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2024 4BR Solo/Ensemble CD of the Year

There were a number of fine recordings made by soloists and ensembles this year, but these were the trio that made the biggest mark with the panel

AWARD
  RE:BUILD by the trombone ensemble Slide Action claims the award this year

Winner: RE:BUILD

Slide Action
NMC Recordings: CD D289
Review: https://www.4barsrest.com/reviews/products/cd780.asp

2. The Beauty Within

Soloist: Sheona White
Featuring: Foden's Band; Lauren Scott (harp)
Conductor: Michael Fowles
Doyen Recordings: DOY CD430
Review: https://www.4barsrest.com/reviews/products/cd769.asp

3. Baut

Stig Nordhagen: Musikk for Eufonium
Soloist: Bente Illevold
Featuring: Gunnar Flagstad, Anders Kregnes Hansen, Strings Unlimited
AT Recordings:
Available on Spotify and other platforms
Review: https://www.4barsrest.com/reviews/products/cd766.asp

The superbly crafted debut CD from the Slide Action trombone ensemble is the '4BR Solo/ Ensemble CD of the Year'

As 4BR stated in its review, few releases have been created with such an innate sense of inventive musical thinking.

The arc of composition extends from 17th century baroque Purcell to 21st century game graphic notation with nine newly recorded works encompassing jazz, folk, DJ sample tracks, synthesiser modulations and cartoon animal sounds.

It gained 7 first choice nominations from the panel plus five others to claim the accolade.

Sheona White's elegantly delivered release 'The Beauty Within' with performances of rich musicality and sophisticated boldness is the runner-up, gaining 4 first choice nominations and five others.

Third place went to the dark explorations for the euphonium that came with the music of Stig Nordhagen and the wonderfully crepuscular playing, taut and unwavering of Bente Illvold. It gained 2 first choice nominations and 3 others.

Panel:

The Awards Panel consisted of: Iwan Fox (4BR Editor); Malcolm Wood (4BR); Chris Thomas (4BR & BBW); Gordon Simpson (brass band statistician); Anne Crookston (conductor/adjudicator); Sarah Groarke-Booth (conductor/adjudicator); Alexander Zwann (conductor/journalist); Jess Tredrea (conductor/musician); Tim Mutum (brass band historian); Tom Davoren (conductor/composer); Michael Franz (Editor Brass Band News Switzerland); Henk Van Loon (Editor CU Brass); Stein Skorpholm (broadcaster/musician); Camila Soderstrom Tveit (musician/adjudicator); Philippa Edwards AOM (conductor/performing arts producer)

few releases have been created with such an innate sense of inventive musical thinking4BR

Past Winners:

2023: Oskar Bohme: Trumpet Concerto & Pieces (Matthias Hofs)
2022: Keep the Music Playing (James Fountain)
2021: Resurrection (Prof David King)
2020: Eire Time (Gary Curtin)
2019: The Symphonic Euphonium II (David Childs)
2018: Life Force (Peter Moore)
2017: The Demonic Virtuoso (Owen Farr)
2016: Fantasy (Philip Cobb)
2015: Parallel Realities (David Thornton)
2014: The Symphonic Euphonium (David Childs)
2013: Stories of Life (Glenn Van Looy)
2012: Diamonds (Steven Mead)
2011: Dreaming of the Masters (Jens Lindemann)
2010: Moto Perpetuo (David Childs)
2009: Salt of the Earth (Les Neish)
2008: Audacious (Steven Mead)
2007: Eminence (Richard Marshall)
2006: The World of the Euphonium: Volume 5 (Steven Mead)
2005: Blaze (Richard Marshall)
2004: Legend (Peter Roberts)
2003: A Winter's Tale (Martin Winter)

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