News

Rod Franks will be conducting a symphonic brass ensemble in some classical arrangements this Sunday afternoon in central London. JDBrass is formed around Royal Academy of Music BMus student James Davies and has previously played a chamber recital at the RAM.

James Davies will present his arrangements of the last movement of Shostakovich’s 5th Symphony and Wagner’s Siegfried Idyll, whilst they will also perform the fanfare from Janacek’s Sinfonietta (arr. Chris Mowat) and Eric Crees’ arrangement of Bach’s Toccata and Fugue.

Sunday 8th June 2008, 4pm
Sunday Recital Series, St. George’s Bloomsbury, WC1A 2HR, London
Symphonic Brass Ensemble, conductor Rod Franks
FREE entry
Full information from JDBrass

Michael Nyman has set a piece for solo trombone and piano, to be given the premiere this Saturday by Peter Moore. This year’s BBC Young Musician winner will perform the piece at London’s Cadogan Hall as part of a Nyman festival.

With the title “If”, the piece is taken from the film score “The Diary of Anne Frank” and has been set by the composer to be accompanied by him on piano.

John Kenny will be performing with the Westmorland Youth Orchestra in their 60th Anniversary Concert in June. John will be playing the Carnyx in his own composition “The Voice of the Carnyx”, and Didgeridu in Peter Sculthorpe’s “Earth Cry”.

Saturday 28th June 2008, 7.30pm
Kendal Parish Church, Cumbria, UK
Westmorland Youth Orchestra, conducted by Noel Bertram
Tickets available from the Cumberland Building Society, Lowther Street, Kendal or by phone from Sedbergh Tourist Information Centre on 015396 20125.

For further information, please contact Noel Bertram noel@nbertram.fsnet.co.uk

This Friday, the silky sounds of Jiggs Wigham can be heard when he performs a free lunchtime concert at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, where he is a visiting professor in jazz trombone.

Friday 23 May 2008, 1.05pm
Lecture Recital Room, Guildhall School of Music & Drama, Silk Street, Barbican, EC2Y 8DT
Jiggs Whigham Jazz Trombone Concert

Acclaimed trombonist and visiting Guildhall lecturer Jiggs Wigham demonstrates jazz’s contribution to chamber music in a jazz trombone concert.

Nick Hudson is to feature as one of the guest soloists at the inaugural Ottawa Brass Festival in Canada. The festival is the first of its kind in Ottawa and will also feature brass players from the National Arts Centre Orchestra and their ensemble, Capital Brass Works. Spread over two concerts, Nick will be featuring music by Jacques Casterede, Nicola Ferro, Gareth Wood and John Kenny.

Following a series of workshops in Ottawa, Nick travels to Toronto to feature works by Steadman Allen and Donald Morrison, alongside others in a concert with the North York Temple Band conducted by Glenn Barlow.

Upon touchdown back at Heathrow, Nick will swiftly make the long drive up north to Cumbria to conduct a workshop and recital in the Queens Hall, Sedburgh on 8th June 2008.

The LSO Brass will be back in the Barbican for their annual concert next weekend. They will play some arrangements of both light and more substantial repertoire.

LSO Brass Ensemble
Sun 18 May 7.30pm
Barbican, London

Bach arr Maynard Prelude and Fugue, BWV541
Shostakovich arr Archibald Fugal Symphony
Debussy arr Maynard Three Preludes
Debussy arr Maynard Arabesque No 2
Elgar arr Bright Severn Suite

Trumpet: Roderick Franks, Gerald Ruddock, Daniel Newell, David Gordon, Christopher Deacon
Trombones: Dudley Bright, Katy Jones, James Maynard
Bass trombone: Paul Milner
Horn: John Ryan
Tuba: Patrick Harrild

Tickets £6-£18
Full details and tickets from the LSO website.

Come to a Devon venue to hear BTS member Bob Martin play some jazz.

Jazz at the Anchor
Thursday 15th May 2008, 8.30pm-11pm
Fore St Sidmouth, Devon
01395 514129
FREE admission

Featuring:
▪ Bob Martin trombone
▪ James Clemas keyboard / vocal
▪ Mike Thorn bass

Jazz to the Left and Right of Mainstream

Gordon Campbell will be in Somerset next month, featured in a trombone quartet performance.

The second ‘Trombonicity’ event, also featuring trombone solos and piano will take place on Tuesday 27th May at St Mary’s Church, Bruton, Somerset. The ensemble will also feature Garfield Austin, Keith Thomas and Andy Fawbert, with Elizabeth Hayley at the keyboard and the bass vocals of Christopher Sheldrake. The music will range from Haydn to Thelonius Monk.

stunning passages…breathtaking pyrotechnics…an entertaining and exhilarating evening from start to finish…” (Frome Festival review)

Tuesday 27th May 2008, 7.30pm
St Mary’s Church, Bruton, near Wincanton, Somerset
Tickets £8 (£5) on the door

This Sunday, 10-piece ensemble Westminster Brass will be celebrating the 60th birthday of Chris Hazell, famous for his Brass Cats and connection with the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble. The Blackheath concert also features the music of Byrd, Bach and Gershwin.

Sunday 20th April, 4pm
Westminster Brass
All Saints, Blackheath, SE3, London
Tickets on the door £5/£3

There will be plenty of brass playing to greet the Olympic Flame in London this weekend. There will be four brass groups on Sunday involved in the march through London in the celebrations:

• Redbridge Brass Band a Championship brass band
• Superbrass, a 10-piece composed of top London orchestral and session players
• Dennis Rollins’ band
• Balkan Brass

Between 11.30 and 12.00, the brass groups will play their own thing and come together for a joint piece. At 1pm there will be a massive trumpet fanfare from a raised platform in Trafalgar Square.

The march commences from Wembley Stadium at 10.30am and finishes at the Dome by 6pm. So do come and support, but watch out protesters…