The forthcoming third annual 2014 St Andrews Brass Festival will welcome over 150 brass players from across Scotland for a range of concerts and events exploring all facets of the rich history and exciting future of brass music.
The range of musical styles to be performed during the five-day event draws on the jazz, classical and traditional music worlds.
Wallace
Opening the festival on Wednesday 12th November with a lunchtime concert will be Scottish trumpet virtuoso John Wallace with his newly reformed Wallace Collection.
Festival Director Bede Williams told 4BR: “It’s a real coup for John to bring his ensemble. There are few brass ensembles in the world that have not been influenced by John’s pioneering approach to programming over the past few decades.”
Seminar
The New Wallace Collection will perform on historical and modern instruments on repertoire including the Boehme ‘Sextet’ and the Scottish premier of Eddie McGuire’s ‘Songs of the North’ with soprano soloists Jenny Stewart and Olivia Clark.
Those wanting to know more about John’s most recent research into period performance can hear him speak at a special Research Seminar held in the Byre Theatre.
Surround sound
On Thursday evening the Festival features a concert of brass and vocal music by Gabrieli, Schutz and Monteverdi performed by the St Andrews Renaissance Singers and St Andrews Brass.
Much of the music will be performed in ‘surround sound’ and in some cases even in quadraphonic sound, utilising all four corners of the historic St Salvator’s Chapel.
On Friday evening, students from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and St Mary’s Music School perform with Nigel Boddice and John Kenny.
Works combining brass with other instruments and timbres are featured. Terry Johns’ ‘Paolozzi’s Window’ utilises the traditional brass quintet with piano, whilst Steve Foreman’s ‘Clydean Coronaries’ pits brass against a bagpiper.
Mealor premiere
On Saturday the Festival welcomes Carnoustie & District Youth Band, led by the inspirational Michael Robertson.
Joining them will be Kingdom Brass who will perform the Scottish premiere of Paul Mealor’s ‘Baritone Concerto’ with third year University student Sarah Knight as soloist, as well as ‘The Severn Suite’ by Elgar.
On Saturday evening the University Wind Band and Big Band take to the stage for ‘A Guide to the Galaxy’ – music inspired by space.
It’s a real coup for John to bring his ensemble. There are few brass ensembles in the world that have not been influenced by John’s pioneering approach to programming over the past few decadesFestiavl Director, Bede Willams
Closing concerts
The Festival closes on Sunday with performances by the Alba Brass Quintet and the St Andrews Scholarship Brass Quintet.
Rev Dr Donald MacEwan will lead the University Service at St Salvator’s Chapel with the Alba Brass Quintet performing alongside St Salvator’s Chapel Choir and organ.
Finally, on Sunday afternoon, the Bell Pettigrew Museum hosts a concert by the St Andrews Scholarship Brass Quintet inspired by Nature.
The short, family-friendly event will include Vivaldi’s ‘Winter’, Saint-Saens’ ‘Carnival of the Animals’, and the first performance of ‘Sidewinder’ from ‘Snakes’ by Stuart Murray.
For more details
For more details go to: www.st-andrews.ac.uk/music/brassfestival
