Grimethorpe Colliery Band has announced the appointments of Dan Price as Composer in Residence and Nigel Clarke (above) as International Composer in Association.

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It is the latest brass band compositional link for Dan, following successful tenures as Composer in Association at Cory, where he worked closely with Dr Robert Childs, and at Black Dyke where as Arranger in Association he was involved with several ground breaking projects including a successful collaboration with composer Tolga Kashif for his 2012 Olympic Anthem ‘Let Your Light Shine’.

Thrilled

Grimethorpe’s Director of Music, Dr Robert Childs, who told 4BR: “I’m thrilled that Dan and I will be working together again. He helped me so much when I was at Cory, including a wonderful Brass in Concert victory in 2009, and I'm looking for the same sort of collaboration at Grimethorpe.

He is a huge talent who can turn his hand to many different styles of music and is equally at home arranging or composing. Grimethorpe have several really exciting projects coming up, not least a tour to Australia in August which will involve his music."

Exciting

Dan replied: “I'm delighted at the prospect of working with Robert Childs once again and of course with such a respected band as Grimethorpe Colliery.

I've already enjoyed working with them on a number of occasions under his tenure, but a more permanent association will provide exciting opportunities for new music to be composed and arranged.”

Progressive

In respect to Nigel Clarke’s appointment, Dr Childs added: “After a chance phone call with Nigel a few weeks ago I was reminded how wonderfully original and progressive his work is.

Although Grimethorpe Band does not undertake numerous heavyweight concerts or commission many test pieces, I am always asked about composers to recommend for such high profile occasions.

My idea is that we can partner other bands in Europe and further afield to jointly work with Nigel on major commissioned projects that leave a lasting legacy for the whole of the banding movement.”

Third time

This will be the third time in Nigel’s career that he has held a compositional position with a brass band, following tenures as Black Dyke’s first ever Composer in Residence, during which time he wrote the Euphonium Concerto `The City in the Sea’ for Bob Childs.

I’m thoroughly looking forward to working with Bob once more — and especially with a band with such a worldwide artistic reputation as GrimethorpeNigel Clarke

Worldwide reputation

More recently, Nigel was the first Associate Composer to Belgium’s Brass Band Buizingen under the baton of Luc Vertommen, writing two ground breaking works used at the European Championships.

He told 4BR: “I’m thoroughly looking forward to working with Bob once more — and especially with a band with such a worldwide artistic reputation as Grimethorpe.”