The British Association of Symphonic Bands and Wind Ensembles (BASBWE) London Festival 2012
Venue: Ravens Wood School Oakley Road Bromley BR2 8HP
Following on from the hugely successful London Festival 2011 - the first for nearly two decades - BASBWE is aiming to make the 2012 event even bigger and better.
The festival will again showcase the best of British wind band talent and feature some of the country's leading musicians, composers and ensembles. There is an international flavour this year with special guest trumpet virtuoso, Jens Lindemann. Jens will be taking a brass masterclass as well as performing two premieres in the Gala Concert.
Acclaimed Saxophonist Christian Forshaw, whose debut CD Sanctuary achieved no.1 positions in the classical music charts both in the UK and internationally, will be hosting this year's wind masterclass. Christian, who has his own record label Integra Records, is Professor of Saxophone at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama.
Other highlights of this year's festival include the world premiere of Elgar Howarth's Horn Concerto for wind orchestra as well as the UK premiere of Philip Sparke's 2nd Symphony.
Elgar Howarth is one of the most conspicuous figures in modern English musical life, managing to maintain a multifaceted career as an international conductor, composer, arranger, and instrumentalist. While Philip Sparke is known to us all as one of Britain's most prolific wind band composers.
The day will culminate in a Gala Concert with performances by the Band of the Grenadier Gaurds and Bromley Youth Concert Band. There will be four other bands performing short concerts throughout the day namely, Invicta Wind Orchestra, Northampton Concert Band, XBY Concert Band and Kew Wind Orchestra.
One of the core aims of the festival is to showcase new and rare music by British composers. Premieres from the following composers will also be performed Nigel Clarke, Peter Meechan, Jeffery Wilson, Kit Turnbull, Tom Davoren and a new work specially written for the festival by Lucy Pankhurst - wind and brass band category winner of the 2011 British Composer Award.
To coincide with the festival, BASBWE will be launching an exciting new composition competition which will see UK resident composers of any age and background competing to see their works performed during the festival.
The winning composer will receive ?100 from Environ Music, a ?500 honorarium from BASBWE to produce a new work for another BASBWE Festival and the music will be considered for publication by Brasswind Publications.
One of the most popular events of the day is set to be the massed band sessions which allows all delegates to participate. The repertoire for these sessions will feature the best newly-released concert works for band. Publishers and composers are urged to submit new works for these performances.
The event marks a new era for BASBWE, which celebrates its 30th birthday this year, and is set to inspire existing members as well as attracting new ones.
The festival is free to BASBWE members and costs ?15 for a day pass for non-members (including the festival and gala concert).
Spencer Down, the London festival's Artistic Director, said: 'Last year's London Festival was an enormous success, but we are now looking to expand upon that success. We have a number of new initiatives such as the composer competition and the massed band repertoire sessions that will make this year's festival even bigger and better.
'We are particularly excited that Elgar Howarth will be appearing at the festival. Elgar is one of the UK's most prominent musicians, known for both his work as a conductor and composer, working with the nation's leading orchestras. It is an immense privilege to have him involved.
'As well as showcasing new works by British composers, we will also be including a number of 2nd performances of undiscovered works. These are pieces which deserve a wider hearing and we cannot wait for people to hear them.'
BASBWE chairman Peter Meechan said the coming festival marked another important stage in promoting wind band music in the UK.
He said: 'The London Festival 2012 promises to feature a 'who's who' of the British wind band scene. But it will be the participants who make this event. We have listened to the BASBWE members and are looking for ways to help them thrive.'
'We are making great progress as an association, and the energy and enthusiasm from Spencer (Down) and John (Holland) will help make this a fantastic event. As a composer, I am particularly excited about the premieres - but almost as important are the 2nd performances Spencer is programming. Most composers will tell you that they are often the most difficult to find opportunities for.'
'But it's not just composers - we have seen at our 2011 events in Bromley and Shrewsbury just how much the massed band sessions are enjoyed, so there is plenty of opportunities for delegates to take their instruments out of their cases and "have a blow"!'
With special guest Jens Lindemann, recently named "International Brass Personality of the Year" by the Brass Herald, trade stands including Studio Music, Prozone and Howarth's and with more than 12 premieres being performed, this is sure to be a day not to miss.
BASBWE London 2012 Festival
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London Festival 2012 - Programme of Events
Unless specified, all activities take place in the Main HallMusic listed is subject to confirmation or alteration
10.00am - REGISTRATION
10.30am - 11.15am - MASSED BAND and OPENING PERFORMANCE (open to all) Guest Conductor - Guy Woolfenden
11.30am - 1.00pm - BAND CONCERT 1:
Invicta Wind Orchestra Conducted by Jeremy Cooper
March: Fougasse, Richard Hubbert, Overture to an Imaginary Silent Film, John Holland, (BASBWE competition)
Antiphonies, Alan Ridout, Jubilo, Fergal Carroll
Far From Home, Kit Turnbull, (London premiere)
Towards a Better World (from Spirit of Youth), Trevor Widdicombe
Northampton Concert Band Conducted by Stephen Bell
Fandango, Frank Perkins, arr. Floyd E. Werle
Concert Etude, (Soloist: Chris Cox), Alexander Goedicke arr. David Marshall
Flying God Suite: 1. Perpetuum Mobile, Gary Carpenter, Camden Music
Elegy, David Haddon, Reynard Music
Selections from Sweeney Todd, Stephen Sondheim, arr. Stephen Bulla
Highlights from Guys and Dolls, Frank Loesser, arr. Calvin Custer
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, Hans Zimmer, arr. Jay Bocook
1.00pm - LUNCH, Concert featuring The Guildhall Saxophone Ensemble
2.00pm - 3.00pm - MASTER CLASSES:
Brass [Main Hall] with Jens Lindemann (trumpet)
Woodwind [Dining Hall] with Christian Forshaw (saxophone)
3.15pm - 5.00pm - BAND CONCERT 2:
XBY Concert Band, Conducted by Dennis Mycroft
A December Day at Cocoa Beach, Joy Ellis
(BASBWE competition)
Symphony No. 2, Philip Sparke, (UK premiere)
Kew Wind Orchestra, Conducted by Spencer Down
Explosion Overture, Alex Woolf
(BASBWE competition)
Horn Concerto (soloist: Hugh Sisiley), Elgar Howarth, (World premiere)
"I Remember. Like I'm the only", Ella Jarman-Pinto, (World premiere)
Dreamscapes: 'Eldorado', Martin Ellerby, Studio Music and featuring guest vocalist Louise Clare Marshall: 'Big Girl Now' and 'Too Darn Hot'
5.15pm - 6.15pm - MASSED BAND - New Repertoire Session (open to all)
Come and join in a play through of new repertoire from top British publishers
6.30pm - Informal reception with composers and BASBWE officials
7.30pm - 9.30pm - GALA CONCERT
Soloist: Jens Lindemann (trumpet)*
Bromley Youth Concert Band Conducted by Michael Purton
The Band of the Grenadier Guards Conducted by Captain Michael Smith with Major Darren Wolfendale
Lincolnshire Posy, Percy Grainger, Ludwig Music
Ticket: 250654, Lucy Pankhurst, (World premiere)
Midnight in Buenos Aires, Adam Gorb, Studio Music
Grenadiers!, Rob Wiffin
Earthrise, Nigel Clarke, (Second performance)
Comedy Overture, John Ireland, C. Alan Publications
*Dreaming of the Masters III, Alan Gilliland, (UK premiere)
The Stars and Stripes Forever, John Philip Sousa, The John Church Company
Resplendent Glory, Rossano Galante, G. Schirmer
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