The Royal Northern College of Music will host its annual International Brass Band Festival between Friday 24th and Sunday 26th January.

Bands and soloists

It will feature performances from a range of outstanding bands — led by Foden's on Friday evening and followed on the Saturday by the Athena Brass Band from the USA, Tredegar, the Junior RNCM Brass Band and Black Dyke.

Sunday opens with the RNCM Brass Band, followed by Macclesfield Youth Band and Cory before the event closes with the Sunday evening performance from Brighouse & Rastrick.

Also featured are world class soloists such Ian Bousfield, David Childs, David Bremner and Ben Goldscheider as well as established stars from the UK banding world such as Tommy Tynan and Tom Smith , Belgian tenor horn player Tim de Maeseneer, and the featured performers with Athena Brass Band — Jen Oliverio, Ashley Hall-Tighe, Bente Illvold and Gail Robertson.

Arc of Repertoire

As always there will be a wide ranging arc of repertoire — from classics to world premieres and much, much more, as well as student and youth performance spotlights, discussions and interviews.

The event is being recorded by World of Brass in to be included on its Wobplay multi-media platform, so you can listen again to what promises a series of memorable concerts performances again and again.

The featured composer this year is Edward Gregson , honouring his 80th birthday celebrations, whilst there will also be works from the pen of Elgar Howarth who recently passed away.

4BR Editor Iwan Fox caught up with Edward Gregson (prior to the news of the death of Elgar Howarth) to speak about each of the eight works of his that will be featured over the weekend4BR

4BR Interview

4BR Editor Iwan Fox caught up with Edward Gregson (prior to the news of the death of Elgar Howarth) to speak about each of the eight works of his that will be featured over the weekend.

He talks in depth about each of them including his oldest, his 'French Horn Concerto' written in 1971 to his latest his 'Tenor Horn Concerto' written for soloist Tim de Maeseneer which will be given its world premiere in the concert by Foden's Band conducted by Michael Fowles.

In addition, he gives a personal insight into 'Laudate Dominum', his 'Trombone Concerto' to be performed by Ian Bousfield, 'Of Men and Mountains', 'Four Etudes', 'Dances and Arias' and 'Rococo Variations'.