Young trumpet star Alison Balsom won a prestigious Classical BRIT award this week in the category of “Young British classical performer”. A notable achievement for any brass soloist, the award follows Alison’s recent CD release for EMI. The three disc EMI recording contract came about after being noticed during the Young Concert Artist Trust scheme which itself followed her win in the brass final of the BBC Young Musician of the Year 1998.

The BBC’s biennial classical music competition proceeded with the brass final during February at The Sage Gateshead, but it will not be televised until later this month. So British viewers will have a great opportunity to see and hear the next generation of talent. Who knows, one of them may well go on to be as successful as Alison Balsom?

BBC Young Musician of the Year 2006
Semi-finalists - Brass

Huw Morgan (trumpet) South Wales, age 18
Stephen Sykes (trombone) Somerset, age 15
Sasha Koushk-Jalali (tuba) Hampshire, age 18
Alexander Edmundson (French Horn) Lancashire, age 15
Ryan Gray (euphonium) Northern Ireland, age 17

Semi-final: Tuesday 16 May 21.00 BBC FOUR - Woodwind & Brass Semi Finals
Final: Saturday 20 May 17.20 BBC TWO

Bruce Nelson has compiled a book based on the teachings of famous Chicago tuba player Arnold Jacobs. As both player and teacher, Jacobs influenced a generation of brass players in America and beyond.

Nelson is a former bass trombonist of the Lyric Opera of Chicago and studied with Jacobs for thirty years. According to the publisher, Polymnia Press, this new book collects advice on six areas of playing a brass instrument: fundamental concepts, mental control, embouchure, breathing, articulation and practising/performing. Apparently most of the book consists of Jacobs’ own words, as Nelson quotes directly from the many masterclasses, which were videoed.

Another disciple of Jacobs, Brian Frederiksen, wrote a book several years ago called Song and Wind which touches on many of these topics as well as provides much biographical detail. Brian has contributed an appendix to Nelson’s book detailing breathing devices.

The book is available now online for US$21.95. For more information, please see the website of Polymnia Press.