*
banner

Interview with Dr David Thornton

4BR talks to Dr David Thornton, the Artistic Director of the 2024 RNCM International Brass Band Festival which returns again this weekend with a mouth-watering line-up of world class talent to enjoy.

RNCM
  Dr David Thornton is the Artistic Director of the Festival

Can't see the audio player below? Visit soundcloud.com/4barsrest

The 2024 RNCM International Brass Band Festival returns this weekend with the promise of dropping the rules "to encourage imagination, diversity, curiosity and openness".

There will be performances from Foden's, Brass Band Treize Etoiles, Tredegar, Black Dyke, Cory and Brighouse & Rastrick — each showcasing new as well classic repertoire.

In addition there are a host of a world class soloists in Sheona White, Lionel Fumeaux, Matthias Hofs, Siobhan Bates, Michael Cavanagh, Gary Curtin, Glyn Williams, Jamie Smith and Ellena Newton.

Add in performances from the Grimethorpe Youth Band, students at the RNCM, interviews and discussions and little wonder it promises to be an event not to be missed.

No wonder Dr Thornton is not just the only person looking forward to the weekend...

Find out more and tickets:

2024 RNCM International Brass Band Festival

Friday 26th January:

Festival Prelude
Carole Nash Recital Room
6.15pm

RNCM students perform world premieres of works by RNCM alums Lucy Pankhurst and Jonathan Bates.

Salford Quays Brass Quartet

Alicia Davis, Lewis Barton (cornets)
Emma Conway (horn)
Julian Bayley (euphonium)

Tickets: Sold Out

Free admission, ticket required

This event will end at approximately 6.45pm.

Friday 26th January
Foden's Band

Conductor: Michael Fowles
Soloist: Sheona White
RNCM Concert Hall
7.30pm

Fantasy for Brass Band (Malcolm Arnold)
Legend of a Giant (Kevin Houben)
Soloist: Sheona White
(world premiere of version for tenor horn)*
Hope (Dorothy Gates)
Allpamenta (Ignacio Freijo)
(UK premiere)
Pest Is Where the Noise Is At (Kamea Nemeth)
(world premiere)
Ragtimes & Habeneras (Hans Werner Henze)
An Epic Symphony (Percy Fletcher)

Tickets:
https://www.quaytickets.com/rncm/en-GB/events/foden's%20band%20-%20rncm%20international%20brass%20band%20festival/2024-1-26_19.30/rncm%20concert%20hall?hallmap

£9 (Under 26s and Students) + £1 Booking Fee
£18 + £1 Booking Fee

This event will include a 20-minute interval and will end at approximately 9.30pm.

Saturday 27th January:
Brass Band Treize Etoiles

Conductor: Frederic Theodoloz
Soloist: Lionel Fumeaux
RNCM Concert Hall
11.00am

Euroflash (Damien Lagger)
Fly or Die (Gilles Rocha)
Soloist: Lionel Fumeaux
Sand and Stars (Thierry Deleruyelle)
Remointze (Ludovic Neurohr)
Hypercube (Oliver Waespi)

Tickets:
https://www.quaytickets.com/rncm/en-GB/events/brass%20band%20treize%20%C3%A9toiles/2024-1-27_11.00/rncm%20concert%20hall?hallmap

£9 (Under 26s and Students) + £1 Booking Fee
£18 + £1 Booking Fee

This event will end at approximately 12.15pm.

Saturday 27th January
The 4barsrest Interview: James Gourlay

RNCM Theatre
1.30pm

4Barsrest editor Iwan Fox interviews tuba virtuoso and conductor James Gourlay about his life and work.

Tickets:
https://www.quaytickets.com/rncm/en-GB/events/the%204barsrest%20interview-%20james%20gourlay%20-%20rncm%20international%20brass%20band%20festival/2024-1-27_13.30/rncm%20theatre?back=2&area=3a2d4eea-8bd8-ed11-842d-93dfdf350cb8&type=ga

Free admission, ticket required

This event will end at approximately 2.15pm.

Saturday 27th January
Tredegar Band

Conductor: Ian Porthouse
Soloist: Matthias Hofs
RNCM Concert Hall
3.00pm

Momentum (Jude Radley)
(world premiere)
Balkan Children's Dance (Wolf Kerschek)
Soloist: Matthias Hofs
As If A Voice Were In Them... (Oliver Waespi)
Ein Spanische Weinacht (Wolf Kerschek arr. H R Schmidt)
Soloist: Matthias Hofs
Are We Dark Inside? (Ludovic Neurohr)

Tickets:
https://www.quaytickets.com/rncm/en-GB/events/tredegar%20town%20band%20-%20rncm%20international%20brass%20band%20festival/2024-1-27_15.00/rncm%20concert%20hall?hallmap

£9 (Under 26s and Students) + £1 Booking Fee
£18 + £1 Booking Fee

This event will end at approximately 4.15pm.

Saturday 27th January
Junior RNCM Brass Band

Conductors: Mark Bousie, Phil Goodwin
RNCM Theatre
4.45pm

To include:
War Cry (Dorothy Gates)
Graces of Love (Oliver Waespi)

Tickets: Free admission, ticket required
https://www.quaytickets.com/rncm/en-GB/events/junior%20rncm%20brass%20band%20-%20rncm%20international%20brass%20band%20festival/2024-1-27_16.45/rncm%20theatre?back=2&area=3a2d4eea-8bd8-ed11-842d-93dfdf350cb8&type=ga

This event will end at approximately 5.30pm.

Saturday 27th January
Black Dyke Band

Conductor: Prof Nicholas Childs
Soloists: Siobhan Bates and Mike Cavanagh
RNCM Concert Hall
7.30pm

Kenilworth (Arthur Bliss)
Fantasie Concertante for Horn (Philip Wilby)
Soloist: Siobhan Bates
Shades of the Soul (Stephen Roberts)
(world premiere)
Adam Zero Suite (Arthur Bliss arr. Robert Childs)
(world premiere)
Baritone Concerto (Martin Ellerby)
Soloist: Mike Cavanagh
Antiphonies on Themes by William Byrd (Oliver Waespi)

Tickets:
https://www.quaytickets.com/rncm/en-GB/events/black%20dyke%20band%20-%20rncm%20international%20brass%20band%20festival/2024-1-27_19.30/rncm%20concert%20hall?hallmap

£9 (Under 26s and Students) + £1 Booking Fee
£18 + £1 Booking Fee

This event will include a 20-minute interval and will end at approximately 9.30pm.

Sunday 28th January
RNCM Brass Band

Conductors: James Gourlay and David Thornton
Soloist: Gary Curtin
RNCM Concert Hall
11.00am

Gran Fanfaria (Giancarlo Castro)
Requiescant Aberfan (Martin Ellerby)
Deep Surge (Tom Harrold)
(world premiere)
Soloist: Gary Curtin
Another World — Concerto for Brass Quintet and Brass Band (Dorothy Gates)
Featuring: Rosamund Brass with guest tuba player James Gourlay
Adam Hofland-Ward & Seb Williman (cornets)
Georgia Woodhead (horn)
Alex Barron (euphonium)
Traversada (Oliver Waespi)
A Journey to the Bermuda Triangle (Pimpanit Karoonyavanich)

Tickets:
https://www.quaytickets.com/rncm/en-GB/events/rncm%20brass%20band%20-%20rncm%20international%20brass%20band%20festival/2024-1-28_11.00/rncm%20concert%20hall?hallmap

£9 (Under 26s and Students) + £1 Booking Fee
£18 + £1 Booking Fee

This event will end at approximately 12.15pm.

Sunday 28th January
'A Grimethorpe Adventure' — Grimethorpe Youth Band

RNCM Theatre
1.30pm

Presentation and performance by Grimethorpe Education Initiative, including 'A Grimethorpe Adventure' — an Arts Council England funded project and performances by Grimethorpe Senior Youth Band.

The performance is supported by the John Golland Trust and will include the world première of a newly discovered cornet solo by John Golland (written in 1984), performed by Grimethorpe's principal cornet Jamie Smith.

The performance will also feature two world premieres of works submitted to the Grimethorpe Colliery Band composition competition held in July 2023.

Tickets:
https://www.quaytickets.com/rncm/en-GB/events/a%20grimethorpe%20adventure'%20with%20grimethorpe%20youth%20band%20-%20rncm%20international%20brass%20band%20festival/2024-1-28_13.30/rncm%20theatre?back=2&area=3a2d4eea-8bd8-ed11-842d-93dfdf350cb8&type=ga
Free admission, ticket required

This event will end at approximately 2.15pm.

Sunday 28th January
Cory Band

Conductor: Philip Harper
Soloist: Glyn Williams
RNCM Concert Hall
3.00pm

The Year of the Dragon (Philip Sparke)
Euphonium Concerto (Philip Harper)
Soloist: Glyn Williams
Dance No.1 (Mihailo Trandafilovski)
(world premiere)
The Living God (Dorothy Gates)
Other Lives (Oliver Waespi)

Tickets:
https://www.quaytickets.com/rncm/en-GB/events/cory%20band%20-%20rncm%20international%20brass%20band%20festival/2024-1-28_15.00/rncm%20concert%20hall?hallmap

£9 (Under 26s and Students) + £1 Booking Fee
£18 + £1 Booking Fee

This event will end at approximately 4.15pm.

Sunday 28th January
Brass Bands England Presentation

Carole Nash Recital Room
4.45pm

A panel discussion on 'The future of brass band repertoire in an increasingly diverse society'.

Tickets: Sold Out

Free admission, ticket required

Sunday 28th January
Brighouse & Rastrick Band

Conductor: James Gourlay
Soloist: Ellena Newton
RNCM Concert Hall
6.30pm

On the Cornish Coast (Henry Geehl)
Colors (Bert Appermont)
Soloist: Ellena Newton
Invisible Fire (Dorothy Gates)
Tour de Force (Jim Self)
Variations (Thea Musgrave)
Wonderous Cross (Philip Wilby)
Diversions on a Bass Theme (George Lloyd)

Tickets:
https://www.quaytickets.com/rncm/en-GB/events/brighouse%20and%20rastrick%20band%20-%20rncm%20international%20brass%20band%20festival/2024-1-28_18.30/rncm%20concert%20hall?hallmap

£9 (Under 26s and Students) + £1 Booking Fee
£18 + £1 Booking Fee

This event will include a 20-minute interval and will end at approximately 8.30pm.

Become a supporter and help make our future secure.

4barsrest continues to be a proudly independent voice. There are no paywalls to overcome to be able to enjoy what we do to keep our journalism at the heart of the brass banding world. Support us with a one-off donation or subscribe from just £2.50 per month.

Support us    


Brighouse

Report & Result: 2025 British Open Championship

September 7 • A fait accompli for Brighouse & Rastrick and Prof David King as they are inspired by Shakespeare and Prokofiev to claim the happiest of Symphony Hall endings on 'Star Crossed Lovers'.


Band Supplies

Band Supplies at the British Open

September 6 • Go up and meet one of the best blokes in the banding business world and he will make sure you get all the help you need for the best deals.


4BR Review

Recap on the 4BR British Open preview

September 6 • If you missed the live broadcast British Open preview on 4BR then you can just click and enjoy it again ahead of the action at Symphony Hall.


Mead

Why not be a judge at the Open this year?

September 6 • If you are following the 'Sar Crossed Lovers' action at Symphony Hall today, let us know who you think has won.


Contest: 171st British Open

Saturday 6 September • Broad Street, Birmingham. B1 2EA


Contest: Lower Sections 1-4 National Finals

Saturday 13 September • Cheltenham Racecourse, Evesham Road, Cheltenham GL50 4SH


Contest: Lower Sections 1-4 National Finals

Sunday 14 September • Cheltenham Racecourse, Evesham Road, Cheltenham. . *Please note as of 24th August 2023 the date is provisional according to Kapitol Promotions website GL50 4SH


Petworth Town Band - Petworth Town Band at Petworth Heritage weekend

Saturday 20 September • Centre of Petworth Town GU28 OAH


Cheltenham Silver Band - Holst Birthday Concert

Saturday 20 September • All Saints Church, All Saints Road, Pittville, Cheltenham GL52 2HG


Delph Band

September 9 • We are a friendly, hardworking North West 2nd Section band based in Saddleworth. Rehearsal nights are Mondays and Wednesdays, 8-10pm at Delph Band Club. We are currently looking to fill the following positions; Tutti Cornet, Percussion and Eb Bass.


Otley Brass Association

September 7 • Front Row Cornet. -. Otley Brass Band are keen to recruit a 5th member for their front row cornets (position negotiable).. . This is an exciting opportunity to join a thriving band of 30+ players under the leadership of our newly appointed MD, Martyn Beecham


wantage silver band

September 6 • Wantage Band (Championship Section) have vacancies for a Bb BASS PLAYER and THIRD CORNET to complete their line up. Plenty of great concerts from now until Christmas with the Welsh Open, L&SC Area, British Open Grand Shield and Whit Friday in 2026.


David Hirst

MA, B.Ed (Hons), LTCL
Conductor, adjudicator and arranger


               

 © 2025 4barsrest.com Ltd