Robert Simpson: Energy Context Robert Simpson composed Energy in 1971 for the Brass Band Championships. GUS won playing Energy, and since then the piece has been used at the 1980 British Open, the 1991 National Championships of Great Britain, plus many others. Most recently Energy has been used as the Read more…
Peter Graham: On Alderley Edge Context Commissioned for the 1997 National Brass Band Championships, Peter Graham’s On Alderley Edge was the set test piece for the Championship section. Described as a series of tone pictures, On Alderley Edge’s scene is set by this programme note from Graham: “The North Read more…
Derek Bourgeois: Blitz Context Derek Bourgeois studied at Magdalene College, Cambridge and the Royal College of Music, where he received specialist composition tutelage by Herbert Howells and conductor education from Si Adrian Boult. Bourgeois worked at a number of places as a lecturer, teacher and conductor, whilst also writing a Read more…
Kenneth Downie: St Magnus Context Last used as the championship test piece for the 2014 Regional Area Contest, Kenneth Downie’s St Magnus is a terrific work for brass band. The piece was commissioned by the Scottish Brass Band Association for the 2004 European Brass Band Championships in Glasgow. St Magnus Read more…
Philip Wilby: Masquerade Context Philip Wilby’s Masquerade was premiered in September 1993 at the Free Trade Hall in Manchester during the brass band British Open Championships. Since then Masquerade has been used for a number of contests including the 2002 Championship Section National Test Piece, the 2005 Grand Shield and, Read more…
Edward Gregson: Connotations Context Edward Gregson’s brass band test piece Connotations was initially commissioned for the 1977 National Brass Band Championship Finals held at the Royal Albert Hall. The winners of that year were the Black Dyke Mills Band, who further won the British Open in 1983 with the same Read more…
Interview with Philip Harper Award-winning conductor and composer Philip Harper has led the world’s No.1 brass band, The Cory Band, since 2012. He has won all the major trophies including the Grand Slam of all major titles in 2016 & 2019 – something now known as the ‘Harper Slam’. In Read more…
Hermann Pallhuber: Titan’s Progress Context Commissioned by Brass Band Oberosterreich for the 2007 European Brass Band Championships at Symphony Hall in Birmingham, Hermann Pallhuber’s Titan’s Progress is ‘On A Theme Of Mahler’. The piece has since been used as the test piece for the 2009 British Open and the 2019 Read more…
Paul Lovatt-Cooper: Enter the Galaxies Context Composed in 2008, and dedicated to the Cory Band, Paul Lovatt-Cooper Enter the Galaxies received its premiere at the prestigious Sage in Gateshead. Cory performed the work as part of their winning performance at the 2008 Brass in Concert Championships. The work has become Read more…
Philip Wilby: Paganini Variations Context Commissioned by the BBC in 1991 for their ‘Band of the Year’ event, Paganini Variations was first recorded by Grimethorpe Colliery Band in the same year. In recent years Paganini Variations has been set for the Championship section in the 2011 Brass Band Regional Contest. Read more…