Three of the brass band world's leading composers will host a special seminar at the forthcoming European Brass Band Championships in Palanga.

Philip Sparke, Oliver Waespi and Edward Gregson will lead presentations on 'Writing for Brass Bands in the Modern Age' on Thursday 2nd May at Palanga Concert Hall.

It is hoped that the afternoon event (2.00pm — 5.30pm) will attract interest not only from Lithuanian composers wishing to write for the medium, but also those from around Europe and beyond who are considering it themselves.

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A spokesperson told 4BR: "The seminar will explore the processes of composing for brass bands; the basics of instrumentation, scoring, textural and technical considerations.

It will also look at structure and form and will demonstrate these aspects through examples of published works from three of the most respected and influential composers for the medium."

Sparke, Gregson and Waespi

Philip Sparke, who has written the set-work for this year's Championship Section competition, will present a basic description of brass band scoring for those not familiar with the instrumentation and quirky scoring customs.

He will also discuss the birth of the brass band and the philosophy of Sax's 'consort' family of instruments.

Edward Gregson will use his celebrated 1977 composition 'Connotations' to illustrate how technical considerations have changed over the past 50 years, and how composers must understand how to meet these.

Oliver Waespi use his work, 'As if a voice were in them' to present some advanced techniques of composition and orchestration in terms of colour, dynamics and tempi and multi-rhythms, as well as the importance of range.

There will also be a round table discussion to ask further questions.

Register

Participation in the seminar is free of charge, but registration is required at: https://shorturl.at/bcjwL