon
and click on Listen Live or Listen Again.
Phillip Hunt presents a programme of brass band recordings and news.
This week’s programme includes: Enfield Citadel Band (Jonathan Corry):
Battle Ready (Roger Trigg); Black Dyke (Nicholas Childs): Donna Diana (Emil
Nikolaus von Reznicek arr. Howard Lorriman); Foden’s (James Gourlay):
Amazing Grace (arr. William Himes), Shenandoah Fantasy (Jay Chattaway
arr. Todd Fiegel - trumpet, soprano cornet and flugel horn soloist - Jens
Lindeman); Cornwall Youth Brass Band (Allan Withington): The Rother
(Gareth Churcher), The Last of the Mighty Few (Simon Dobson); Japan
Staff Band of The Salvation Army (Hajime Suzuki): O Happy Day (arr. John
Larsson); Cory (Robert Childs): Ghosts, Goblins, Witches and Wizards (Darrol
Barry).
Requests and comments are welcome at e-mail: [email protected]
Monday 25 July, 2100-2200. Manx Radio
Time for Brass. Frequencies 97.2, 89 and 103.7 FM and 1368 AM and
worldwide on www.manxradio.com
Click on Listen FM or Listen AM for the programme at the time of broadcast
or on Listen Again for a week following transmission.
Ian Cottier presents a programme of brass band music and comment.
Sunday afternoons – weekly. Live show at 1300-1500 BBC Radio Leeds
and 1300-1400 on BBC Radio York.
Yorkshire Brass. David Hoyle presents a programme of brass band
recordings and listeners’ requests.
Listen live online at www.bbc.co.uk/radioleeds or BBC Radio Leeds FM
frequencies 92.4, 95.3, or 103.9. BBC Radio York FM frequencies 95.5, 103.7
or 104.3. Also available on the BBC iPlayer.
PROFESSIONAL NETWORK
BRITISH BANDSMAN PAGE 14
RICHARD PHILLIPS. Dip RCM, ARCM. Conductor, Adjudicator,
Composer, Arranger. 161 Butland Road
Oakley Vale, Corby, Northants, NN18 8FN
Tel:Tel: 01536 741447 Mob: (07905) 383645.
Email: [email protected]
STEVE PRITCHARD-JONES. FTCL LTCL DipMusEd G.Mus
LDBBA QTS. Conductor, Adjudicator, Teacher
12 Greenacre Road, Copthorne, Shrewsbury, Shropshire,
SY3 8LR. Tel: 01743 270489 07834 855064
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.stevepritchardjones.com
JOHN ROBERTS. conductor, adjudicator (member of ABBA)
17 Belfry Court, Outwood, Wakefield WF1 3TY
Tel 01924 871413 Mobile 0773 672 1939
Email: [email protected]
MARK SCOTT. Composing and Arranging
Telephone mobile: 07595917466
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.juicybrainsmusic.co.uk
NIGEL G. SEAMAN. ARMCM, ARNCM, Conductor, Teacher and
Adjudicator. 3 Garth View, Bedwas, Caerphilly, CF83 8EW.
Tel. (02920) 851198 or Mobile. (07779) 329446.
Email: [email protected]
ROY SPARKES. MISM, TECH(CEI) MIE, Conductor, Adjudicator,
NABBC and ABBA member.
76 Lear Drive, Wistaston, Crewe, Cheshire, CW28DS.
Tel. 01270-569290. Mobile. 07788 166777.
Email: [email protected]
RAYMOND TENNANT. DRSAM, Dip.NCOS. Conductor and
Ajudicator. 1 Newark Drive, Paisley. PA2 8NU.
Tel. (0141) 589 6466 or 07860 102708 (mobile).
STEPHEN TIGHE. ARCM, MLIA (dip), FPC, LDBBA,
Conductor, Band Trainer, Adjudicator.
11 Linfold Close, Braintree, Essex, CM7 9FB.
Email: [email protected]
07970 458079 (mobile).
BARRY THOMPSON. Conductor, Adjudicator, ABBA member
15 Hall Park Avenue, Crofton, Wakefield,
West Yorks., WF4 1LT. Tel. (01924) 863523 or 07773 950964
ROGER B. WEBSTER. 92 Bence Lane,
Darton, Barnsley, South Yorkshire. S75 5DA.
Tel/Fax 01226 388806. Mobile 07973 157907
Email: [email protected].
MELVIN WHITE. GLCM, LTCL, ARCM, Conductor and
Adjudicator. 25 Sinclair Way, Darenth, Nr Dartford, Kent
DA2 7JS. Tel. (01322) 293230 (home). 07802 796630 (mobile).
DENNIS WILBY. Conductor and Adjudicator.
“Marden” 83 Lion House Park, Mill Road, Hailsham, East
Sussex, BN27 2SE. Tel/Fax. (01323) 449083.
(Mobile) 07762 889520.
Email: [email protected]
DR. KEITH M. WILKINSON. 4120 Meadow Knoll Road,
Delaware, OH 43015, USA.
Tel./Fax. 00 1 740 879 3789.
www.alumcreekmusic.com
Email: [email protected]
JOHN WINTERFLOOD. ARCM, LGSM, Conductor and
Adjudicator. 103 Drove Road, Swindon, Wilts. SN1 3AE
Tel. (01793) 421511.
CHRISTOPHER WORMALD. Conductor, Adjudicator,
Arranger, Horn Soloist, ‘Steinbach’ 42 Sandileigh Drive,
Sandfield Park, Bolton BL1 8UF. Tel/Fax. (01204) 307555.
Email: [email protected]
BRITISH ASSOCIATION OF CHRISTIAN BANDS.
Secretary: Mike Priscott,
370 Bloomfield Rod. Bath BA2 2PD 01225 832041
Email: [email protected]
THE ASSOCIATION OF BRASS BAND ADJUDICATORS.
Secretary: C. Brian Buckley,
81 Galbalfa Road, Sketty, Swansea. SA2 8ND.
Tel: 01792 205896 Website: www.abbadjudicators.org.uk
THE BRITISH FEDERATION OF BRASS BANDS.
National Office, Unit 12, Maple Estate, Stocks Lane, Barnsley,
South Yorkshire. S75 2BL. Tel. (01226) 771015.
Fax: (01226) 771482. Website: www.bfbb.co.uk
EUROPEAN BRASS BAND ASSOCIATION.
Ulf E Rosenberg, President EBBA
Mobile 47/92 86 63 00, Tel. O 47/51 50 18 26
Øvre Strandgate 75 Fax O 47/51 89 30 05
N-4005 Stavanger, Norway
Email: [email protected]
Internet: www.ebba.eu.com
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BRASS BAND CONDUCTORS.
Secretary: David Ruel, 4 Chippendale Close, Blackwater,
Camberley, Surrey, GU17 9DS.
Tel: 01276 31074. Email: [email protected]
NATIONAL YOUTH BRASS BAND of GREAT BRITAIN.
Philip Biggs, Administrator, 2 The Coppice, Impington,
Cambridge, CB4 4PP. Tel/Fax (01223) 234090.
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.bandstand.demon.co.uk
SOUTHERN COUNTIES AMATEUR BANDS ASSOCIATION.
Secretary: Ian Carter, 10 Church Rd., West Drayton, Middx.
UB7 7PT. Tel: (01895) 420007
Email: [email protected]
ORGANISATIONS
P to Z
BB 14-15.indd 24 19-07-2011 15:59:46
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BRITISH BANDSMAN PAGE 15
DIARY DATESADVERTS
A list of forthcoming events that have been advertised in British Bandsman.
JULY
31-6 August - Swansea. International Brass Band Summer School.
29 - Nottingham. National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain, 7.30pm, Albert Hall.
30 - Stoke-on-Trent. National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain, 7.30pm, Victoria Hall.
AUGUST
6 - Repton. National Children’s Brass Band of Great Britain, 2.30pm, Repton School.
7-13 - Suffolk. Brass Band Summer School, Framlingham College.
26 - Croydon. Black Dyke Band, 7.30pm, Croydon Citadel Salvation Army.
SEPTEMBER
4 - Birmingham. Brass Band Gala Concert, 2.30pm, Symphony Hall.
10 - Manchester. Leyland Band, 12.00pm, Bridgewater Hall.
10 - Manchester. The National Children’s Brass Band of Great Britain, 2.30pm,
Bridgewater Hall.
10 - Manchester. The Fairey (Geneva) Band, 4.15pm, Bridgewater Hall.
10 - Manchester. The Great Northern Brass Arts Festival – Gala Concert, 7.15pm,
Bridgewater Hall.
10 - Hendon. London Central Fellowship Band, 7.00pm, Hendon Salvation Army.
17 - Cornwall. National Youth Brass Band Auditions, 12.30pm, St. Dennis Bandroom.
17 - Colchester. Stan Ford (piano), Dudley Bright (trombone) and Enfield Citadel Band,
7.30pm, United Reformed Church.
OCTOBER
1 - Dunstable. Brighouse and Rastrick Band, 7.00pm, The Grove Theatre.
16 - London. Music by the British Association of Christian Bands, 10:45am, Westminster
Methodist Central Hall.
23 - Leicestershire. National Youth Brass Band Auditions, 12.30pm, Ratby Bandroom.
NOVEMBER
5 - Manchester. National Youth Brass Band Auditions, 12.30pm, University of Salford.
12 - Sunderland. National Youth Brass Band Auditions, 12.30pm, University of Sunderland.
19-20 - Gateshead. Brass in Concert Festival, The Sage.
APRIL 2012
14-15 - Mechelen. Flemish Open Brass Band Championships, Theatre of Mechelen.
MUSIC FOR BRASS BAND by JOHN LAWES
Please phone 0118 988 2526 or07739 709 413
FOR A CATALOGUE
A selection of good second-hand band and
orchestral brass instruments available.
For details, please telephone 07974 412269
2 x BBb bass Yamaha, 4-valve, £650.00.
1 x BBb bass Sovereign 994, 4-valve,
offers welcomed. Also, several Eb basses,
contact 07974 412269
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ISH
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INSTRUMENTS
YES, GO AHEAD AND GET A SUBSCRIPTION!
BEAMINSTER ROYAL BRITISH LEGION Presents a concert with
Fairey (Geneva) Bandat St. Mary’s Church, Beaminster, Dorset.Sunday 18 September 2011 at 2.30pm.
Tickets £10 from M.Greenham 18 Higher Green, Beaminster, Dorset, DT8 3SE.
Tel. 01308 862493. Please send a S.A.E
SHEET MUSIC
Visit Steven Mead’s
website:
www.euphonium.net
For Sale. Bb Euphonium JP274 mk11. Silver Plate. Mid Range Intermediate.
Only used a dozen times.
As new in lightweight case.
SRP £880. Yours for £575 ono.
Must collect. Newbury. Berks.
Tel. 01635 248987 or 07831 705589.
BB 14-15.indd 25 19-07-2011 15:59:50
Phil Lawrence was born in Liverpool and began study of the trumpet with his father who played in the Salvation Army as a boy. At the age of 16, Phil became Principal Trumpet of the Merseyside Youth Orchestra, staying with the orchestra for 6 years. Phil subsequently attended the Royal Northern College of Music for post-graduate studies in trumpet, conducting and composition. During this time, he joined the famous CWS (Manchester) Band and also played with the Halle and BBC Philharmonic orchestras.
On leaving the professional trumpet scene after 14 years, Phil began a new career as a full-time composer which has led to well over 200 credits for television, radio and fi lm, working with brands such as Nike, Classic FM, The Times, Wrigley’s, Smarties, Ibuleve, National Savings and Royal Bank of Scotland. Phil has also composed music scores for a variety of fi lm genres including sci-fi and martial arts.
For more information visit; www.elmsstudios.com
WORLD OF BRASS - THE HOME OF BRASS SOUND
THE MUSIC OF PHIL LAWRENCE
1. As recorded by Richard Marshall on CD24606 Blaze.2. As recorded by Fairey Band on CD24883 It’s Not Unusual.
3. As recorded by Fairey Band on CD24883 It’s Not Unusual.4. As recorded by Fairey Band on CD24883 It’s Not Unusual.
1. Blaze – Concerto for Cornet and Brass Band 30034 £49.95
Cornet and trumpet sounds have been changing for some years. They have become heavier, more robust and have slower vibrato. The dynamic level now achieved by the average solo cornet player is 30% more than it was 35-40 years ago. This is mainly due to the bore of instruments and mouthpiece sizes (i.e. larger), the demands that modern day works for band place on the player/soloist, the greater variety of styles to be mastered and progressive teaching methods. The technical styles in Blaze are about these changes.Blaze blends symphonic blowing styles of the trumpet wih the virtuosic atrributes of the modern cornet player. Most solo cornet parts in works for brass band (more past than present) are clearly defi ned between low A and top C above the stave. Orchestral trumpet players need a working range of another fourth at either end of this and it is this range which has been incorporated into this concerto. The low register is much explored and the average tessitura throughout is constantly varied below and above the stave from pedal Eb to super F# (optional!). The ideology of this blend makes sense as the original dedication is to Rod Franks, Principal Trumpet of the London Symphony Orchestra and former member of Black Dyke Mills Band.The concerto exceeds ten minutes in length and is in one continuous movement comprising four sections and a solo cadenza. The style is quintessentially 21st century English with an element of nostalgia (modal/old English) thrown in. There are some hints at jazz and rumba with romantic English at the heart of the slow section.Blaze is very bold, the title itself refl ects this, full of bravura and constant amazement, offering little respite for the soloist and sapping much stamina. The opening statement from the soloist is without accompaniment, just as a matador stands alone in the ring for the fi rst few seconds. He looks as the massed crowd in defi ance thinking, “you are here to see me die”, so the soloist stares back at the audience and opens with the richest, largest sound (not loudest) one can muster, thus throwing down the gauntlet to the ears of all who might disbelieve what they are about to encounter; a gladiatorial cornet, a Blaze from the stage. For the soloist, it is a non-stop Blaze of sound, electrifying technique, sage-like musicianship, super-human stamina and sheer matador-like bravura with 10th Dan mastery of overall control, a test beyond the reasonable! For the listener? Of course, a Blaze never to be forgotten.
2. A Day in the Life of a Knight 29980 £49.95
The opening scene would depict standing on the battlements of a castle, hearing the thundering hoofs of our brave knight’s horse miles in the distance. His arrival is expected and his reputation is known across many lands. Today, he is to joust amongst mere mortal knights and compete for the hand of the fair (and local) princess. He vanquishes all competitors and wins the day.The scene moves to evening and court where reception and dance is to be held for our winning knight. Both knight and princess become centre of attention during the dance, their eyes only for each other.At last, the knight has a chance to be alone with the princess as they steal away from the celebrations to a starlit rampart above the castle gardens where the knight declares his everlasting love and pledges his life and honour to her. He asks for her hand while monks pray in the chapel below hoping for union. She says ‘yes’! It is announced in court, then trumpeted from the battlements.Day breaks and our knight is brought word of evil doings back in his own land. He leaves word to the princess that he will be back soon to take her hand. The trouble back home was a ruse to get him away from the princess so that one of the vanquished, a dark knight in the previous day’s joust, can summon a dragon to kidnap the princess for his own. As the truth of the deception reaches our knight, he quickly returns to face the varlet that has taken his lady. This time, it’s not a joust but a fi ght to the death with the dark knight and dragon. Our champion proves he’s the best once again and wins the day and the hand of his princess for ever!
3. The Wizard 29981 £34.95
The Wizard is a dignifi ed march with a difference, inspired by the best brass band marches and two of the great English composers of grand orchestral marches, Sir Edward Elgar and Sir William Walton.
4. A Long Ride in a Static Machine 29983 £34.95
Inspired by the composer’s experience of the M25 motorway, this quirky up-beat concert item takes both band and audience on a journey featuring the sound of roadworks, juggernaut multi-horns, fender-benders and Police sirens!
BB 16.indd 16 19-07-2011 16:01:28