It’s always nice to get to the end of a piece of band music and find that everyone in the bandroom has a big smile on their face.

Thing or two

Brass arranger Matt Kingston knows a thing or two about writing music that’s fun to play, and with his new publishing venture, his arrangements are helping to spice up band practice.

"I feel there is a need amongst brass bands for new music that’s a bit different. We’re bored of playing the same old arrangements of Lloyd-Webber and pop medleys. So I started arranging music that’s fun to play, imaginative, and full of surprises. The first time I tried one out on my local band, there was a huge cheer at the end!"

And to make things even better, Big Shiny Brass will be giving 4barsrest readers a 25% discount on all purchases made this week!Big Shiney Brass

Big Shiney Brass

The arrangements were a big hit with bands — and audiences — and Matt started a new publishing company to reflect his music’s fresh and friendly style: BIG SHINY BRASS.

Entertaining

A quick look at the Big Shiny Brass website reveals a series of arrangements that are as varied as they are entertaining.

Lively Ragtime tunes and plaintive Irish melodies sit alongside more spectacular works, like Matt’s latest arrangement: a re-working of Holst’s monumental 'Planets'.

"The Planets was a real challenge to arrange” admits Matt. “How do you condense a 50-minute masterpiece into something that can be performed on a bandstand?!"

The solution was to restructure the piece into a three movement suite.

"I’ve combined the most memorable themes and created three very different moods: there’s a dark and brooding first movement, a tranquil second section, and a joyful, spectacular finale."

Buying the music

Even the way you buy your music is a bit different. Printed scores and parts are available (the crayon drawings of brass instruments add a nice colourful touch to the parts!), and you can also opt to download and print your own music.

Credit crunch busting

This downloading option is a credit crunch-busting way for bands to buy new music at a very affordable price.

25% discount

And to make things even better, Big Shiny Brass will be giving 4barsrest readers a 25% discount on all purchases made this week!

Use the discount code 4BR when making your purchase from www.BigShinyBrass.com