Tredegar Band has revealed details of the brand new work from young composer Daniel Hall that will open its concert in Birmingham on the eve of this year’s British Open Championship.

Friday night

The event will be presented by British Bandsman in the Adrian Boult Hall of Birmingham Conservatoire at 7.30pm on Friday 5th September, with the first half featuring Daniel’s exciting opener ‘Colours in the Rain’ as well as a preview performance of the Symphony Hall test piece, ‘Vita Aeterna Variations’.

New commission

British Bandsman Editor, Kenneth Crookston, told 4BR: "We are delighted that as reigning British Open champion, Tredegar has shown such commitment to this event and has commissioned a new work to open their programme.

The concert promises something for all lovers of brass band music and will make a fabulous prelude to a full weekend of banding in Birmingham."

He continued: "Ian Porthouse has set out an evening of music to appeal to all tastes — from the chance to hear the British Open test piece and a new commission to showcase concert entertainment."

Colours in the Rain

Meanwhile, 17 year old Daniel Hall told 4BR that he was delighted to be asked to write a new work for such a high profile concert event.

"I was ecstatic to have been asked to write this piece and decided to create a short work which is unlike the vast majority of brass band fanfare compositions heard today."

Unusual

He added: "It’s a composition which starts unusually; most composers would approach the idea of writing a fanfare by using loud trumpet calls accompanied by basic major chords in the lower spectrum of the ensemble.

However, in my composition it starts with ‘The Rain Motif’ — a repetitive singular bar which tries to emulate the sound of rain, before the lower band introduce the fanfare theme and exploit a multitude of different colours and connotations which wouldn't normally be expressed in this genre of music.

After a calm section, the music intensifies and the main theme is once again sung, before being passed around the ensemble until it reaches its climax — with all instruments recapitulating each individual motif.

This final section of harmony tries to express the image of extraordinary colour through rapid rhythmic motion — hence the title."

Thrilled

Tredegar’s MD, Ian Porthouse, added: "We are thrilled at the prospect of performing at this event.

Daniel Hall is a very exciting young talent and his new work will prove a great opener to what we hope will be another great weekend for Tredegar in Birmingham!"

Ian Porthouse has set out an evening of music to appeal to all tastes — from the chance to hear the British Open test piece and a new commission to showcase concert entertainmentBritish Bandsman Editor, Kenneth Crookston

Concert details and tickets

The full programme is: ‘Colours in the Rain’, ‘Toccata — Oh the Blessed Lord’, ‘Sunset Over the River Exe’, ‘Raise the Roof’, ‘Vita Aeterna Variations’, ‘All Night Long’, ‘People’, ‘Damba’, ‘A Time For Us’, ‘Neath Dublin Skies, ‘The Heat of The Day’, ‘Close to You’, ‘Glorifico Aeternum’.

Tickets (priced £14.95) for the concert are still available from www.birmingham-box.co.uk/event/tredegar-town-band-in-concert/ or by calling the Box Office on 0121 245 4455.