Brass band music is to provide a central strand in Sir James MacMillan's 2017 Cumnock Tryst Festival in Ayrshire in Scotland.

At its heart will be a performance by Dalmellington Band conducted by Martyn Brabbins, Artistic Director at English National Opera, whilst there will also be a world premiere to enjoy from the renowned Wallace Collection.

From its beginning the Cumnock Tryst Festival has featured choral and brass music, both of which have particular resonances in the former mining town.

Welcome return

This year, Dalmellington Band makes a welcome return to perform with the Wallace Collection for an afternoon concert in the Old Cumnock Church on Saturday 30th September.

The event will see conductor Martyn Brabbins also return to his musical roots, as he began his musical life as a trombone and euphonium player with Towcester Studio Band.

Exciting festival

Sir James MacMillan CBE announced the programme for 2017 Cumnock Tryst at a special event that featured a performance by renowned Folk trio, Kilda, presented in partnership with Live Music Now Scotland.

He stated: "The Cumnock Tryst is now four years old and we are delighted to bring another exciting Festival of great music to East Ayrshire.

We have a wonderful array of artists in a programme that showcases the very best in performance by professional, amateur and young musicians, and gives an important platform to local talent alongside internationally renowned soloists and ensembles."

Premiere

He added: "I'm particularly pleased to welcome Martyn Brabbins to Cumnock. Now ENO Artistic Director, Martyn, like me, began his musical career as a brass band player, and we are looking forward to the concert in which he will not only conduct the Dalmellington Band, but will premiere pieces he has written specially for brass band."

The fourth annual Cumnock Tryst Festival will take place in venues across Cumnock, New Cumnock and Auchinleck, and in Dumfries House between 28th September and 1 October 2017.

Martyn, like me, began his musical career as a brass band player, and we are looking forward to the concert in which he will not only conduct the Dalmellington Band, but will premiere pieces he has writtenJames MacMillan

Programme

The concert will feature:

Resurgam (Eric Ball)
Pageantry (Herbert Howells)
As Above, So Below World Premiere (commissioned by John Wallace) (Jay Capperauld)
Miniature No 1 (Martyn Brabbins)
Overture from Fingal's Cave (Mendelssohn)
March from A Moorside Suite (Holst)

The concert is supported by PRS for Music Foundation and Cumnock and Doon Valley Minerals Trust.