In a rush of seasonal goodwill, two brass ensembles have released Christmas records freely on the Internet.

The esteemed LSO Brass Ensemble expanded their ‘horn’ section with car horns from five Chevrolet cars in a Christmas medley entitled “Honk-a-tonk Christmas”. The orchestra’s Principal Tuba, Patrick Harrild, says:

“Our musicians are more used to playing the likes of Beethoven and Mozart, so Car-mony has been an exciting challenge for us to bring some Christmas cheer in the most entertaining way possible.”

Hear the full seven minutes of car-olling on the Chevrolet website.

A more traditional 10-piece brass ensemble line-up Clarion Brass from Washington have released a cartoon animation Christmas card featuring a recording of A Partridge in a Pear Tree by William Berry. Viewable with the Macromedia Flash Player on the Figaro Tunes website.

The BTS invites all trombonists to a joint event with the London Symphony Orchestra. Featuring performances from Ian Bousfield and participation in a trombone choir led by Dudley Bright and Bob Hughes, the weekday event is of particular of interest to school children and students.

Timed to coincide with Ian Bousfield’s world première of Stargazer for trombone and orchestra by Jonathan Dove, the London Symphony Orchestra, in association with the British Trombone Society, presents a LSO Discovery Trombone Extravaganza in London’s Barbican Centre on Friday 9 March 2007. Join a whole herd of trombonists from across the UK and spend an inspirational day focusing on the trombone. Please see the attached flyer for full details.

To book your free place, or for further information, contact Eleanor Gussman on 020 7382 2534 or eleanor.gussman@lso.co.uk.

The soft sound of baroque trombones can be heard this week in a series of BBC radio broadcasts entitled A German Christmas. The BBC Singers have teamed up with His Majestys Sagbutts and Cornetts to perform three festive programmes including music by Schein, Praetorius, Pezel, Scheidt, Marini and Hammerschmidt.

A German Christmas
BBC Radio 3
Tuesday 12 December 2006 - 21:10-21:30 (details)
Thursday 14 December 2006 - 21:05-21:30 (details)
Friday 15 December 2006 - 21:10-21:30 (details)

HMSC have also recently recorded two CDs for release in 2007 on their new label sfz plus a disc of Guerrero with Michael Noone and Ensemble Plus Ultra.

UPDATE:
HMSC’s summer BBC Prom of Renaissance Venetian music is being rebroadcast on New Years Day on BBC Radio 3:
1 January 2007: 2215-2400 full details