Tredegar Band has announced that it is to work with six composers as part of its partnership with the Vale of Glamorgan Festival.

The leading contemporary music festival has pioneered the initiative that will see the music creators given the opportunity to work with the band under MD Ian Porthouse and award-winning composer David John Roche to develop works that will add to the brass band medium.

Non standard way

It will enable the composers to write in a 'person specific manner', allowing the development of the works to embrace brass band scoring in a new non-standard way.

David John Roche is also collaborating with the band over the next six months to bring the works to life through workshops and recording sessions. They will also receive further advice from Vale of Glamorgan Festival Artistic Director John Metcalf.

Initial worldwide applications were assessed by David and John alongside Deborah Keyser, Director of Ty Cerdd, artist and musician Teifi Emerald and Festival producer Kathryn Joyce.

Composers

The six composers chosen were Rhiannon Barber, Tim Collett, Florence Anna Maunders, Lucy McPhee, Hannah Paloma Ratigan and Francesca Simmons.

Rhiannon Barber is a disabled musician who creates music primarily with her voice to promote accessibility within the music industry. Tim Collett takes inspiration from the natural world in developing his interest in traditions, language and culture.

Florence Anna Maunders is an award-winning composer, currently studying a PHD at Cardiff University, who is rapidly developing relationships with leading brass bands and ensembles. Lucy McPhee is a musician raising awareness of little known topics. She is particularly interested in making contemporary music more accessible to d/Deaf musicians and audiences.

Hannah Paloma Ratigan is a singer songwriter, composer and sound artist who has released 15 tracks since early 2020 and is currently studying music technology and composition degree. Francesca Simmons is a performer-composer, often found working in experimental formats under the moniker Madame Ceski.

Albion and Nine Daies Wonder

Tredegar will perform as part of the Vale of the Glamorgan Festival in September, where they will feature 'So Spoke Albion' by Gavin Higgins and 'Nine Daies Wonder for Violin and Brass Band', featuring Mark Fewer, who gave the UK premiere of Bramwell Tovey's work at the RNCM Brass Band Festival in 2009.

Speaking about the initiative David John Roche said: "This bold approach will grant composers the freedom to focus on what matters to them and create new music in the most ambitious ways possible.

I've been tremendously lucky to work with the Vale of Glamorgan Festival over the last few years but this project is especially important to me. I grew up in Tredegar playing with Tredegar Youth Band, I am from Tredegar myself, and I am a huge supporter of their musical approach.

It's been an absolute joy to be part of such an ambitious initiative."

his exciting initiative brings together a superb brass band with a Festival devoted to the work of living composersFestival Artistic Director, John Mecalf

Exciting

Adding his thoughts, Festival Artistic Director, John Mecalf, said: "This exciting initiative brings together a superb brass band with a Festival devoted to the work of living composers.

The music which will feature exceptional composers to have worked recently in this medium, will also include world premieres by David John Roche and American composer Ben Wallace.

This adds up to a remarkable opportunity to get a glimpse of the future of brass band music."