New Sound Files

I have eventually added some more sound files to the player on my blog with some help from my good friend and composer Peter Meechan

The new tracks include parts of the live performance of Andy Scott's "Salt of the Earth" from the 2008 RNCM Festival of Brass and a short clip of "Zigeunerweisen" from the Gala Concert of Cornwall Youth Brass Band's Easter Course

Enjoy!!!

Les

Dalmellington Band

Well, after a great time in Cornwall I travelled up to Scotland to take part in a weekend with the Dalmellington Band. I must admit that it is a place I had never heard of before but after my weekend there, I sure won't forget it

I was asked to adjudicate their Annual Slow Melody Competition, perform some solos with the band and also take a Masterclass with Dalmellington's thriving Youth Band.

I had a fantastic weekend and was amazed to see such an amazing set up. They had a new purpose built bandroom which was absolutely excellent and it was amazing to see such a community spirit in such a small place. Everybody in the area supported the band and the players themselves were 100% committed!!

I must admit that the highlight for me was working with the Youth Band. They are a great bunch and the masterclass was really good fun for all. They responded well to everything I had to say and they even managed to follow my dodgy conducting too!!

We worked on the set piece they were preparing for the National Youth Championships at the RNCM. It was the Youth Band's first visit to the competition and they walked away with a Silver Award which is a great achievement. I am really glad the band did so well and I wish them all the best fro the future!! I really do hope to be back in Dalmellington some time soon!!

Cornish Youth Band

With over fifty members giving up their Easter holidays to make music, the four day residential Course of the Band culminated in a successful Concert at St Michael’s Church in Newquay on Easter Monday. The Course, which was based at Truro High School for Girls, involved intensive full band rehearsals as well as detailed sectional work with individual instrumental tutors. Directing the Course was Garry Cutt, the Conductor of not one, but two world class brass bands, Fodens and Grimethorpe Colliery. His testing choice of programme encompassed music from the early part of the last century by the legendary William Rimmer, to present day composers, Peter Graham and Kenneth Downie.









The Band was fortunate to be joined by the young Tuba Soloist, Leslie Neish, who flew in direct from an engagement playing for the President of Malta. Three of his solos were first performances of arrangements made especially for him. He also took a Master Class during the Course working with three members of the Bass Section, Rachel Crabb, Jacob Pritchard and Matthew Julian.










The opening march in the Concert was dedicated to memory of the late President of the Band, Micky Hunt, who had passed away just a week before. He had been connected with the Band since 1959 and had given countless hours of service helping the young players improve and enjoy their music making.

The high standard of the Cornwall Youth Brass Band and their dedication to music was commented on by The Mayor of Restormel, Councillor Pat Harvey, who spoke to the audience during the Concert and praised the young musicians and their supportive parents, saying that they were a credit to the County. The musicians, whose ages ranged from eleven to nineteen, came from nineteen parent bands throughout Cornwall and are supported at their monthly Rehearsals, and during the Course, by a team of local Tutors, all of whom have been members of the Cornwall Youth Brass Band in the past.

The Annual Awards of the Band were presented by the Chairman, Leonard Adams. The Youngest Player was James Telling, the Most Promising Player, Caitlin Strike, Most Improved Player, Zoe Teague. The W A Hunt Cup for the Player who had made the Most Conspicuous Contribution to the Band during the year was awarded to Edward Thomas and the Player of the Year was Lowenna Taylor. She also received The Eric Richards Memorial Shield from Mrs Janet Richards after having been voted Players’ Player by her fellow musicians. The A R Trudgian Youth Awards, which are presented at The West of England Bandsman’s Festival in June went to Joanne Rowe and Jacob Pritchard. The Chairman also made a Presentation to David Loukes on his retirement from the post of Senior Tutor and Music Co-ordinator after ten Courses.

SOUNDS OF BRASS

BROADCAST ON BBC RADIO BRISTOL, CORNWALL, DEVON, GLOUCESTERSHIRE, GUERNSEY, JERSEY, SOMERSET SOUND, SWINDON & WILTSHIRE EVERY SUNDAY EVENING @ 5 PAST 7
PRODUCED AND PRESENTED BY PHILLIP HUNT
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 LIVE ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB at 19-05 British Time at www.bbc.co.uk/devon or at any time for 7 DAYS after the Broadcast. To hear this weeks programme instantly, click on this direct link NOW, www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/networks/devon/aod.shtml?devon/sounds_of_brass


Listing for Sunday 20th April 2008.

PRAISE Wilfred Heaton
RULE BRITANNIA William Rimmer
PAVANE G Faure arr. Gordon Langford
CELESTIAL MORN Leslie Condon
Tuba Soloist Leslie Neish
SERENADE from THE STUDENT PRINCE S Romburg
arr. Alan Catherwood
Tuba Soloist Leslie Neish
Cornwall Youth Brass Band Conductor Garry Cutt

IN THE HALL OF THE MOUNTAIN KING E Greig arr. Darrol Barry
Brighouse & Rastrick Band Conductor Richard Evans

A SPECIAL PLACE Goff Richards
Combined Bands of Camborne and St Austell Conductor Goff Richards

SOUNDS OF BRASS Kevin Ackford
Camborne Town Band Conductor Kevin Ackford

THE TREVITHICK DAY DANCE arr. Geoffrey Self
Camborne Town Band Conductor Graham Boag

MYTHIC TREVITHICK Goff Richards
Camborne Town Band Conductor Graham Boag

Malta - Episodes and Echoes

Well after returning from Florida with the Battle Creek Band, I headed off to Malta with the Wind Orchestra of Sheffield University. Here I had the chance to perform Peter Meechan's Tuba Concerto "Episodes and Echoes"

Peter is a very good friend of mine and I commissioned the work in 2005. I premiered the work at the Beaumaris Festival with the Beaumaris Band that year and then in 2006 I premiered the work in it's wind orchestra version at the Firth Hall with Sheffield University Wind Orchestra.

I was delighted to be invited onto the tour with the band and had a fantastic time. The band performed three concerts in various venues in Malta and the highlight was the final concert of the tour. This was in the old university buildings in Malta and was an invite only concert, which included the President of the Republic of Malta as special guest. The performance of Pete's concerto was very well received and it was a pleasure to perform his work and with Sheffield Wind Orchestra too!!!

Brass Band of Battle Creek - Michigan and Florida

An all star line up of Brits help Battle Creek in their annual shindig celebrations.
Brass Band of Battle Creek continue to make new friends wherever they perform, and recently gave their annual spring concert in Battle Creek followed by three concerts in Florida, in Sarasota and Englewood. Although the temperature in Michigan was in the region of -3c and Florida was at 24c, the music and performance was just as hot at both venues!

"Although the temperature in Michigan was in the region of -3c and Florida was at 24c, the music and performance was just as hot at both venues!"

Once again the brothers Gray assembled a truly eye-popping in line up of brass artistes, that included Wycliffe Gordon, Mark Lawrence and Mark Frost (trombones), Steve Mead, Matt Tropman, Demondrae Thurman, Gail Robertson (euphoniums and baritones), Les Neish, Marty Eriksson, Phil Sinder, Dean Morley(tubas) as well as a galaxy of stars in the higher brass, including the special guest for the week, Maurice Murphy (ex Principal Trumpet, LSO).

It was a real treat to have Maurice in the band, and the trumpet cornet section were in awe the whole week! Maurice was persuaded to come by his good friend Richard Evans who was also conducting the band this time.

The band’s performance continues to reach new levels and this year the performances included 'Overture to Lawrence of Arabia', 'March from Midway', 'Born On The Fourth of July', 'Theme from Silverado', 'Tonight from West Side Story', as well as 'Baba Yaga/Great Gate of Kiev' and the 'Imperial March' from “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.'

The British contingent consisted of Martin Armstrong and John Rudkin (tenor horns), Mark Frost (bass trombone) Les Neish (Eb tuba) Dean Morley (Bb tuba), Steven Mead (euphonium), Maurice Murphy (trumpet) and Richard Evans (conductor).

SOUNDS OF BRASS

SOUNDS OF BRASS
BROADCAST ON BBC RADIO BRISTOL, CORNWALL, DEVON, GLOUCESTERSHIRE, GUERNSEY, JERSEY, SOMERSET SOUND, SWINDON & WILTSHIRE EVERY SUNDAY EVENING @ 5 PAST 7
PRODUCED AND PRESENTED BY PHILLIP HUNT
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. Repeated on BBC Radio Jersey only at 6pm every Wednesday.

AVAILABLE LIVE ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB at 19-05 British Time at www.bbc.co.uk/devon or at any time for 7 DAYS after the Broadcast.

To hear this weeks programme instantly, click on this direct link NOW, www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/networks/devon/aod.shtml?devon/sounds_of_brass

Listing for Sunday16th March 2008.

ENGLISH FOLK SONGS SUITE R Vaughan Williams arr. D Wright
SWING LOW A Mackereth
Tuba Soloist Leslie Neish
CARNIVAL FOR BRASS F Muscroft
Tuba Soloist Leslie Neish
Fucco Brass Conductor Jonathan Corry

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA A Lloyd Webber arr. Keith Wilkinson
William Davis Construction Group Band Conductor Keith Wilkinson

MEMORY A Lloyd Webber arr. Alan Catherall
Soprano Soloist Peter Roberts
Yorkshire Building Society Band Conductor David King

LOVE CHANGES EVERYTHING A Lloyd Webber arr. Stephen Bulla
Mount Charles Youth Band Conductor Jonathan Small

IT’S ALL OVER NOW Womack & Womack arr. Jock McKenzie
Foden’s Richardson Band Conductor Garry Cutt

THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR
Otto Nicolai arr. Howard Lorriman
Black Dyke Band Conductor Nicholas Childs