News

Following the success and oversubscription of the first event in 2006, the Dutch Bass Trombone Open will run again during 5-7th September 2008. The weekend workshop housed in a castle in Holland will be led by bass trombonists Douglas Yeo, Mark Frost, Phil Teele and Ben van Dijk.

The event is open to all bass trombone players, regardless of age or ability - there’s no “competition” element involved at any stage. We can host a maximum of 50 players at the event.

For full information, check out www.dbto.nl

Top 10-piece brass ensemble London Brass will be heading to Cambridge to lead a day of brass music next month. The workshops and masterclasses are open to all standards of players (Grades 1 - 8+) and will allow participants to play side-by-side with the top professionals. The day’s activities will be topped off in style with a full evening concert by London Brass.

The day follows on from previous brass days organised by Cambridgeshire Music, where have involved over 170 pupils with evening concerts featuring trumpet and trombone ensembles, tuba quartets and brass bands tutored by James Gourlay, Nick Hudson and John Miller. There have also been “endangered species” days for trombones and french horns led by David Purser and Simon De Souza.

London Brass Day
Thursday 20th March 2008
Workshops 10am - 5.00pm, Evening Concert 7.30pm
Concert tickets: £12.50 for adults, £8 for children
Workshops and concert combined ticket: £20
The workshops are for students in full-time education only

Please download the full details and application form (both are 10KB and PDF format). For concert tickets or more information, contact: Paul Rademeyer at Paul.Rademeyer@cambridgeshire.gov.uk or 01480 832857

Excitement continues to build in anticipation of the BTS South’s trombone day, publicised in the recent Summer issue of The Trombonist, the BTS magazine. In addition to the details already supplied, Paul Coker has requested all potential participants contact him in advance if possible, to get an idea of numbers.

The event takes place on Sunday 27th May at the Crown Hotel, Blandford Forum, Dorset, in the Seally Suite. Free coffee and registration takes place at 9am.

Bob Hughes (former LSO), Kevin Morgan (BSO) and John Pritchard (former LPO) will be taking masterclasses and mass blows to culminate in a performance of selected works. The idea of the day is maximum blowing.

Jonathan Warburton will be guesting after lunch and performing several world premieres of pieces written specifically for the trombone and more specifically bass trombone.

Trade stands will be there: Dawkes, The Valve and Maestros. Adrian Jarvis will be present to carry out on the spot repairs. Anyone with specific problems for Adrian, please get in touch with Paul Coker in advance, so that Adrian can make sure any specifics are brought with him.

We are working on ad-hoc guest players to visit and maybe perform and with any luck; fresh back from France the “Stagnant Fossils” will do a stint.

There will be a hot/cold buffet lunch and a cash bar for the afternoon.

Cost (including lunch): £20 to non BTS members, £15 to members and £10 for concessions (over 65, under 16 or students).

Paul Coker
BTS South Region Representative
Telephone: 01428 609741
e-mail: south@britishtrombonesociety.org

This Saturday afternoon, 12th May, Brett Baker is leading a workshop on “performance” for trombonists in the Bristol area. The event will include a massed trombone choir.

In the evening following the workshop there will be a performance by a new trombone choir organised by Don Jenkins at 7.30pm. Players include Bill Geldard, Paul Woodward, Brian Midgley, Steven Jenkins, Nathan Jenkins, Don Jenkins and Brett Baker.

Venue: Broadmead Baptist Church, Broadmead Shopping Centre, Union Street, Bristol
Times: Workshop 1.30pm, Concert 7.30pm
Workshop cost: BTS members free; non-BTS £10

Please contact Cathy Britton on 01454 619084 for more details.

Brett Baker invites all trombone players in the Manchester area to play on a recording of trombone music on Wednesday 11 April 2007. The most ambitious part of the project is to record the last movement from Saints-Saëns’ Organ Symphony and the Twelfth Street Rag with as many trombone players as possible. This forms part of a CD including pieces by the Black Dyke Trombone Quartet and solos by Paul Woodward and Brett Baker accompanied by Howard J. Evans on piano.

After the recording the Black Dyke trombone quartet will present a workshop from 8.00pm sponsored by Michael Rath Brass Instruments. Any British Trombone Society members get to take part in the workshop for free; non-members that are part of the recording have the option to join the BTS or pay £5.00. This is all part of an initiative to encourage brass band players to start up trombone choirs in the North of England and take a more active role in BTS events up and down the country.

The rehearsal for the recording of the two works is at 5.00pm and the recording takes place at 6.00pm at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester in the Lord Rhodes Room.

Leading players that have confirmed to play so far in the trombone choir include Richard Brown (Principal Trombone of Grimethorpe), Lisa Sarasini (Principal Trombone of Fairey), Kevin Holdgate (Carlton Main Band), Chris Houlding (Opera North), the Leyland trombone section, the Black Dyke trombone section and the Foden trombone section.

As Ian Bousfield’s concerto appearance with the London Symphony Orchestra on 9 March approaches, interest in the première is mounting.

Classical Music Magazine features the concert as their “Première of the fortnight” in today’s issue. The lyrical 20 minute piece for trombone and orchestra is described by its composer Jonathan Dove:

I got this idea of a trombone searching the night sky and the orchestra conjuring the constellations in response. It was actually only after I had this idea that I found out that Ian is often referred to as a stargazer.

The star soloist is also featured in the forthcoming issue of the Brass Herald with a candid interview, in which Ian reveals that until recently the planets hadn’t aligned for him to perform one of the gems of the symphonic repertoire:

I miss the camaraderie in England and the balanced musical diet from Shirley Bassey one day to Bruckner the next! But out here I’ve finally had my first Schumann 3! Twenty three years as a 1st trombonist and it’s never appeared on the schedule! I got a buzz from sitting on that top E flat!

On the day of the concerto, trombonists are invited to a whole day of events led by and featuring Ian Bousfield, Dudley Bright, Jim Maynard and Bob Hughes in the Trombone Extravaganza!

Friday 9 March 2007, 7:30pm
Barbican Hall, London

Steve Reich Variations for Winds, Strings and Keyboards
Jonathan Dove Stargazer (world première)
Mahler Symphony No 4

Michael Tilson Thomas conductor
Ian Bousfield trombone
Sally Matthews soprano
London Symphony Orchestra

Jamie Savan (cornetto) and Adam Woolf (sackbut) will be tutoring on a weekend course for all Renaissance wind players this April. Organised by the Gonzaga Band, the course will feature rehearsals and performances of poly-choral works of Gabrieli, Grillo and their North Italian contemporaries.

Having built on the success of two previous courses, the course has been renamed the Newark International Early Music Course to reflect participants coming from Ireland, Scandinavia, Germany, Spain and Australia! Past participants have included a healthy mix of amateurs, students and young professionals.

Based in the beautiful East Midlands town of Newark (UK), performances will take place in the Sunday morning service of the parish church, and (weather permitting) from the church tower, in what has become something of a Newark tradition.

Newark International Early Music Course 2007
20-22nd April
For Renaissance wind instrumentalists including cornetto and sackbut
The Gonzaga Band

Full information on the Gonzaga Band website.

Following last year’s success, the Dutch New Trombone Collective have announced their second trombone festival Slide Factory 2007. The festival will take place from 3-6 May 2007 in Rotterdam, Netherlands and has been blessed by the International Trombone Association as this year’s official International Trombone Festival for Europe.

The festival features a range of performances and workshops from both International and Dutch artists. The concerts will include with five world premières from distinguished Dutch composers, including a spectacular outdoor massed trombone ensemble including trombonists who attend the festival. There will be master classes and clinics, given by the featured artists, including Michel Becquet, Mark Nightingale and Wycliffe Gordon. Trombone manufacturers from across the world will allow visitors to try their latest products in the trade stand exhibition.

Concerts during Slide Factory 2007
The Festival opens on Thursday with a tribute to Urbie Green by Mark Nightingale, Bart van Lier and the New Trombone Collective. Friday brings a jazz concert by Bart van Lier, Mark Nightingale and Wycliffe Gordon accompanied by the Rotterdam Jazz Orchestra. On Saturday there will be a gala concert with Michel Bequet, Mark Nightingale and the New Trombone Collective, whilst Sunday will provide the grand finale with concerts by Les Saqueboutiers de Toulouse, Ben van Dijk, Jos Jansen and the Marine Band of the Royal Netherlands Navy.

Special guests:
Michel Becquet, Mark Nightingale, Wycliffe Gordon, Bart van Lier, Ilja Reijngoud, Jörgen van Rijen, Ben van Dijk, Jos Jansen, New Trombone Collective, Les Sacqueboutiers de Toulouse, Quartuor Kimoiz, Rotterdam Jazz Orchestra and the Marine Band of the Royal Netherlands Navy.

Slide Factory 2007, International Trombone Festival - Europe
Dates: 3-6 May 2007
Locations: De Doelen, Laurenskerk, Schouwburgplein; Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Kevin Price and Chris Mowat are heading up a Trombone Day in Bath for school pupils across the West of England. Organised by the Bath and North East Somerset Music Service (BANES), the day will feature the RWCMD 9-piece trombone choir as well as workshops, ensembles and masterclasses for pupils.

Friday 16th March, 10.00am - 3.30pm
Hayesfield Upper School
Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama Trombone Choir
Kevin Price (Head of Brass at the RWCMD), Chris Mowat

The day is open to anyone attending school in the Bath and North East Somerset area and adjoining authorities (Bristol, South Gloucestershire, North Somerset, Somerset and Wiltshire as well as Wells Cathedral School. The cost is £7.50 for BANES pupils and £10 for non BANES pupils.

Boston Symphony Orchestra bass trombonist Douglas Yeo arrives in Britain this week to take part in some brass band and workshop events.

His primary destination is the Butlins resort in Skegness (east coast of England, just north of Boston), where the Mineworker’s Brass Band Festival is taking place (19-22 January 2007). Doug is deeply involved with the charity Brass Band Aid which is raising funds to build a school in Adet, Ethiopia under the auspices of World Vision. All of his appearances in Skegness are in support of Brass Band Aid. Here’s an overview of Doug’s schedule:

Friday, 19 January 2007 (9.15pm): Brass Band Aid Celebrity Band Concert. Conducted by Richard Evans, this band is made up of top brass band players from England. The trombone section will consist of Nick Hudson, Bob Thompson (the founder of Brass Band Aid), Alan Fernie and Douglas Yeo.

Saturday, 20 January 2007 (3.00pm): The Big Blow. This is an attempt to organise the world’s largest brass band (over 2000 players) for inclusion in the Guinness Book of World Records. This is a fund-raiser for Brass Band Aid and should be great fun.

Saturday, 20 January 2007 (evening): Interview and performance with Stan Lippeat. An interview (along with Nick Childs and several others) where Doug will discuss a number of things and then perform Bill Geldard’s arrangement of In The Hall of the Mountain King with brass band. He will also present Brass Band Aid with a check for £1,500 which has been raised by the New England Brass Band (of which he is music director).

Sunday, 21 January 2007 (evening): Concert with Bones Apart. Doug Yeo joins the celebrated trombone quartet for a set of trombone quintets arranged by Stephen Bulla.

All of the above events occur concurrently with the Mineworker’s contest that will feature 50 brass bands through the weekend at the Butlins resort. More information on these events may be found at:

Brass Band Aid
4 Bars Rest (1), 4 Bars Rest (2)
Butlins
The Big Blow

After the events at Butlins, Doug heads to the west and south of the country for some teaching and other performances:

Tuesday, 23 January 2007 (morning and afternoon): Teaching at Chethams School of Music in Manchester.

Tuesday, 23 January 2007 (7.30pm): Performance at Chethams School of Music with the Pennine Brass Band (Ian Porthouse, conductor). Doug Yeo will be playing three solos at the concert: Adrian Drover’s tribute to George Roberts, Mr Nice Guy, Goff Richard’s Rainy Day in Rio and Bill Geldard’s In The Hall of the Mountain King.

Thursday, 25 January 2007 (7.00pm): Trombone workshop at the Taunton School with Nick Hudson and Douglas Yeo.

Anyone attending any of these events in invited to please come up and say hello!