The National Youth Brass Band of Wales is set to give its premiere of Richard Blackford's 'Orbital' as part of an ambitious programme of works to be featured on their 2026 annual course and concerts under the baton of Philip Harper.
It follows the news that it will be available for purchase from 4th September with further performances to be given by Tredegar Band and the cooperation band, who alongside Cory, Flowers and Foden's were its five commissioning bands in conjunction with Radio 3.
Based on Samantha Harvey's 2024 Booker Prize winning novel which follows six astronauts aboard the International Space Station as they orbit Earth, 'Orbital' reflects on subjects including the existence or nature of God, the meaning of life, and existential threats such as climate change.
Concert trio
The concerts which will take place in at the Pritchard Jones Hall in Bangor on the 21st August (7.30pm), St David's Cathedral on the 22nd (7.30pm) and at The Riverfront, Newport on 23rd August (2.00pm) will also feature works by Eric Ball, Tom Davoren, Philip Sparke and the MD himself.
Hutchinson
The guest soloist this year is Tom Hutchinson, the principal cornet of Black Dyke Band who will perform the imposing Ernest Tomlinson 'Cornet Concerto', first premiered over 50 years ago by his legendary Queensbury predecessor Maurice Murphy, and now regarded as a seminal work for the instrument.
Brass band traditionists will be delighted to hear Eric Ball's 'Sunset Rhapsody' originally written for the 1958 British Open Championships, as well as Tom Davoren's vibrant 'Valiaisia Variants', Philip Sparke's 'A Celtic Suite' to make the composer's 75th birthday year, and a trio of works from Cory's Brass in Concert 'King Kong' programme.
Harper delight
Speaking to 4BR, Course Director Philip Harper said: "I'm delighted to be leading the NYBBW again this year and looking forward to working with the latest crop of young Welsh talent, delivering three brilliant concerts together.
I've chosen a mixture of repertoire, including Richard Blackford's brand new Orbital, as well as Eric Ball's pastoral tone poem 'Sunset Rhapsody'. In Philip Sparke's 75th birthday year it also seemed an unmissable opportunity to play his Welsh tribute 'A Celtic Suite' from 1988.
I'm also looking forward to teaming up again with Tom Hutchinson as cornet soloist in Ernest Tomlinson's 'Cornet Concerto', and there will be other lighter programme items to appeal to all tastes."
I'm delighted to be leading the NYBBW again this year and looking forward to working with the latest crop of young Welsh talent, delivering three brilliant concerts togetherPhilip Harper
Programme
Anno 1920 (Philip Harper)
Orbital (Richard Blackford)
Cornet Concerto (Ernest Tomlinson)
Soloist: Tom Hutchinson
Sunset Rhapsody (Eric Ball)
Valaisia Variants (Davoren)
A Celtic Suite (Sparke)
Guest Soloist feature (TBC)
King Kong March (Bernstein, arr. Harper)
New York Rampage (Harper)
I Want to Break Free (Deacon, arr. Harper)
