Three of the most talented young composers who have written for the brass band medium in recent years have been shortlisted for nomination for a 2014 British Composer Award.

Trio

Friends and compositional colleagues Simon Dobson, Lucy Pankhurst and Paul McGhee (pictured above with Gavin Higgins) form the trio of nominees in the Wind Band or Brass Band category.

Lone Wolf

2012 winner Simon Dobson has been shortlisted for ‘Journey of the Lone Wolf’, inspired by the musical and political life story — from peasant folksongs to jazz inspired anti-facist rebellion, of Hungarian composer Bela Bartok.

The work was commissioned by Dr. Nicholas Childs for the Black Dyke Band, and received its UK premiere performance as part of the RNCM Festival of Brass in January this year.

It is the set work in the Championship Section for the 2014 Dutch National Championships in Utrecht later this month.

Thowfen Raconteurs

2011 winner Lucy Pankhurst’s, ‘Thowfen Raconteurs’ was written in celebration of the 140th anniversary of the Wingates Band.

It also pays homage to its long term musical association with the famous Houghton Weavers folk group, as well as the band’s own rich history, based on hours of the composer’s research with people associated with them over the past 60 years or more

Commissioned by the Wingates Band with support from the PRS for Music Foundation, it received its UK premiere in October 2013 in Bolton.

Kjeden

Paul McGhee’s ‘Kjeden’ (Norwegian for Chain) is a substantive euphonium work inspired by a flexible musical sequence or series of connected elements, which explores relationships between the soloist and the accompanying ensemble.

The work by the 2012 European Brass Band Championship Composer Award winner was commissioned by Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen for his contemporary music Norwegian Brass Wind and was premiered by Belgian euphonium virtuoso Glenn van Looy, who has since recorded it on his CD release ‘Stories of Life’.

It received its UK premiere performance in January 2014 at Bridgewater Hall, Manchester as part of the RNCM Festival of Brass, where it was performed by David Thornton.

Friends and compositional colleagues Simon Dobson, Lucy Pankhurst and Paul McGhee form the trio of nominees in the Wind Band or Brass Band category4BR

McCabe and Birtwistle

Composer John McCabe, who was recently honoured with the Iles medal from the Worshipful Company of Musicians at the British Open Championship has been nominated in the ‘Instrumental Solo’ and ‘Orchestral’ categories for his works, ‘Sonata after William Byrd's Haec Dies’ and ‘Joybox’.

Sir Harrison Birtwistle, who wrote ‘Grimethorpe Aria’ over 40 years ago, is nominated in the ‘Vocal’ and Choral’ award categories.