There was a warm welcome in a pre-RNCM Brass Band Festival rehearsal in Tredegar this week for Belgian euphonium star Glenn Van Looy.

The Geneva Instruments artist is performing with the band on Saturday afternoon when he gives the world premiere of a new concerto, entitled, 'BECH' by Ludovic Neurohr.

Lasting impression

Glenn flew in from Switzerland where he plays with the National and British Open champion, Valaisia Brass Band, and was soon in action rehearsing a work, written by his friend, that is sure to make a lasting impression on listeners, as he explained.

"It's a very different type of euphonium concerto,"he told 4BR. "First it's not very long — just over 8 minutes in length, and secondly, I play the first two movements in a different hall to the band!"

Isolation

'BECH' reflects on Glenn's musical life — with the opening solo movement recalling the hours of lonely practice he undertook in working on his ambition of becoming a world class performer — played in isolation in a different hall to the band.

The second movement, where he is joined by a quartet, adds to the growing sense of achievement as an artist playing with the award winning Exit Brass — something that is finally fully realised when he travels from the one auditorium to the other to join Tredegar for the final movement.

Lonely endeavour

The audience at the RNCM in Manchester will also experience that sense of lonely endeavour as the first two movements will be broadcast onto a screen in the main hall — whilst listeners around the world will be able to enjoy it through the composer's own Facebook page — perfect for Ludovic himself, as he will be in Guatemala where he is currently on honeymoon!

'BECH' reflects on Glenn's musical life — with the opening solo movement recalling the hours of lonely practice he undertook in working on his ambition of becoming a world class performer — played in isolation in a different hall to the band4BR

Innovative challenge

"It's certainly another innovative challenge,"MD Ian Porthouse said with just the merest hint of understatement.

"But that's what we like at Tredegar, and it's a privilege to be able to break new artistic ground with a world class performer such as Glenn. He is a remarkable player."

RNCM Brass Band Festival

Royal Northern College of Music
Saturday 27th January (3.30pm)

The Silver Star (Ray Steadman-Allen)
Sanctuary (Daniel Hall)
BECH — Concerto for Euphonium (Ludovic Neurohr)
Soloist: Glenn Van Looy
Dark Arteries Suite (Gavin Higgins)
James Cook — Circumnavigator (Gilbert Vinter)