Tickets are already on sale for the 2014 RNCM Festival of Brass, which for one year only is moving to Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall.

Classics

The event takes place on Sunday 26th January with a packed day of concerts, presentations and discussions focussed on the theme of British brass band classics.

It will include major works from the period between the two World Wars, when many leading British composers were encouraged to write for bands, paving the way for others to follow.

Finest fruits

The Fairey Band will perform Bliss’s majestic suite ‘Kenilworth’ (1936) with the students of the RNCM Brass Band featuring Holst’s evergreen ‘Moorside Suite’ (1928) and Brighouse & Rastrick following with one of the finest fruits of Elgar’s creative Indian summer, ‘A Severn Suite’ (1930).

Alongside these iconic works, some of the most highly regarded works from subsequent decades will be featured, such as Dean Goffin’s war-time ‘Rhapsody in Brass’, Elgar Howarth’s poignant ‘In Memoriam RK’, Gilbert Vinter’s ‘Triumphant Rhapsody’, Philip Sparke’s ‘Variations on an Enigma’ and John McCabe’s evocative ‘Cloudcatcher Fells’.

Legendary performances

Artistic Director Paul Hindmarsh told 4BR: "The Festival’s featured bands all played a major role in establishing the core repertoire through their legendary performances and recordings and the four great soloists, all with RNCM connections, have also pushed the boundaries of the brass repertoire.

Roger Webster plays Ernest Tomlinson’s virtuoso ‘Cornet Concerto’, David Childs performs the classic ‘Euphonium Concerto’ by Joseph Horovitz, David Thornton presents the British premiere of Paul McGhee’s ‘Kjeden’ (Chain) and Richard Marshall features Martin Ellerby’s ‘Cornet Concerto’."

Gala concert

He added: "No day of band classics would be complete without the music of Eric Ball, two of whose much loved late works are included, ‘Journey into Freedom’ and ‘Kensington Concerto’, the latter forming part of the festival day’s substantial evening gala concert."

This is given by the RNCM’s two associated bands, Black Dyke and Foden’s, alongside the RNCM Brass Ensemble.

Snell coup

In a real coup, the festival will also welcome back conductor and master arranger Howard Snell, who was for so many years an innovative Head of Brass at the RNCM and inspirational conductor of Foden’s.

Meanwhile, Black Dyke will mark the 90th birthday of Arthur Butterworth, with a performance of his powerful ‘Passacaglia’, and will also present the first performance of a new work by British Composer Award winner Simon Dobson.

Ticket information:

For ticket information visit www.bridgewaterhall.co.uk or www.rncm.ac.uk

The Festival’s featured bands all played a major role in establishing the core repertoire through their legendary performances and recordingsArtistic Director, Paul Hindmarsh

Full programme:

11.00am: The Bridgewater Hall
The Fairey Band
Conductor: Garry Cutt
Soloist: Roger Webster (cornet)
Bliss — Kenilworth; Tomlinson — Cornet Concerto; Howarth — In Memoriam RK; Ball — Journey into Freedom

12.30pm: The Barbirolli Room
In Focus 1: Howard Snell in conversation with Paul Hindmarsh

1.30pm: The Bridgewater Hall
RNCM Brass Band
Conductor: Russell Gray
Soloist: David Childs (euphonium)
Holst — A Moorside Suite; Horovitz — Euphonium Concerto; Wilby — Shadow Songs; McCabe -Cloudcatcher Fells

2.45pm: BWH Foyer
The Courtois Trombone Quartet with trombonists from the RNCM

3.45pm: The Bridgewater Hall
Brighouse & Rastrick
Conductor: Ian Porthouse
Soloist: David Thornton (euphonium)
Heaton — Glory! Glory!; Goffin — Rhapsody in Brass; McGhee — Kjeden, Elgar — Severn Suite

5.15pm: The Barbirolli Room
In Focus 2: A Future for Brass Bands — panel discussion led by Iwan Fox

6.30pm: BWH Foyer
Junior RNCM Brass Band
Conductor: Les Neish

7.30pm: The Bridgewater Hall
RNCM Brass Ensemble
Conductor : Howard Snell
Strauss — Festmusik der Stadt Wien

Black Dyke Band
Conductor: Nicholas Childs
Soloist: Richard Marshall (cornet)
Butterworth — Passacaglia on a Theme by Brahms; Ellerby — Cornet Concerto; Dobson — Journey of the Lone Wolf (world première); Vinter — Triumphant Rhapsody

Foden’s Band
Conductor: Howard Snell
Soloist: David Childs (euphonium)

Elgar (arr. Ball) — Froissart Overture Op 19; Ball — Kensington Concerto; Snell – Oration; Sarasate — (arr. Snell) Zigeunerweisen Op 20; Sparke — Variations on an Enigma; Wagner (arr. Snell) — Procession to the Minster