The two organisations that respectively present the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain and the Australasian Open Competition have joined forces to commission the first joint Championship Section test-piece for both events.

Artistic Collaboration

Professor David King has spearheaded the artistic collaboration on behalf of Kapitol Promotions in the UK and the Federation of Australasian Brass Bands (FABB).

The result will be "The Torchbearer – Symphonic Variations and Metamorphosis on a Theme by Eric Ball", commissioned from the popular and eminent composer, Professor Peter Graham.

The Background

Talking about the background behind his inspiration for the piece, Peter Graham commented: “Some 20 years after his death, in October 1989, Eric Ball is still considered to be one of the most influential figures in the short history of the brass band, as the composer who bridged the gulf between old and new repertoire.

“At a time when transcriptions and arrangements formed the backbone of many band programmes, Ball produced a series of original works that went some way to giving brass band composition confidence and integrity. In his early years, as a full-time Salvation Army musician and in SA terms, he was considered something of a revolutionary, his work generally displaying a higher level of sophistication and technical awareness than those of his contemporaries."

“The Torchbearer reflects upon these aspects of Ball’s compositional style and, for those well versed with his music, the sound world evoked will be familiar territory. The work is based upon the trio theme from Ball’s SA "Torchbearers March", which demonstrates many of the composer’s characteristics – lyrical melody, the rising figure peaking at the interval of the 6th, tonal harmony and so on. As the variations progress, the theme undergoes a series of metamorphoses, which mirror in music a concept very much at the centre of Ball’s broader philosophy — that of transformation.”

Second Time

This will be the second time that a Championship Section test-piece from the pen of Peter Graham has been commissioned for British National Championships. His work, "Harrison’s Dream", was an outstanding success when it was set in Millennium year and was described as ‘…an absolute knockout’ by American Record Guide.

Innovative and Creative

Speaking about the collaboration, Philip Morris of Kapitol Promotions, which presents the British ‘National’, enthused: “It’s very exciting to have a test-piece written by a composer of Peter Graham’s international stature, as well as to collaborate with the Federation of Australasian Brass Bands — we’re sure that this new work will be enjoyed by both bands and audiences.”

It’s very exciting to have a test-piece written by a composer of Peter Graham’s international stature, as well as to collaborate with the Federation of Australasian Brass Bands...Philip Morris, Kapitol Promotions

He added: “I’d also like thank David King, who inspired this joint artistic venture between our two countries, thousands of miles apart. It was an innovative and creative move, and one that Kapitol hopes to repeat in the future with another organisation.”

Graham guest of FABB

Chairman of the Federation of Australasian Brass Bands, Rick Casagrande, also commented: “I would like to thank the Music Advisor of FABB, Professor David King, for initiating this joint commission with Kapitol Promotions in the UK.

“The opportunity of having the internationally acclaimed composer, Professor Peter Graham, linked with FABB, is a real honour for the organisation and we look forward to welcoming him to our shores as distinguished guest for the Southern Hemisphere premiere of ‘Torchbearers’ at this year’s Australasian Open.”

Premiere

The work will receive its British ‘National’ premiere on 17 October at the Royal Albert Hall, London and its Australasian ‘Open’ premiere on 24 October at Tweeds Heads, Gold Coast, Australia.