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RNCM Festival of Brass 2005 |
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Building on the success of the 2004 Festival of Brass – described by one reviewer as ‘the most important festival of brass band music ever mounted in Great Britain’ - the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester has put in place an even more ambitious and far-reaching festival for January 2005. The 2005 RNCM Festival of Brass takes place at the College from Friday 21st to Sunday 23rd January.
The 2005 RNCM Festival of Brass boasts a superb line-up of bands, conductors and a veritable galaxy of soloists who will be celebrating significant birthdays of two of England’s finest contemporary composers, Edward Gregson and Elgar Howarth.
Opening the Festival on Friday evening 21st January, Grimethorpe Colliery (UK Coal) Band conducted by Elgar Howarth will see Grimethorpe’s principal tenor horn, Sandy Smith, give the world premiere performance of Howarth’s Concerto for Tenor Horn and Brass Band.
On Saturday afternoon (3.00pm), the Buy As You View Band conducted by Dr. Robert Childs will feature in their programme David Childs, the band’s principal euphonium, fresh from his historic BBC Proms concert concerto performance. David Childs will perform Elgar Howarth’s euphonium concerto Stories of Saroyan. Stories of Saroyan was originally composed for David’s father, Robert, in 2001.
On Saturday evening (7.30pm), the British Open Champions, Fodens Richardson Band, who will be conducted by Bramwell Tovey, have programmed Edward Gregson’s Concerto for French Horn and Brass Band. For this concerto the soloist, who is travelling from Canada especially to perform this work, is the horn player of Canadian Brass, Jeff Nelsen.
Sunday lunchtime sees the Brighouse and Rastrick Band give their RNCM Festival of Brass debut under the baton of their Professional Conductor and RNCM’s Head of School, Wind and Percussion, James Gourlay. During this concert James will swap the baton for the tuba to perform the Gregson Tuba Concerto and the composer and RNCM Principal, Professor Edward Gregson, will conduct his own work.
The International Staff Band conducted by Bandmaster Stephen Cobb will perform the Sunday afternoon concert (3.00pm). During their performance, long time principal euphonium of the ISB, Derick Kane, will perform Symphonic Rhapsody for Euphonium and Band by Edward Gregson.
The climax to the 2005 RNCM Festival of Brass will feature the newly crowned National Champions, The Black Dyke Band, conducted by Dr Nicholas Childs. Black Dyke have chosen to feature their principal trombone, Brett Baker performing Elgar Howarth’s Trombone Concerto.
Tickets are now on sale from the RNCM Box Office, telephone 0161 907 5555. A ticket allowing entry to all concerts can be purchased for as little as £39. Individual concert tickets and concessions are also available.
For further information please contact: Philip Biggs, Festival Administrator, telephone 01223 234090 or 07710 505689, philipbiggs@bandstand.demon.co.uk or: Jacqui Dale, RNCM Director of Marketing, on 0161 907 5282, jacqui.dale@rncm.ac.uk |