Masterclass with David Thornton

As part of Cardiff New Brass Festival 2011 international euphonium soloist David Thornton will be holding a Masterclass/Clinic, with Glyn Williams, supported by Sterling Musical Instruments.

The session will be held at St Johns Church in Canton from 2.00pm to 4.00pm on Saturday 11th June and is free of charge for any participants.

Participants will be allocated a set time with David with which they can either present a solo piece (unaccompanied) or explore any facet of their playing.

The masterclass session will be followed with a chance to test out the range of new instruments from Sterling and Glyn Williams.

There are a limited number of spaces available for the session so it is requested that interested parties email tomdavoren@gmail.com with their interest as soon as possible.

Any one who participates in the masterclass will also receive a free ticket for the evening concert featuring David, Dean Wright (Principal Trupet WNO), Simon Dobson, Oslofjord Band (Norway) and BTM Band.

The masterclass is open and free for anyone to observe, so why not come along and enjoy?

For more infor please visit www.cardiffnewbrassfestival.co.uk
 
 
This weekend has been fantastic for the BTM Band.

Dusting off the disappointment of our last set test piece contest in Swansea they posted another top 6 finish at the Grand Shield in Blackpool.

Performing the set test piece, 'Titan's Progress' off a number ten draw the band found their trade mark, exciting style of delivery right from the opening notes.

Now, some people may be thinking a top 6, why celebrate? Well, it has been a bit of a trying month for band. Due to a set of unforeseen circumstances involving very sad bereavement,  unemployment and player registration, the band has had to totally abandon its usual rehearsal methods in favor of a ten hour sectional day on Sunday 8th May and only four full band rehearsals full Monday - Thursday before the contest.

It was a great experience standing in front of the band as it pulled together as a team to deliver the goods.

Congratulations go to the Reg Vardy and Kirkintilloch Bands for their qualification places!

Whilst I await for the contest adjudications here is wht www.4barsrest,com thought of the performance.


B T M (Tom Davoren), 10

Opening - F:
Hits right between the eyes this with adrenalin fueled opening. Exciting but not always precise.

F - R:
Music is given so much space and time, and although not always 100% its a very persuasive sense of style that is heard. Farandole doesn't sound so flowing though - a bit mechanical, but the MD is certainly putting his stamp on this reading.

R - U:
Duet is seated and is played with a real sense of authority and style. Good stuff.

U - End:
A fugue that really motors along, but there is plenty of detail on show too. Fully committed playing this right to the huge ending.

Overall:
A Titan with the power of force 10 gale at times. Not really subtle, but by heck it was exciting.

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Cardiff New Brass Festival has been featured on the Guardian website.

The article all about the Symphonic Brass of the RAF, who will be performing music from the Royal Wedding to open the festival.

The piece to be featured is 'Valiant and Brave', composed specifically for the wedding by Wing Commander Duncan Stubbs and was the first music heard by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge as a married couple.

Read more at the Guardian Online.
 
 
Cardiff New Brass Festival, in association with Mr Tuba, are proud to announce that international euphonium soloist David Thornton is to headline our ‘Continental Brass’ concert on Saturday 11th June.

Taking place at the iconic Cardiff Metropolitan Cathedral, the concert will feature David performing an exciting solo set, featuring music by Simon Dobson, Lucy Pankhurst, Peter Meechan and Cai Isfryn, accompanied by the principal players of BTM Band conducted by Nigel Seaman.

David, who appears courtesy of Sterling Musical Instruments, will also be joined by the renowned Principal Trumpet of Welsh National Opera and RWCMD professor Dean Wright, who will give a performance of Peter Meechan's fiendish new concerto, Apophenia. The second half of the concert will showcase the vibrant talents of Norway’s Oslofjord Brass, conducted by Simon Dobson, who will amongst their own trendsetting band set perform a festival commission by composer of the moment Paul McGhee.

The addition of David as our headline act really is the icing on the cake for the 2011 Festival. With players from the band, orchestral and forces music worlds alongside our student showcase and Norwegian guests CNBF 2011 is sent to be an event to remember!

Stay tuned here or at www.cardiffnewbrassfestival.co,uk and the CNBF facebook and twitter for the latest Festival announcements!
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My website has been up and running for around two years now. It would appear though that for all this time the Twitter button on my home page has not been working!

This has only just been brought to my attention, I suppose have never noticed before as I would not really have the need to follow a link to my own Twitter account!

Sorry folks, all is working now, and have a great Easter.
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Glenn Van Looy is giving the European premiere of my Euphonium Concertino, 'Proverbially' this coming Monday at Brass Band Heist's annual concert at CC Zwaneberg in Belgium.

Conducted by Bern Van Thienen, this will be the first complete performance since the works recording in Australia a few months ago.

The concert will also feature guest soloist Steve Sykes (Tuba) and another premier performance, 'The Home of Legends' by Paul Lovatt-Cooper.

Good luck Glenn, hope it is a belter!!!




 
 
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Hi all! I have just rolled in from a successful concert in Swansea with BTM Band. It's been a while since my last post, so I thought I would have a bit of a relax and put finger to keyboard.

Tonight's concert was great fun, in the face of a little adversity! BTM were guests to the Morrison Ladies Choir, who along with piano soloist Robert Marshall provided an entertaining evenings music. The stage setup was however less then ideal, in fact there was no real stage at all! This resulted in the band being broken into three sections, each separated by a step level, rail and aisle. Not exactly ideal, but the band rose to the challenge well and a smashing performance and great social evening, courtesy
of the choir, followed.

BTM's next concert appearance will be back on the stage of the Millennium Stadium in May, for the Heineken Cup Final. Although there will, unfortunately, be no Welsh teams present, the band have been booked to perform the anthems and pre-match entertainment.

In contrast to our previous work for the WRU, the Heineken Cup organisers have commissioned a new set of pop song arrangements, for band and double choir, to get the crowds going!

Renowned vocal arranger Eilir Owen Griffiths has sent his first choir reduction (one of six in total) through today. There will be one song to represent each nation in the tournament, so I had better go and get cracking!
 
 
Its been about a week since my last blog. Sorry for the infrequency, I suppose it has been due to a mix of being bogged down with Cardiff New Brass Festival admin . . . . and actually waiting for something news-worthy to happen!

But happen it has! My Diversions on Calon Lan has been recorded in London this week by the Central Band of the Royal Air Force for their new massed bands album.

The piece has been selected as a part of the Royal Air Force Massed Bands Tour 2011, for which there is an accompanying CD release. Jonathan Pippen, the fantastic trombonist for whom I originally composed the work, will be performing Calon Lan with the bands at concert halls across the UK from September this year.

Keep your eyes peeled for performances at concert venues new you. Jon's playing in this peace really is not to be missed!


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Evening all, well, morning actually! I have just arrived home following a concert in the Malverns, so I will keep this one brief!

Its been a busy week so far! Rehearsals have started back up at BTM, I have been out and about with a  couple of other bands, reviewed some new arrangements and original works for Brass Band World and started the press ball rolling on the 2011 Cardiff New Brass Festival (if you want to know more the please visit www.cardiffnewbrassfestival.co.uk).

All following my godson Bradley's third Birthday, a world premier and the passing of a close friend earlier in the week.

Physical and mental exhaustion really is an understatement!

I was really pleased to make a little discovery, just now, whilst surfing the web. One of my pieces, again 'I Bob Un', has been covered as part of a 4barsrest.com New Music Review. Its a really generous write up and I am featured alongside some fantastic other composers. 

I have included the review below, but why not also visit the  www.4barsrest.com reviews section and check out what other new music is out there . . . . .

I Bob Un' – Tom Davoren

If you are looking for an high tempo finisher that can get even those most English of John Bull’s singing ‘Cwm Rhondda’ on the way home from your concert then this could be the one for you.

It’s an exploration of Caradog Roberts' hymn tune, 'Rachie', ‘I Bob Un’ (which means ‘one for all’) and is a new upbeat and modern twist on an old chapel favourite.

It’s full of the sweeping melodies interspersed with high powered rhythmic drive, a frantic fugue and wizz bang close.

Soloists are asked a fair bit to earn their corn, whilst a good percussion section is a must, in what are three clearly defined sections.

It’s bold, colourful, exciting and very Welsh, but that’s not a bad thing is it now?

Iwan Fox, Editor 4barsrest



 
 
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This weekend's BASBWE London Festival has been a a roller coaster of anticipation, disappointment and sheer musical fulfillment!

Firstly, what is BASBWE? If I'm totally  honest I had absolutely no idea until a chance conversation with Peter Meechan last December. Pete had just taken on his role as BASBWE Chairman and had some pretty fantastic ideas for revolutionising the accessibility of new music for wind orchestras and community bands. He asked if i would consider putting a piece forward for performance. I of course jumped at the chance to write my first work for wind orchestra, coming up with 'Looking In', a thirteen minute autobiographical piece.

So, lets talk about the event as a whole. All I can say is WOW! Its been some twenty years since the last BASBWE London Festival, and I can't for the life of me figure out why? It truly was a fantastic day of inclusive music making, masterclasses and accessible concerts; which most importantly featured exciting, engaging and thought provoking new music. All plaudits really must be directed at the two 'driving forces' behind the event, BASBWE Chairman Peter Meechan, and the festival Artistic Director, Spencer Down. Describing them as 'visionary' may seem a little like overkill, however to achieve such startling diversity as outlined  above in such a specialised, perhaps even insular medium, was some achievement indeed.

The day truly changed my view of the wind orchestra genre,  in particular the community wind band. I had no idea that amateur brass-wind performance had reach such a staggeringly high standard. It was though the system of post performance feedback that proved most enlightening.  The opportunity for groups to interact with composers like Nigel Clarke, Philip Sparke, Martin Ellerby, Paul Hart, Andy Keenan and Kit Turnbull was truly invaluable, a low pressure method of providing constructive criticism and boosting confidence.


Now for the funny part . . . .if only I had made it to the event in time to actually hear my piece!

It turns out that there are multiple 'Bromley's' on London's rail network, and I managed to end up in the wrong one! Bromley-by-Bow, as it turns out, is actually in Islington and not very near the real Bromley at all! After a hectic string of trains, buses and eventually a heady mix of my trusted Volvo and the M25, I arrived . . . .greeted by the final chords of Eynsford Concert Band performing Nigel Clarke's Gagarin, the  programmed immediately after mine!

So, to cut a long story short, I missed what was by all accounts a great performance by the Eynsford Concert Band and John Hutchins. It really was difficult to hide my disappointment. However, Prozone Music were at hand making a high quality recording, one which I await the arrival of with bated breath!

Congratulations to everyone involved with BASBWE London Festival 2011, what a resounding success. Thank you to Peter Meechan and Spencer Down, and special thanks to John Hutchins and the Eynsford Concert Band.






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