The Trombonist Autumn 2012

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Contacts British Trombone Society www.britishtrombonesociety.org Honorary Patron: Gordon Campbell Executive Board President Brett Baker 01606 783869 president@britishtrombonesociety.org Vice-President Carol Jarvis vicepresident@britishtrombonesociety.org Chair Ben Bouzan eastanglia@britishtrombonesociety.org Secretary Geoff Wolmark 01377 202209

Prelude

Autumn 2012 The Trombonist

Hello again!

Welcome to the Autumn issue of your favourite trombone magazine. Although the weather never quite shifted into summer mode, this hasn’t stopped the BTS from having a busy summer holiday season. You can read about events that have taken place across the country, including the BTS National Event in Cardiff, which was a great success and showcased some sensational trombone playing.

1-3 Church Street, Hutton, Driffield, Yorks, YO25 9PR secretary@britishtrombonesociety.org Treasurer David Carnac treasurer@britishtrombonesociety.org Development Officer Stewart Drummond education@britishtrombonesociety.org Staff Membership Manager and Bookkeeper Chris Sowerby 1 Ullswater Road, Dewsbury WF12 7PH, 01924 437359 Webmaster Edward Solomon 07903 152148 webmaster@britishtrombonesociety.org Associate Webmaster Mike Saville webmaster2@britishtrombonesociety.org Please submit news items for the website to Geoff Wolmark: news@britishtrombonesociety.org The Trombonist Editor Dr. Joanna Cambray-Young 07901 733719 editor@britishtrombonesociety.org Publishing and Distribution British Bandsman Advertising Gregan Quick 01933 445474 adverts@britishbandsman.com Design and DTP GK Graphic Design The Trombonist is published quarterly.

Please send reviews to Ben Henderson 77 Hallam Fields Road Ilkeston, Derbyshire, DE7 4AZ Representatives Scotland Chris Stearn 01360 860220 scotland@britishtrombonesociety.org Wales Arlene MacFarlane 07773 290975 wales@britishtrombonesociety.org North East & Yorkshire Simon Mansfield 01484 602401 northeast@britishtrombonesociety.org North West Kerry Baldwin 07920 022395 northwest@britishtrombonesociety.org Midlands Ben Henderson 07841 755155 midlands@britishtrombonesociety.org Northern Ireland Stephen Cairns 02892 602646 northernireland@britishtrombonesociety.org South Richard Debonnaire 07595 458984 south@britishtrombonesociety.org South West Tony Evans 01752 263069 southwest@britishtrombonesociety.org East Anglia Ben Bouzan 07970 502509 eastanglia@britishtrombonesociety.org Wessex Bruce Harding 01202 880814 wessex@britishtrombonesociety.org Brass Band Paul Woodward 01924 823840 brassband@britishtrombonesociety.org Jazz Jeremy Price jazz@britishtrombonesociety.org Young People James Howard 07906 392992 youngrep@britishtrombonesociety.org

As promised in the last issue, we have a feature on Katy and Christian Jones and how they are juggling two orchestras, a family and a new way of life. We also have insights from Johan de Meij on some of his well-known compositions for trombone, tips from the top from Derek Southcott and tips from the middle from David Whitehouse. Matt Gee and Mark Templeton advise us on upcoming orchestral concerts around the country and Donal Bannister tells us which discs have been influential and worthy of selection for a desert island getaway (although I worry that all that sand would play havoc with the CD player). Young stars of the future, such as Hannah Stell, feature alongside established players such as Peter Younghusband, who is now enjoying the sunshine in Australia. We also have a selection of CD, concert and sheet music reviews for you.

This is the start of my second year as Editor and we have decided, in collaboration with incoming President, Carol Jarvis, to review and refresh some aspects of the magazine’s presentation. If you have any thoughts or comments on The Trombonist’s content and appearance then please do contact us to let us know. It is you that we write it for.

As well as Carol coming on board with fresh ideas, there is plenty to look forward to in the coming months. We are also pleased to announce that Ian Bousfield has agreed to act as Guest Editor for the Spring 2013 issue of The Trombonist and the editorial team is looking forward to working with him on this.

In the next issue, we will include the results of the 2012 BTS Awards for Player of the Year, Teacher of the Year, Student of the Year and BTS Contributor of the Year. These will be announced at the BTS Day/AGM in Oundle on 7 October. There is still time to send in your last-minute nominations via the website, or contact the BTS Secretary or President.

Enjoy reading the magazine and I hope to see some of you at the AGM next month.

Joanna Cambray-Young

Contents 5 7 8 15 18 23

24 25 27 28 31 32 35

Bone of Contention - President’s address On the Horizon - upcoming events Slides - reviews of BTS events Desert Island Discs - Donal Bannister Cover Feature - Keeping up with the Joneses Composer’s Corner - Trombone Concertos by Johan de Meij - Davur Magnussen discusses Sørensen’s Bells of Vineta Tips from the Top - Derek Southcott Tips from the Middle - David Whitehouse Star of the Future - Hannah Stell G&T’s Orchestral Guide - Matt Gee and Mark Templeton Where Are They Now? - Peter Younghusband Slide Rule - reviews Diary of Events

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Bone of Contention

Autumn 2012 The Trombonist

President’s address

Dear Members, This is my last Bone of Contention so I would like to thank all the representatives and officers of the BTS for all their hard work over the past two years. I would especially like to thank Geoff Wolmark, who really does work tirelessly for the organisation. My thanks also go to Bob Hughes, for whom I have great admiration. His Presidency helped stabilise the BTS and lay the foundations for me to concentrate on increasing the scope of our events and focusing on the magazine. Ed Solomon and Lisa Penn have also been invaluable officers to the BTS and helped me throughout the last two years.

I am pleased to announce the recent appointment by the BTS of Chris Sowerby as BTS Membership Manager and Bookkeeper. We give our sincere thanks to Lisa Penn, who has fulfilled the role admirably for the last three years. Chris can be contacted at membership@britishtrombonesociety.org or by post at 1 Ullswater Road, Dewsbury, WF12 7PH. We are also moving bank accounts to the Co-operative Bank and details will be sent to the membership once we have them. They will also be on the website in due course.

We have more exciting news in that, as well as Mark Templeton and Matt Gee taking an active role on the Executive, Christian Jones has agreed to take up the post of Vice President in October, as Carol Jarvis becomes President.

It has been an honour and very rewarding to serve the BTS as President and I am confident that the Society will continue to flourish under Carol’s guidance. Remember that if you all introduce one further member to the society then you will

generate £20,000 for the BTS. Other activities have allowed us to stay afloat in 2012, but we really need your help if we are to move forward as an organisation. I am also aware that those who do not contribute to the membership tend to be our biggest critics; to them I say, “If you want things to change, then get involved!”

When I look at the list of people who have contributed to the BTS during these past two years, it really is the ‘who’s who?’ of the trombone world: Ian Bousfield, Dudley Bright, Matt Gee, Chris Houlding, Mark Templeton, Bob Hughes, Jiggs Whigham, Davur Juul Magnussen, John Kenny, Bones Apart, the Black Dyke Quartet, Bone-a-fide Quartet, Carol Jarvis, Denis Wick, Adrian Hirst, Adrian Morris, Jonathan Warburton, Simon Minshall, Stephen Sykes, A Bit on the Slide, Trombonanza, Kevin Morgan, Simon Johnson, Chris Stearn and the RNCM trombone choir, and students from Salford and Huddersfield universities, Trinity College London, the Royal Academy, the Royal College, Birmingham Conservatoire, the Royal Welsh College and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (sorry if I’ve left anyone out!). Most of these individuals and groups have been involved with more than one event.

Looking to the future, I am excited about continuing to play an active role in this magazine and look forward to Ian Bousfield’s contribution to the Spring 2013 issue of the magazine. Can I encourage you all to take a more active role in the BTS by signing up new members and attending events whenever you can, to make the most of our excellent society and keep it healthy and active.

CHANGE TO CONSTITUTION I hereby give notice of a proposed amendment to the BTS Constitution, to be voted on at the AGM on Sunday 7 October 2012. This will take place at Oundle School, starting at 10.00am (NB: this will allow the BTS to operate with its new bankers as it has previously, giving an additional safeguard to the payment process).

Old Wording ‘A banking account shall be opened in the name of the Society, and cheques shall be signed by the Treasurer or the Administrator.’

New Wording ‘A banking account shall be opened in the name of the Society, and cheques shall be signed by any two of the Treasurer, Secretary and Bookkeeper.’

Geoff Wolmark Secretary, British Trombone Society

L to R: Stephanie Waite, Tom Dunnett, Kieran McLeod, Sheila Tracy, Stephen Sykes, Bill Geldard and Diana Lusher

Congratulations to the Don Lusher Competition Winner: Kieran McLeod, a student at the Royal Academy of Music, was chosen as the winner of the 2012 BTS Don Lusher Competition. Kieran, who beat two other finalists to win the coveted Don Lusher Competition plaque, also received a brand new, top-of-the-range Yamaha jazz trombone provided by kind courtesy of Yamaha UK. Kieran also performed the test-pieces in the closing concert at the BTS National Event in Cardiff in May.

5

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On the Horizon

Autumn 2012 The Trombonist

BTS Events Wessex BTS Event, Blandford Forum Sunday 16 September Pimperne Village Hall, about 3 miles east of Blandford Forum, Dorset, DT11 8UZ

London BTS Event Sunday 28 October 2012 Royal Academy of Music, Marylebone Road, London, NW1 5HT

9.30 Registration 10.00 Start 12.30 Lunch 16.30 Finish Entry free to BTS members, £5.00 for nonmembers, £3.00 for non-members under 16 and £1.00 for non-member onlookers, which we encourage!

The hall is in a lovely rural setting, with plenty of parking and the usual facilities including tea, coffee and squash. No food is available so it is advisable to bring a packed lunch as local eateries may take longer than our scheduled one-hour lunch break.

Usual attendance is about 35 of totally mixed ability and everyone is welcome and made to feel at home with no enforced solo spots. Maybe we can make a new attendance record in this Jubilee and Olympic year! Please bring a music stand.

After a break last year, due to his tight working schedule, Kevin Morgan (principal trombone, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra) will be back to guide us through warm-ups, his own compositions and, no doubt, a few surprises, all in his informal and humorous style whilst extracting the best out of us all.

There will be two trade stands - Colin Driver with mutes and more accessories than you can shake a stick at, and Wessex Tubas, who are new to us, but very enthusiastically looking forward to the day and have an enviable range of trombones for us to drool over and hopefully buy.

Please pre-register with the Wessex representative, Bruce Harding on 01202 880814 or e-mail bruceandinge@btinternet.com, who will help with domestic arrangements.

The Royal Academy of Music joins with the British Trombone Society to host an exciting day featuring Academy trombonists and special guests. Recitals, workshops and discussions will feature Academy teachers, Ian Bousfield (former principal trombone, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra), Dudley Bright (principal trombone, London Symphony Orchestra), Denis Wick (former principal trombone, LSO), Matt Gee (principal trombone, RPO), Mark Templeton (principal trombone, LPO) and Jorgen van Rijen (principal trombone, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra), together with Brett Baker (BTS President) and the Black Dyke Trombone Quartet.

There will be the opportunity to perform in a massed trombone choir and also the final round of the Bob Hughes Bass Trombone Competition.

Tickets £15.00 for non-BTS members, £10.00 for members and £5.00 for students. Tickets available at the door. Please register your interest with Geoff Wolmark (BTS Secretary) on secretary@ britishtrombone society.org. This will help to give us an estimate of numbers.

Trade Stands to include Phil Parker, Prozone and Warwick Music.

BTS Day and AGM in Oundle 7 October 2012

Please look on website for details or contact Geoff Wolmark on secretary@britishtrombonesociety.org

Schedule (may be subject to change) 10.00 10.45

11.45

12.45 13.15 14.15 14.30 15.15 15.45 16.45

17.45 18.30 19.00

Registration and coffee Massed Trombone Choir directed by Bob Hughes Orchestral workshop directed by Mark Templeton Matt Gee Recital Lunch RAM Trombone Choir Ian Bousfield Recital Break Dudley Bright interview with Denis Wick Brett Baker and the Black Dyke Trombone Quartet Jorgen van Rijen recital Final Massed Trombone Choir Finish

British Trombone Society Open Day Isle of Man Saturday 3 November 2012 14:30-17:30 Workshop Evening: Open-mic Concert

Sunday 4 November 2012

12:00 Concert including trombone

ensemble rehearsed from

previous day.

14:30 Finish For further information and to register, contact Brett Baker president@britishtrombonesociety.org

7

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Autumn 2012 The Trombonist

Slides

Bromley BTS Event

by Richard Debonnaire

(@BromleyTrombone on Twitter)

Saturday 24 March saw a gathering of 36 trombone players from various musical backgrounds and nationalities at Bromley Methodist Church, for the second British Trombone Society workshop to be hosted by Bromley Salvation Army.

The leaders for the day were Dudley Bright (principal Trombone, London Symphony Orchestra) and Brett Baker (principal trombone, Black Dyke Band), supported by the Black Dyke Trombone Quartet and Bone-a-Fide trombone Quartet from Trinity College of Music, London.

The event started at 9.30am with coffee and welcoming delegates (four of whom had driven from The Netherlands for the day!), and included trombone workshops that looked at a selection of music arranged for trombone ensembles. Dudley Bright and Brett Baker led masterclasses during the day; Dudley spoke about his career, from college to the LSO, The Hallé, The Philharmonia and back to the LSO! He also discussed slide technique, articulation and intonation using excerpts from Stravinsky’s Firebird and Ravel’s Bolero to demonstrate his points.

Brett included two solos (Phenomenal Polka and La Valse Moderne) and held a Q&A session, which included questions

on lip trills and on how he prepares for solos, particularly those from The Salvation Army, which are usually based on a hymn tune and have spiritual significance for many Salvationists. His answer was research and listening to other recordings of the works. Both sessions lasted about an hour each and were very informative and well received.

During the day, delegates were treated to recitals from the Bone-a-Fide and Black Dyke trombone quartets.

Bone-a-Fide provided a scintillating performance of pieces including Fanfare Brilliante (N. Farrell), Myths and Legends (Eric Ewazen), My Funny Valentine (Rogers/Hart arr. J. Rathbone) and Pastime With Good Company (attr.

Henry VIII, arr. N. Prince), with playing of a very high standard, which was greatly appreciated by the assembled delegates and guests.

Black Dyke Trombone Quartet also gave a fantastic performance, which included an arrangement of Wilfred Heaton’s famous SA festival march, Praise. Brett Baker’s arm was a blur as he played the well-known euphonium solo found in the trio! The quartet also played Sonata for Four Trombones and arrangements of Scarborough Fair and Sousa’s famous Washington Post. Again, this was playing of an extremely high standard that rounded off a great workshop and time spent with inspiring players and new friends.

In the evening, a concert was presented, offering the opportunity for delegates to perform the music they had played during the day, as well as for guest soloists to take part. And what a great line up: Dudley Bright, Brett Baker, Isobel Daws (Hendon SA Junior Band, National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain and National Children’s Orchestra, and recently featured in The Trombonist) and the Black Dyke Trombone Quartet!

The BTS Trombone Choir opened to a capacity crowd, with Canzon Septimi Toni (Gabrielli, arr. D. Bright). After

a welcome and a song (this being an SA event!), the BTS Trombone Choir continued with Ray Steadman-Allen’s Trombone Vespers, accompanied

by Bromley Salvation Army Band (conducted by Geoffrey Nunn).

Black Dyke Trombone Quartet started its first set with Derek Bishop’s arrangement of Leslie Condon’s famous SA march, Celebration - a glittering performance demonstrating the flexibility and virtuosity of the group and this was followed by two equally exciting pieces, the delightful Mr Sandman (Pat Ballard) and Libertango (Astor Piazzolla). To round off its first set, Dudley Bright and members of Bromley Band’s own trombone section were invited to join the quartet to play I Don’t Know How to Love Him (A. LloydWebber, arr. D. Bright), in which Dudley played the solo.

The BTS Trombone Choir played music from Handel’s Royal Fireworks, after which it was the turn of Brett Baker, who chose to play Fantastic Polka (Arthur Pryor) accompanied by the band. This is a ‘variation’ solo and, as one would expect of Brett, he played it with tremendous flare and excitement, adding a few of his own fireworks along the way.

The band contributed two items to the

Slides

evening; William Himes’ Procession to Covenant, written for his wedding in 1998, which features the hymn tune, St. Margaret, and another of Himes’ works, Invictus March, which was written as a concert march.

It was great to welcome Isobel Daws for the day’s activities and we were very pleased that she was able to take part in the concert. Isobel chose to play The Conquest (W. Scholes, revised Mark Freeh), an old Salvation Army trombone solo with band accompaniment conducted by her father, renowned cornet soloist, David Daws, to the very obvious delight of the audience, demonstrating that she has a great future as a trombonist. The massed trombones once again took to the stage to play Hubert Parry’s Jerusalem, after which Dudley Bright played his own beautiful arrangement of Joy Webb’s Share My Yoke with the band.

Black Dyke Trombone Quartet’s second set included Devil’s Gallop (the Dick Barton - Special Agent theme), Dear Lord and Father (Repton) and two great arrangements of SA marches, The Red Shield, and Paul Woodward’s arrangement of Leidzen’s On the King’s Highway. This brilliant quartet brought the house down!

The concert took on a more reflective mood, with Brett playing an SA solo, Someone Cares (Larsson arr. R. Steadman-Allen), originally arranged for cornet, which Brett played in cornet pitch. Not only was this a great demonstration of the range of the trombone and competency of the player, it was a beautiful rendition of this lovely tune, and set the tone for some reflective comments from Colonel Derek Elvin about the next piece Ray Steadman-Allen’s The Eternal Quest.

This famous trombone solo is based on

Autumn 2012 The Trombonist

an old song, Jesus is looking for thee, and musically seeks to portray a man who is blindly stumbling down life’s treacherous paths and at last comes to Calvary. Once there, he realises that God himself has also been looking for him, and the piece climaxes with his response to this realisation.

Dudley Bright, also a Salvationist, then played the solo with a deep sensitivity, in a magnificent display of trombone playing, with a symphonic fullness and purity of tone that one might expect from the principal trombone of one of the world’s finest orchestras.

The day finally closed with the massed trombones performing an item arranged

by Dudley Bright of an SA festival march, On Parade (Helivstadt). In the final stanza, Dudley adds a jaunty nod to that great tune from the musical, The Music Man, in the form of a snippet of 76 Trombones; all in all, a most fitting ending to a super day.

Northern Ireland BTS Event

by John Gamble On 12 February 2012, Bann House was filled with the sound of trombones as trombonists from across Northern Ireland met for the ‘Tutti Trombones Eight’ event. The special guest for the event was Davur Juul Magnussen, principal trombone of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.

After Ross Lyness directed a warmup session, Will McLean and Stephen Cairns guided us through the pieces we would be performing at the end of the day as a massed trombone choir. There really is nothing quite like the sound of over 30 trombones! There was a real variety of repertoire, ranging from Pastime with Good Company by Henry VIII to Soul Bossanova. It was great to hear trombonists of all ages and stages playing together.

Davur then provided expert advice in a number of masterclasses. Andrew

McCoy from Belfast impressed us with his performance of the first movement of Serocki’s Sonatina for Trombone.

It was then my turn, and I played the third movement of Rimsky-Korsakov’s Concerto for Trombone. I found Davur’s advice to be highly beneficial and his guidance in practice technique has been very helpful well beyond the masterclass itself! A group masterclass followed with the trombone section of the Belfast Pops Orchestra, consisting of Stephen Cairns, Donald Minshull and Will McLean, playing Olympic Fanfare by John Williams.

Throughout the day, Davur and the Trombone Octet also treated us to recitals. The Octet, made up of Davur and local teachers, amateurs and professionals, entertained us greatly with its energetic and often very amusing performance. A real highlight of the day, however, had to be Davur’s spellbinding solo concert,

ably accompanied by Danny O’Neill. He astounded us with his technique and gave a very interesting introduction to each piece.

The event came to a (very loud) close with everyone joining forces again for the trombone choir concert. The performance was greatly enjoyed by those listening, and by those playing.

‘Tutti Trombones Eight’ was another highly successful and enjoyable trombone day. Thanks go to the BTS, the Southern Education and Library Board and all the trombonists involved. We are already looking forward to ‘Tutti Trombones Nine’!

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Autumn 2012 The Trombonist

NEWS

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The Wessex trombones are made in China, but to a quality standard not previously seen in instruments from that country. The founder of Wessex Tubas, Jonathan Hodgetts (an experienced tuba player) has a Chinese wife which gives him great advantage in liaising with the factory in China to get exactly what is required. The factory used for the trombones is the same as for the company’s much praised tubas with every model trialled by professionals to ensure it plays up to standard.

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Slides

Autumn 2012 The Trombonist

11

BTS National Event in Cardiff On the hottest weekend of the year (so far!), the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD) was host to the BTS National Event. As a former student of the College in Cardiff, one of the things I loved most (apart from the amazing trombone tutors!) was the magnificent setting of the building itself. The college is situated on the Castle grounds in front of the leafy Bute Park. This has now been enhanced by new facilities, which include the Dora Stoutzker concert hall, the modern café and large bright foyer, where we started the first day at 9.30am. Delegates arrived and registered to the glorious sound of the RWCMD trombone choir directed by Head of Brass, Kevin Price.

The choir performed a variety of styles over 30 minutes, which displayed the versatility of these young and talented students. At 10.00am it was now time for the delegates to have a go themselves in the stylish new concert hall. The hour-long massed blow was conducted by Kevin Morgan (principal trombone, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra), who brought along some of his skilful arrangements to perform in the evening concert.

This was followed by an informative session from Welsh National Opera (WNO) principal trombonist, Roger Cutts. A session entitled ‘Want to audition for music college?’ was sponsored by the RWCMD Junior Music Department and aimed at 13-18 year

pictures: John Stirzaker

by Colin Barrett

olds thinking of a career in music. Roger touched on the importance of scales, production and orchestral repertoire and gave many more useful tips to help the young players audition successfully for music college. Adam Lomas bravely volunteered to play a section of the Rimsky-Korsakov Concerto for Roger to advise upon.

At 12 noon it was back into the foyer with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales low brass section. To ensure everyone was listening, it kicked off

with an excerpt from Where Eagles Dare, which rang around the foyer. The workshop was given some humorous dialogue from Donal Bannister (principal trombone) and after displaying their skills with some serious orchestral repertoire, had time to conclude their

slot with a very cheerful rendition of Teddy Bears Picnic!

‘On The Slide’, in association with the RWCMD, was one of my personal highlights of the weekend. Steve Legge and Jo Hirst took 16 little people (7-10 year olds) who had never played a trombone before into a room. They handed each one a trombone and twoand-a-half hours later came down to the foyer, hard on the heels of the BBCNOW trombones and performed Hot Cross Buns, Fish and Chips and I Feel Good to backing tracks. I believe Warwick Music did well after this performance with sales of the hugely popular (and very colourful) pBone!

After lunch and a chance to look around the many trade stands that were present, the delegates were treated to the virtuosic playing of Brett Baker in a recital titled ‘Forgotten Trombone Solos’. As well as preparing the practical side of these interesting works, Brett must have spent equally as long researching their background as his insight into each piece was very detailed and informative.

Contemporary music next, with Dirk Amrein on tenor trombone and Jonathan Warburton on bass trombone.

If you have never witnessed Dirk perform before, you really have to see it to believe it! This is basically theatre through the trombone, with the use of a number of extended techniques, including the use of mutes with lights on, vocal sounds and multiphonics. A couple of my pupils were so intrigued by

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Autumn 2012 The Trombonist

Slides

this performance they went up onto the stage after the recital to meet Dirk and take a look at his sheet music! Jonathan next displayed the lyrical side of the bass trombone, accompanied by Chris Williams, and demonstrated how he has made a name for himself as a soloist.

The Saturday evening concert included three new works which were well received by the audience. The first one performed was The Crack’d Mirror by Richard Rock and played effortlessly

by Brett Baker. The second was a contemporary piece by Paul McGhee entitled Hendrix in a Moonlit Tree.

Jonathan Warburton was the soloist and both items were accompanied by the RWCMD brass quintet and percussion.

The final première, Pads and Riffs, was written by Tom Davoren for Tuba Ensemble and Percussion and conducted

by RWCMD tutor Nigel Seaman. As well as these items, the RWCMD quintet and Tuba Ensemble performed some ensemble pieces, Dirk Amrein entertained us with The Up and Down Man and the delegates’ trombone choir enthusiastically performed the three items it had rehearsed in the morning.

The next day started off similarly to the previous, with the RWCMD Trombone Choir performing and then the massed blow, this time conducted by Brett Baker. The WNO low brass section took the stage in the Dora Stoutzker Hall at midday to give a workshop on opera repertoire. This included great excerpts from Ride of the Valkyries and Othello, with Roger Cutts giving a brief overview of each opera and the scene from which the excerpt was taken.

After lunch and a talk from Marcus Reynolds on ‘brass detox’, Royal Scottish National Orchestra principal trombonist, Davur Juul Magnussen, held a workshop in the foyer. Davur used volunteers and every conceivable space in the foyer to spread the players out to work on listening skills and balance. This was well

received by everyone to the point where you could almost hear a pin drop in the rests!

In the absence of Gordon Campbell, a local trombone quintet, Bone Fracture, stepped in and performed a selection of jazz arrangements along to backing tracks and then the RWCMD rhythm section. This was easy listening and a great contrast to everything that had gone before. At the end of their set, the three finalists of the Don Lusher competition joined the rhythm section and showed us exactly why they had made it so far.

The second evening concert kicked off with the delegates’ trombone choir who performed again under the direction of

Brett before taking their seats to listen to the rest of the concert. The RWCMD Brass Band, conducted by Dr Robert Childs, accompanied all the soloists for the evening but first of all, to whet everyone’s appetite, it performed Paul Lovatt-Cooper’s Home of Legends. The first soloist of the evening was Davur Juul Magnussen, who performed the Grondahl Concerto. This was trombone playing at its best, with Davur displaying great control over the range of the instrument.

Kieran McLeod won the Don Lusher

competition earlier in the day, winning a nice new shiny Yamaha trombone.

Another part of the prize was to perform the two test items in the concert with the brass band, which were Londonderry Air and Swinging Down the Alley.

Having been on trial with the Philharmonia Orchestra, arriving in Cardiff in the early hours of Sunday morning and giving a 45-minute recital earlier in the day, Simon Minshall performed Langford’s Proclamation as fresh as if he had been on a twoweek vacation. The final soloist of the evening concert, and the weekend, was Stephen Sykes who got up from his seat in the RWCMD Brass Band to give a solid rendition of Lusher’s Concert Variations. To conclude the concert and the weekend the professional trombone ensemble took centre stage to perform A Simple Severn Suite by Phil Harrison and Scherzo Funèbre by Derek Bourgeois. The ensemble was made up of Roger Cutts, John Hendy and Alan Swain (WNO), Donal Bannister and Darren Smith (BBCNOW), Brett Baker (Black Dyke), Pavel Debef (Brno Orchestra), Davur Juul Magnussen (RSNO) and Dirk Amrein (International

soloist). Nigel Seaman conducted this stellar line-up in these two demanding works which left the audience smiling long after the clapping had stopped.

It really was the icing on the cake of a truly wonderful weekend of all things trombone.

I would like to say a big ‘thank you’ to everyone who gave up their time to make this fantastic weekend happen.

Special thanks must go to the RWCMD for accommodating the event and for all the students and staff who worked so hard not only during the weekend but for all the rehearsals leading up to it.

Slides

Autumn 2012 The Trombonist

Marcus Reynolds - ‘Brass Detox’

by Mike Tilley One of the highlights of two days devoted to some fantastic trombone playing at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama was a brief talk given

by Marcus Reynolds on his approach to playing.

As a top professional trombone player, Marcus suffered probably the worst thing that could have happened. He fell 12 feet from a stage, causing immense damage to his face. Reconstructive surgery and a 15-year battle to play again resulted in a radically different approach to building an embouchure and producing notes. Everything related initially to the breath, which Marcus likened to a flow of water from a tap. If the flow is interrupted, the water dries up. Similarly, as brass players, we need a constant flow of air to make the sounds we wish.

Stressing the importance of opening the aperture, he used a simple exercise: place the finger on the chin and whistle.

The chin floats forward, bringing the teeth more in line. By placing the hand in front of the lips, you can feel the direction of the air, which Marcus maintains should be blown down the hole in the centre of the mouthpiece. By widening the aperture, the player can direct this, producing a bigger sound.

He moved from whistling to buzzing, checking the direction of the airflow with hand, to achieve a richer and fuller sound. It is important to get the tongue out of the way, using it merely to seal

I can’t think

and release the air flow.

As an aid to developing the ‘floating jaw’, Marcus has produced a gadget he calls the ‘Stratos’, which fixes onto the instrument. By using this, he demonstrated how high one could play with no pressure: “How high do you want to go?” and “Look! No red ring!”

Marcus went on to talk about pre-

pitching notes in practice, which involves settling on the highest note and returning to it from different intervals.

His image was of the embouchure being controlled, like a tight spring suspended in a well, and going down

how many years have passed since I last attended a BTS day in Cardiff, but it was certainly before the magnificent structure that is now the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama was built. As I was only able to attend the Sunday of the two-day festival, I can only speak for that day which, considering the music on offer, attracted far fewer members than I had anticipated.

I was there in time to hear Simon Minshall’s recital in the Dora Stoutzker Hall. I admit I am prejudiced, but there is nothing to beat the glorious sound of the bass trombone and Simon’s sound is superb. His programme, Canto II by Samuel Adler, the Karl Pilss Concerto followed by Lebedev’s Concerto in One Movement and closing with the first movement of Daniel Schneider’s Concerto, was unfamiliar to me which is hardly surprising seeing as I am a swing merchant! I recognised the name of Daniel Schneider, having recently interviewed that

to the notes, rather than a loose spring having to work hard to go up from the bottom of the well. Thus, for example, the embouchure and lip position for a closed 1st position note (e.g. middle F) remains the same as the slide descends to 7th position B. Also we always play ascending scales easily but often have to think about descending. So, start your practice with the descending scales and practise your musical alphabet by reciting your scales in both directions.

In 30 minutes, Marcus Reynolds gave his listeners much food for thought and many ideas that could be utilised with or without the ‘Stratos’, although it was pleasing to note the interest the device caused amongst the trombonists present. But what really shone through his entire presentation was his enthusiasm for the instrument we all love and his determination to triumph over adversity. A remarkable man!

(Anyone interested in Marcus’s Stratos System or ‘Brass Detox’ concept should contact him on marcus@marcusreynolds. com)

highly entertaining New York bass trombonist, David Taylor, who is a great admirer of the composer.

Standing in for Gordon Campbell, who was unable to be there, I joined Bill Geldard and Stephen Sykes to judge the Don Lusher competition and there was no argument as to who was able to reproduce that luscious Lusher sound, with Kieran McLeod being awarded the silver salver by Diana Lusher.

Stephen Sykes was the winner of the Don Lusher Prize two years ago and it was a real treat to hear him play the Don Lusher Concert Variations with the RWCMD Brass Band, conducted by Dr. Robert Childs during the evening concert.

It’s hard to believe that it is 21 years since I was acting President of the BTS and looking through my collection of the magazines, yes every single one of them, it is heartening to see that after a period of publishing austerity, the present editions are now exceeding anything that has gone before.

Sheila Tracy

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Autumn 2012 The Trombonist

Trombonist’s Island Discs

Donal Bannister Choosing seven special recordings is a surprisingly difficult task. I find that whilst my general tastes stay broadly consistent, I go through passing obsessions and enthusiasms.

So for the purpose of this article I decided to give myself a remit - choose seven recordings that were special and/or influential to me during my formative years, i.e., in my teens and early 20s.

Some of the choices may surprise BTS members, because they often don’t include the trombone, or not even much brass at all (at all!). This is because my personal philosophy has always been that the instrument is only the tool through which we access the music and, as such, is of secondary importance.

So here goes. The first major influence on my musical life was my grandfather, C.G. Bannister. He was an extraordinary character; born in 1900, he was a largely self-taught musician.

He lied about his age in order to join up during the World War I and played euphonium in the Royal Air Corps Band. He would have loved to have earned his living solely from music, but Dublin in the first half of the 20th century was not an easy place to be, so he was forced to suffer a real job as a salesman.

In 1936, he founded the St. George’s Brass Band, the first British-style band in the Irish Republic, conducting it for 25 years and composing and arranging lots of music for the band.

He gave me my first euphonium lessons, and we spent hours talking about music, often illustrated with examples from his extensive collection of 78s. He died when I was 15, but those discussions remain an inspiration.

My dad was also passionate about music and his love of technology meant he always had a state-of-the-art hi-fi, and would play his large collection of vinyl records at neighbourdisturbing volume. He particularly loved Beethoven and had a set recorded by the Czech Philharmonic in the 1960s, conducted by Paul Kletzki. The 7th Symphony was, and still is, my favourite - an utterly compelling piece, and I’m glad to still have the recording. So, disc number 1: Beethoven - Symphony no 7, played by the Czech Philharmonic, conducted by Paul Kletzki.

The Czech Phil remains one of my favourite orchestras, always playing with panache and brilliance, and with a brass section (horns included) that is not averse to using vibrato. Very stylish.

Around the same time, my dad bought a recording of Berlioz’ Symphonie Funèbre et Triomphale. If you don’t know it, it’s a bizarre piece for a huge wind band, written in 1840 to commemorate the 1830 revolution. The whole second movement is an oration for solo trombone, and on that recording the soloist was someone we had never heard of called Denis Wick! Both the piece and Denis’ playing blew us away. In 2009, we (the BBC National Orchestra of Wales) played the Symphony at the Proms and I played the solo.

Sadly, my dad died in 1998 so never heard me play it, but he would have been so chuffed.Disc number 2: Berlioz Symphonie Funèbre et Triomphale, played by the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Colin Davis with Denis Wick on solo trombone.

One of the main reasons my focus has always been on the music before the instrument is simply that my musical education was primarily academic rather than performance based. I studied at Trinity College Dublin where the degree was strongly biased towards composition, analysis and history.

It is a small department at Trinity, where the lecturers can nurture individual student’s talents and interests.

One lecturer, Michael Taylor, was particularly influential, impressing upon us the need for music to have rigorous procedure, consistency, no loose ends and then the spark of originality.

In conjunction, performance interpretation has to be based on analysis, knowledge and an equally rigorous procedure, (i.e., absolute respect for the composer’s text), not left to the whim/instinct of the performer. Ever since, my tastes have tended towards composers who write concisely, rather than self-indulgently - Gabrieli, Purcell, Bach, Haydn, Beethoven, Schumann, Brahms, Bruckner, Berg, Stravinsky, Sibelius and so on - Rachmaninoff, I’m afraid, should be outlawed!

My degree dissertation was an analysis of Sibelius’ 7th Symphony, attempting to explain the complex process by which he moved from one section/ movement to another without the listener being really sure of when one ended and the next started. In the course of working on it I listened to many recordings and settled on one favourite, that of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra conducted by Paavo Berglund. I had no idea, of course, that I would later join the BSO and spend almost 20 years there. The trombone solos in that recording were played by Denis Wise, an absolute gentleman and a sensitive player. Even though we never overlapped at the BSO, I love the fact that I now play on Denis’ alto trombone, a beautiful Herbert Latzsch that he bought in 1964.

Disc number 3: Sibelius - Symphony no 7, played by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra conducted by Paavo Berglund.

Trombonist’s Island Discs

My dad’s brother, Cedric, has lived in the USA for most of his life and he made the very risky decision to marry a trombone player!

(He’s still completely sane!). As a result he and his wife, Jeri, became great sources of information on what was going on in the ‘States’. Amongst others, they sent two solo recordings by Ralph Sauer, principal trombone of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

I had never heard anything like it; the combination of virtuosity, quality of sound, and impeccable taste was irresistible. It immediately became the style of playing to which I most aspire. On one of those recordings he included two solo fantasias

by Telemann, originally for flute.

They are breathtaking. Disc number 4: Telemann - Solo Fantasias in A major and A minor, played by Ralph Sauer.

Largely because of Cedric and Jeri’s knowledge, I went off to the Eastman school of Music in New York for a year of postgraduate trombone study. My teacher there was John Marcellus, and he gave me the technical grounding that I had previously missed out on. I was only there for one year and he was very generous with his time. By the time I left I was still not of a standard to compete realistically for an orchestral job, but I knew what I needed to do, and had some clue as to how to go about it.

Without ‘Doc’, as John is known to his students, I would certainly not be in

Autumn 2012 The Trombonist

the BBCNOW as principal trombone. One of the things that makes us human is humour. Music is no exception, but rarely is overt musical humour successful. An exception is ‘Spike Jones and his City Slickers’. Jones had a wonderful ability to take the defining character of a familiar piece of music and use it to hilarious effect. Central to this, was the sound he made on the trombone - playing with nasal vowel sounds as if suffering from a heavy cold. Darren Smith, the BBCNOW bass trombone, can mimic this sound perfectly; it is always funny. Just at the point of a rehearsal when a conductor is really getting on your nerves, Darren will ‘say’ something with the Spike Jones sound, and the rehearsal takes a turn for the better. The conductor is usually none the wiser. On a desert island I could not survive without laughter, so: Disc number 5: Ponchielli - Dance of the Hours, played by Spike Jones and his City Slickers My colleagues are always bewildered by my love of the music of Haydn. When I joined the BSO, I think the rest of the brass regarded me as some sort of weird sandal-wearing vegetarian who, despite all advice, couldn’t help liking Haydn’s music (… you gave me the job, Mogs!). This started when I was at Trinity and doesn’t show any sign of abating. No other composer so successfully balances the needs of head and heart, and does so with such heart-warming wit and invention. Working for years in the isolation of Esterhazy Palace, with a virtual free hand to experiment, he wrote music of unrivaled originality. I have for years enjoyed conducting community orchestras (currently the Rhondda Symphony Orchestra - a lovely ensemble), and I take every opportunity to programme his music. I could choose any number of Haydn pieces, but given my self-imposed remit, it has to be: Disc number 6: Haydn - Symphony no. 48 in C major Marie Therese, played by the Vienna State Opera Orchestra, conducted by Max Goberman.

I found this recording when I was a student. It was part of the first attempt, in the early 1960s, to record a complete cycle of Haydn symphonies, sadly curtailed by the death of Goberman.

The playing is electrifying, especially the dizzyingly high horn parts.

The list of recordings could go on for a long time, but as Desert Island Discs is customarily seven recordings, I have to finish with one more. Whilst at Trinity I developed an anorak’s enjoyment for writing counterpoint. We had a very eccentric and funny counterpoint teacher called Joseph Groocock, who looked like a rather under-nourished Father Christmas. Not surprisingly, his numerous musical examples came primarily from Bach, and led me to listen to lots of his music. At around the same time I became aware of the burgeoning period instrument movement and bought Nicolaus Harnoncourt’s recording of the Mass in B minor, the first on period instruments. I still think it is exquisitely beautiful, even though many more recent recordings are more technically polished. So finally: Disc no 7: Bach - Mass in B minor, played by Concentus Musicus Wein, directed by Nicolaus Harnoncourt.

I don’t think I can, in the Desert Island Discs tradition, choose one of these over all the others and, frankly, I would have little use for the Bible. Also, bear in mind that if I were to write this next week I would come up with seven different recordings. I’m already regretting some I’ve left out…

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Autumn 2012 The Trombonist

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Autumn 2012 The Trombonist

Cover Story

KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES

pictures: John Stirzaker

Cover Story Article and interview

by Peter M. Chester In the Winter 2011 edition of The Trombonist, we reported that Christian and Katy Jones were to leave their London appointments to take up new ones in the North of England in early 2012. I am pleased to report that they are now well and truly relocated, and I recently had the pleasure of catching up with them to find out how they were settling into their ‘new life’. In a phrase, their answer was “very well, thank you!”

This is actually Christian’s first feature in The Trombonist magazine, but Katy, of course, came to national recognition and prominence as the winning brass finalist in the BBC Young Musician of the Year in 1996. At that time she had been playing the trombone about ten years, having started at the age of six with Kirkby Lonsdale Brass Band, before progressing to Chetham’s School where she studied with Chris Houlding, Rob Burtenshaw and Kevin Price, as well as winning places in the National Youth Orchestra and National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain. While Katy was studying at Chetham’s, Christian attended a large and very supportive comprehensive school in Staffordshire, playing in its orchestra, as well as the orchestra and bands of the Staffordshire Music Service. He joined the Midlands Youth Orchestra before he too reached the National Youth Orchestra in 1995, by which time Katy was already in her second year there. Both joined the BTS in their teens and from that time acknowledge the inspiration and pleasure that could be had from BTS masterclasses, watching players such as Ian Bousfield. Christian’s talents naturally pointed to Music College and in 1998 he started his studies at the Royal Academy of Music, where he was taught by Bob Hughes.

Meanwhile Katy took a more cautious route, taking a Masters degree in pharmacy at Manchester University. As she recalls, she was genuinely unsure at that time about the possibilities of a career in music and her interest in health sciences led her to pharmacy. In fact, it proved useful training in terms of self-discipline. She continued trombone lessons privately with Kevin Price, but these were infrequent. With 9 to 5

study, lectures and laboratory sessions most days, daily practice had to be very focussed and efficient. As she learned, and continues to teach, it is the quality of practice, not its duration, which is important if a player is to improve.

Despite enjoying her university course, however, she realised she enjoyed playing even more and an “amazing” six-week tour with the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester and Pierre Boulez in 2000 just confirmed for her where her heart lay.

For Christian, it is fair to say that the BTS had a hand in his first major career break. Whilst attending a BTS day at Repton, a chance conversation with Mark Eager encouraged him to apply for the bass trombone post with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. He knew the job was vacant, but had assumed it was pointless for a second year student to apply. However, after a successful audition, followed by a five-month trial period, he was appointed in January 2001 whilst still a third year student at the RAM. At that time, he did not know that Cardiff would be quite such an important place in his and Katy’s lives. It was to be where they first were to work together as professional colleagues, as in 2001 Katy successfully auditioned for the second trombone post in BBCNOW. However, within just over a year another “lucky break” came Christian’s way when he was offered a trial with the Philharmonia Orchestra in London, which turned into a full-time post in August 2002, the summer he graduated from the RAM. Although his “life and colleagues in Cardiff were fantastic”, he knew at the time this was an opportunity he could not ignore and his tenure of the bass trombone chair with the Philharmonia eventually lasted for ten seasons.

Christian acknowledges that he could not have dreamed of the range of experiences the Philharmonia has given him. The entire mainstream repertoire was covered in most of the world’s major halls, including the first concert in history to be broadcast live over the Internet. While serving as the

Autumn 2012 The Trombonist

orchestra’s Deputy Chairman, he gave what would be the final vote of thanks to the late Sir Charles Mackerras, who had been conducting the Philharmonia since the 1950s! Beyond the playing, Christian was continually involved in the wider life of the orchestra, appearing in video podcasts, radio interviews, performing pre-concert solos in the Royal Festival Hall and using music to assist in the care of dementia sufferers, as part of a Community and Education project.

By 2004, Katy had taken the decision to go freelance in London, a potentially risky business, but by being a member of Fine Arts Brass and having been on trial for the LSO co-principal job, she had consolidated her expertise and reputation. Katy acknowledges that important encouragement came from interesting quarters in those first months in

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Cover Story

London, most notably the American soprano, Renée Fleming. Whilst Katy was on trial with the LSO, a number of performances were given of A Street Car Named Desire, conducted by the composer, André Previn. The singer complimented Katy with the comment how “such a small young woman could produce such a sound!” The same could well have been asked of the petite Ms. Fleming. As Katy remarked, brass players can learn much from singers of that calibre. However, these intermittent engagements with the LSO in her early days in London eventually paid off with her appointment to her “dream job” at the time in 2007 - co-principal trombone - the first-ever female brass principal at the LSO. Katy remains in awe of all the players she worked with there and, like many LSO players, has very fond memories of Maurice Murphy, whose ‘go for it’ attitude inspired not just the brass but the entire orchestra into many a memorable performance. To work with the likes of Sir Colin Davis on Berlioz’s music, Pierre Boulez on Schoenberg’s Five Pieces for Orchestra, completing a Prokofiev cycle with Valery Gergiev and recording the final Star Wars soundtrack with John Williams, have been priceless musical experiences.

Of course, both the Philharmonia and the LSO demand a constantly high level of playing and as Katy and Christian acknowledge, the pressure and adrenaline can be addictive. The four self-governing London orchestras (LSO, RPO, LPO, PO) are owned and run by their members, all of whom are actually self-employed. Since no one is salaried, the aim is to keep the diary full, so these unique ensembles are easily the busiest in the world. The variety of work is incredible and the turnover of repertoire high, with three-session days (i.e., working 10am-9pm) happening regularly. There aren’t really any lowpressure dates, what with the London concert series, intensive recording sessions and tours in the UK and abroad, although glamorous Far Eastern tours complete with cycle rides in rural China and sunrises on Mount Fuji have left them both with wonderful memories.

So what would lead them to change such a glamorous life? Of course, London brought something else to their lives - marriage and a family - and therein lies the key to their new lives in the North. Having one professional

musician on the London scene makes life busy enough; having two remains possible but is often somewhat frantic; having a young family produces a situation which makes it, in their words, “totally crazy”. A way has to be found to balance everything, and that presented itself when Katy learned that there just could be an opening with the Hallé…

From here, I’ll let them speak for themselves: Why did you decide to move?

Katy: There were many reasons. We were not dissatisfied with our current situation, but the opportunity just presented itself. I was luckily offered the position at the Hallé after a trial period and then when Christian was offered the position at Opera North, it gave us the opportunity we never expected to have, to move back nearer ‘home’. We also felt we could bring up Isla here in a way we had been brought up.

Christian: We were both lucky to have grown up near the Pennines, so moving back to the hills feels completely natural. Our London position was privileged, but family connections were lacking and that’s a big consideration for us. Being close to grandparents is very important for Isla and the geographical location here is just perfect, for our work, leisure time and families.

So, life was becoming difficult?

Katy: Well, the music making was exhilarating, exhausting and adrenalinefuelled, but with both of us doing it, just a bit much. Being self-employed in London we were in effect both running our own businesses, and having to do everything associated with that, organising everything from train tickets and book-keeping, to childcare.

Christian: We just came to think that it was not a very conducive environment in which to raise Isla, especially as she is growing. Our spare room always had at least one packed suitcase at the ready, and we could go weeks without sitting down as a family for a meal. The new posts have different challenges, but we will at least be in the same time zone!

We are still both busy, but our lives now have some kind of rhythm and we are able to do simple things, such as swimming lessons with Isla, for the first time.

What were the practical problems you faced in moving north?

Katy: Basically the whole logistical operation. There was one day in bleakest January when I had just 24 hours to view five rental houses and interview three nannies and a childminder within a 400-mile round trip.

Christian: Yes, it was Katy who found this place for us as I was away touring in much of January. The practical problems were the same as everyone faces when selling a house, finding a new place to live, and organising childcare provision to cover our odd working hours. Dealing with estate agents, solicitors, surveyors and mortgage advisors constantly can also be a strain! In fact, we’ve also found another property, just up the road, to buy, so we’re about to embark on our fourth house renovation!

Do you think your life here will be harder or easier?

Katy: It has already been easier, although we are both the kind of people who constantly like to challenge ourselves. The house we are buying does need some updating, and the hardest thing initially is settling into a new community.

Christian: Yes, I’d agree. I still enjoy the pressure and being outside the comfort zone - we are still after new things in what we do but it is not an absolutely constant thing. We’re still very busy - our new car has already done 6,000 miles in four months - but a rhythm to our lives is already emerging and other things have been given more space in our lives.

We’ve already had more family days out and have enjoyed being able to run and cycle in the beautiful Peak District here on our doorstep.

So, how about your new posts?

Katy: I’m very happy at the Hallé - it is a fantastic orchestra with a great atmosphere and a lovely concert hall. I had played with the orchestra a number of times on trial before the permanent appointment and I even discovered that Sir Mark Elder had watched the YouTube masterclass I did for the LSO! The orchestra seems to be very committed to supporting its musicians in all sorts of ways, for example, being healthy and well. It has a physiotherapy scheme to help musicians prevent and treat injuries and, on 20 May I ran as part of ‘Team Hallé’ in the BUPA Greater Manchester run, in aid of the Charles Hallé Foundation, which provides the funding

Cover Story for much of the Halle’s education and outreach work.

Christian: Last year, a chance conversation about the contrabass trombone led the Opera North section to invite me to play the part in Rheingold - every bass trombonist’s dream! I am really looking forward to playing the complete Ring Cycle over the next three years, and starting to learn the operatic repertoire, most of which I’m not really familiar with at all. As a radio orchestra, the BBCNOW in Cardiff had the freedom to explore lesser-known works, such as new music and a complete Dvorak symphony cycle; in London the Philharmonia’s core was the big orchestral symphonic cycles of Mahler and the like. In Leeds, we have Peter Grimes and Othello in particular to get our teeth into, as well as Kodaly’s Hary Janos Suite with the Orchestra, which actually has its own series of about 30 concerts per year, so I won’t be in the pit all the time. A very useful feature of the opera set-up is that the larger-scale planning is necessarily over a longer time than I was used to in London, so I will be able to fit in other things, musical or otherwise, with a greater degree of certainty. Actually, I’m not the only ‘new boy’ in the Leeds low brass section. We have a new principal, Blair Sinclair, from New Zealand, joining around the same time as me. Alongside us are Brian Kingsley (tuba) and Robert Burtenshaw (2nd trombone), both of whom joined the newly-founded company in 1978!

What’s on your immediate horizon?

Katy: The Hallé season is coming to a close at the Bridgewater Hall, so I am doing a number of concerts with Fine Arts Brass. It is a really important outlet for me musically, and when we all manage to do the concerts there is a very special connection. I only need to look at Angela Whelan (trumpet) or Chris Parkes (horn) for instance, across the group and we know how we are going to phrase something. That level of intuition is a real privilege, and we love working together. We have some incredibly exciting concerts coming up over the summer, as soloists with orchestras out in Zurich and Berlin (Potsdam Festival), which puts a new spin on the genre and allows us to do new repertoire. We also have some very exciting commissions in the pipeline so watch this space! In July, I also

coached the National Youth Orchestra trombones, which I was very excited about. Beyond that, it is just a matter of settling into this new community.

I’ve only been here two months and already it is not unusual for me to go somewhere and I know someone already. When Isla starts school that will only increase. In fact, we’re taking our trombones into the nursery tomorrow!

Simple things like being able to arrange to visit our families as a day trip, enjoy walks in the Peaks and sample cakes at the fabulous local bakery are already having a positive impact on our lives.

Christian: Yes, I think there is a slightly different mind-set in a smaller community, and it is one we were used to as children ourselves. As for music, I’ve started some new teaching - Saturday morning at the Junior Royal Northern - that fits very well with my Leeds commitments. There’s also more time to freelance, so I’ll be ‘moonlighting’ in the Edinburgh Festival and at a couple of Proms, while there’s work with The Symphonic Brass of London and coaching at the English Brass Academy over the summer. We’ve certainly not cut our contact with our friends and work in London but now we don’t have to deal with life in the city on a day-to-day basis. We can go as

Autumn 2012 The Trombonist

visitors and enjoy ourselves.

So do you think you’ll still be here in ten years time?

Christian: Who knows? There is certainly a buzz to living in West Yorkshire and being surrounded by world-class brass bands; we remind ourselves that the members all have ‘day jobs’, which is very useful if ever we feel sorry for ourselves over practice time.

Katy: Yes, I think in some ways that ‘doing other things’ frees you up as a player. It is easy to get bogged down in the job, particularly by fear. When I am teaching solo repertoire I try to encourage risk taking because I think audiences appreciate that. They like the excitement; I certainly enjoy it. One or two people have said it was a risk relocating here. Only time will tell; all we know is that the opportunities we have been given do not come up more than once - two jobs in two cities we like, with orchestras we enjoy working for, where we could live in fabulous countryside, nearer to family and have some time to enjoy our daughter growing up. We have had a wonderful time working in London but it was time for a change. We are looking forward to working with our new colleagues, settling into a new area and enjoying the new challenges that inevitably arise.

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Composer’s Corner leads to a triumphant finale and a The Trombone Concertos of Johan deConcerto Meijhas virtuoso conclusion.

T-Bone

by Johan de Meij

Autumn 2012 The Trombonist

van Dijk and the Marine Band of the Royal Netherlands Navy, conducted by Ivan Meylemans.

Both Concertos are published by Amstel Music in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and distributed by De Haske/Hal Leonard. They are also available in a version with piano accompaniment.

T-Bone Concerto is also available in a version for brass band (rental only).

T-Bone Concerto (for trombone and wind orchestra) was written in 1995 and consists of three movements called respectively Rare, Medium and Well Done. In addition to the solo trombone, an important role has been allotted to a kind of chamber music ensemble within the band. This group intermittently introduces new thematic material and also accompanies the soloist, thus creating a nice transparent accompaniment. The ensemble consists of a double wind quintet (2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 horns and 2 bassoons) plus an English horn and a double bass. Movements I and II are written in the A-B-A form and allow the soloist to display both the technical and the lyrical characteristics of the instrument. Movement III at first develops into a kind of neo-baroque style using the thematic material of the first and second movement, and finally

become a classic in the trombone world, and has been played and recorded by world renown soloists such as Joseph Alessi, Jörgen van Rijen, Christian Lindberg, Michel Becquet, Alain Trudel, David Bruchez, Brett Baker, Hakon Björkman, Jesper Juul Sørensen, Lito Fontana and many others.

Canticles (for bass trombone and wind orchestra) was written for bass trombone player, Ben van Dijk, to commemorate our 35 years of friendship. The work is dedicated to the memory of Ben’s father, Piet van Dijk (1920-2003). He was a musician in heart and soul and a wonderful person. As a trombone and euphonium teacher he played an essential role in my later career as a musician, for which I am still grateful. The world première took place on 6 May 2007 in Rotterdam during Slide Factory 2007, performed by Ben

Johan de Meij Johan de Meij (1953) studied trombone and conducting at the Royal Conservatory of Music at The Hague.

He has earned international fame as a composer and arranger. De Meij’s Symphony No.1 - The Lord of the Rings was his first substantial composition and received the prestigious Sudler Composition Award in 1989. Other major works such as Symphony No. 2 The Big Apple, Symphony no. 3 - Planet Earth and Casanova (cello concerto) have also gained worldwide recognition.

Besides composing and arranging, Johan de Meij is active as a performer, conductor, adjudicator and lecturer. As a trombone and euphonium player he has performed with the major orchestras and ensembles in The Netherlands, such as the Netherlands Wind Ensemble, the Dutch Brass Sextet, the Radio Chamber Orchestra, the Amsterdam Wind Orchestra and Orkest ‘De Volharding’.

He has conducted some of the leading wind orchestras of Europe, Asia, Australia, North and South America and has led masterclasses around the world.

More information can be found at: www.johandemeij.com

A Guide to Bells of Vineta

by Davur Juul Magnussen

To my mind Bells of Vineta, composed by Bent Sørensen in 1990, is a unique piece in the trombone repertoire; I know nothing like it. It is part of a trilogy written for Christian Lindberg, the other two being with string quartet and small wind band, but this one is unaccompanied. The one word that describes this piece best is beauty. There is a legend that the mythical town of Vineta sank in a storm tide due to a curse, and it only reappears every 100 years. It appears in Selma Lagerlöf’s novel The Wonderful Adventures of Nils.

Bells of Vineta is supposed to signify the church bells in Vineta ringing while the town was sinking under water. The piece explores the absolutely quietest dynamics possible on a trombone, with sudden loud bursts. A harmon mute is used throughout, with constant small adjustments of the hand and it also makes extensive use of intricate multiphonics. A lot of the time the performer has to sing under the played pitch, which creates a very calm sound, and often the sung and played lines cross each other. This produces all kinds of weird acoustic effects in the instrument, which also vary from player to player.

It is quite hard to play and looks frightful on the page, but with great attention to what is written the piece starts to develop a magical flow and produces colours which I at least have not heard in any other piece. When you know it well, there are endless little details to play around with. Bent has managed to uncover some very complicated and deep sonorities in this piece which I could never have imagined myself. I cannot exalt the virtues of this piece enough. When performed it always seems to surprise the listeners - it seems almost to nail them to the floor! The dumbfounded faces suggest they do not know what just hit them. We can all testify that people’s faces normally have a quite different expression when presented with modern trombone music. I like to play the piece in bigger spaces and often try to position myself somewhere else other than the stage. I feel that if the audience can see me, they get too distracted by my contorted face and weirdly flapping hand to notice the deep subtleties in the piece. Christian Lindberg has made one recording of it, but dare I say that another recording

by Niels-Ole Bo Johansen on the album, Alpha and Omega, does the piece most justice. Get it!

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Autumn 2012 The Trombonist

Tips from the top

Derek Southcott Before joining the Syd Lawrence Orchestra on a full-time basis, I used to deputise and my first gig was at Redcar Bowl in the North East. I arrived an hour before the dance was due to start, met with the great man himself, was introduced to the then lead trombone player, Dave Horler, and found out I was depping for the great Barry Forgie, all household names in those days. At the time, I was lead trombone for the BBC Northern Radio Orchestra (NRO) but that didn’t make me any less nervous about playing with the SLO for the very first time. When it struck up I couldn’t believe the sheer power, volume and precision of this wonderful band, as apart from on recordings, I had never heard it live before. All I can say is it was fantastic.

Not long after that initiation, I was asked to join the SLO full-time, because Dave was off to join the German Radio Big Band. Unfortunately, because I was under contract to the BBC, it was not possible to do both jobs. I had to make a decision and that was to stay with the BBC, which at the time was thought to be the more secure work, but I was later to be proved wrong.

The trombone player who accepted the work with the SLO was Chris Dean, but after a couple of years or so he began to have time off from it and he used me to deputise. So, for a time, I had the very best of both worlds, doing live concerts with the SLO and recording work for radio and television with the NRO. After a while Chris Dean decided to take a chance and go freelance on the London music scene, so once again there was a vacancy at the SLO for lead trombone. The BBC had by this time made the NRO redundant, so the opportunity for me to play with the SLO came at the right time and I just wanted to play with this great band.

I stayed there for some 23 years, experiencing some of the best, most accurate playing of my life, with a bunch of guys who were all true friends.

Playing solos on live broadcasts from the Royal Festival Hall, five concerts a week, touring other countries such as Abu Dhabi with the great Matt Monroe - all these were great times and experiences which will never be forgotten by me or the other surviving members of this fabulous band. The band still exists, but is run now in a very different way under the new leader.

Syd Lawrence himself was a true taskmaster, but was always honest and fair to the band and treated

his musicians with respect. If he had anything to say, he would say it and get it off his chest. He was as honest as the day is long, paying out the repeat fees that he received from radio and TV programmes. He kept files on all the musicians who had performed on these recordings so that he knew who to forward the fees to. He had a phenomenal ear and could spot a mistake from a thousand yards. He used to frequently bring in hand-copied arrangements, done by himself and if he wasn’t happy with one note, he would recopy these pieces for the very next day - at times I wondered how he got any chance to sleep. If he saw any of the music getting a little worse for wear then he would take the copies home and re-do them straight away.

The reason the band was so good was because Syd didn’t like having deps in and preferred his ‘team’; you almost had to be at death’s door to have time off.

The famous Count Basie once said of the SLO: “This band is so good it should be banned!” and I think that this should be the end of my article because what more is there to be said?

A tip from the top Buy yourself a recording device and listen to your playing; be your own best critic.

When I was with the BBC, NDO and NRO doing recording sessions, I used to get a copy of any solo I did and listen to it time and time again, to alter anything I didn’t like in readiness for my next performance. This is the only way to improve - never be totally happy as there is always room for a better performance.

If you want to play securely in the higher register of the trombone, then do lots of practice in that register and don’t give in. Also, listen to your vibrato to perfect it. When I worked in Leeds and Barnsley Music Colleges I was astounded at the number of pupils who came to me who had never tried or thought of using vibrato. Remember we, as instrumentalists, are only trying to copy the perfect instrument - the human voice, and that sounds pretty naff without vibrato. Listen to the great Pavarotti and you won’t go far wrong!

Also, play with feeling. There are many great technical players out there but some with no feeling for being a ballad player. It takes a true artist to bring a tear to the eye, something that Jim Shepherd and I recently experienced whilst listening to the cello player with the André Rieu Orchestra playing The Swan - it was truly magnificent and certainly tear-jerking.

Tips from the top

Autumn 2012 The Trombonist

Tips from the middle!

by David Whitehouse There are many factors that go into making a section work. You could put three of the best soloists in the world into a trombone section and you could potentially have just that - three soloists.

So, what is it that goes into making a trombone section ‘work’?

Whilst there is, of course, common ground for all the players of a section, each position requires different qualities. The principal trombonist should be both a soloist and a section player, and should know when to be one or the other. They will need to have an awareness of what’s going on down the line of the section, whilst taking on board musical ideas occurring elsewhere in the orchestra. A good principal will ‘lay it down’ with consistency, and a good section will follow.

There is very little ‘glamour’ in sitting in the middle of the section, yet in the standard section of three trombones, 50 percent of the tenor trombonists are doing it! As a second player, it is important to listen to those around you and to blend and support without overpowering. You should stick to the principal like glue, especially when it comes to quiet ‘pearly’ entries - if he gives you a lead, go with it, regardless of the conductor; the principal does not need to be wondering if you’ll join

him in the chorale of Mahler 2, or the opening of Stravinsky’s Firebird. They already have enough to think about!

Whilst most of what you do will be section-based, the orchestral repertoire is littered with 2nd trombone entries that can be anything from a bit exposed to downright worthy of a soloist’s fee.

For these moments, you must get into the mind-set of a principal and play as

advice to 2nd players regarding sticking to the principal and solo playing also holds true for the bass trombonist.

Here are some pointers that every player in the section can put into action to help the blend: Tuning - keep 3rds low and 5ths high.

Listen primarily to your section, but also to any others who may have the same note as you. Are they also keeping their 3rds low? If not, where do you place your own tuning? It may be preferable to have slightly less ‘ring’ in your own chord for the sake of the overall tuning of the orchestra.

Experiment with the balance of chords.

Depending on spacing, making the 3rd slightly louder can make chords sound richer, and making the 5th louder can make the chord brighter. These differences in volume are only slight and should never be so much that the balance of the chord is upset.

Match speed of attacks in fp chords.

Agree in advance on where crescendos should peak, but never stop listening.

If the principal or the conductor does something different in the concert, go with it.

Plan your breathing in advance and decide whether it is better to stagger longer passages where breathing might be difficult or to breathe together.

Always allow for the fact that the conductor may want more volume in the concert, and that they may choose to languish in the slower passages. And beware the last note that doubles in length and volume in performance!

Louder doesn’t always mean louder.

Don’t blast unison passages if you are sitting number one. You must also act as a conduit for messages from the principal to the rest of the section.

The bass trombonist is the link with the tuba player. They might one moment be playing with the tenor trombones, then by themselves with the tuba. Because of the slide, trombonists have the potential for perfect tuning whilst also being able to centre the note. For this reason, it is useful to know which notes the tuba player might be lipping up or down. The bass trombone is often the lynchpin for tuning in the section, so an excellent ear and the ability to know when to ‘stick to your guns’ are essential qualities. And, at the risk of stating the obvious, the

Don’t blast unison passages - 10 percent less volume but more in tune and together will sound more unified and louder.

If the rest of the section changes note via a slur, but you are tied over, consider soft-tonguing the tie as it often tightens up and unifies the sound. Judge for yourselves whether or not this improves the sound, but it is something worth considering.

Ultimately, playing in a section is all about listening to, trusting and supporting each other. Without these things, there would just be a collection of three trombone players trying to play three solo lines.

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Autumn 2012 The Trombonist

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28

On the Horizon

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Autumn 2012 The Trombonist

G

Matthew Gee and Mark Templeton simplify your social diary. Sit back, relax, add a wedge of lime, and read about this autumn’s orchestral highlights.

With so much music being performed in the UK, Mark Templeton and I share with you some of the forthcoming concerts that offer that little bit extra for the trombone enthusiast. Whether you’re in the north, south or somewhere in the middle, there is sure to be something going on near you. We suggest visiting the relevant orchestra’s website for the latest on tickets, times and venues, and go and listen to some fantastic trombone sections play some truly inspirational music. Over to you Mark.

Thanks Matt. I thought I’d start in Cardiff with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, which has a great programme on 12 October at St David’s Hall, playing Strauss’ Till Eulenspiegel and Sibelius’s Symphony No. 5. Till Eulenspiegel tells the tale of a legendry German rogue who travelled the country committing pranks and crimes, chasing girls and mocking the church (for which he is finally hanged). There is drama, excitement and romance spread around the orchestra with some cheeky trombone passages to give the section a good work out. Sibelius five is a bit of a slow burner but it is worth the wait for the last movement alone. The way that Sibelius segues from the chaos of the third movement into the most beautifully simple horn melodies is one of the greatest moments in classical music.

Staying with the BBC but moving to London, the BBC Symphony Orchestra has a few notable dates, including Shostakovich’s 4th symphony at the Barbican Hall. This symphony contains one of my favourite trombone solos, which I like to approach from the

Orchestral Focus

perspective of a circus clown foretelling the end of the world. A good workout for the first trombone in this one and some exploration into Shostakovich’s more delicate side too.

A few weeks later you might be interested in a concert by the BBC Symphony, again at the Barbican Hall, playing music from Wagner’s Ring Cycle, entitled An Orchestral Adventure. I think Wagner is a bit like Marmite - even if you like it, you can still spread it on a bit too thick. Remove the convoluted plots and sore bottom fatigue (the whole Ring Cycle contains over 15 hours of music) and for the non-opera lover you have an evening of lush harmonies from a large brass section including bass trumpet, Wagner tubas and contra bass trombone.

Dan Jenkins explained: “One of the best things about the BBC Symphony Orchestra is its variety of repertoire, so I’m delighted that Wagner sometimes appears on the schedule. What passion!

And surely some of the best music ever written… The trombone section is heavily involved, especially as Wagner often uses us for his ‘Tristan chords’, a beautiful and poignant chord sequence.

We’re all looking forward to the show.”

You do not need to live within the M25 to get to see the Philharmonia Orchestra. If you live in Leicester, Basingstoke, Reading or literally anywhere with a good concert hall, the chances are it will bring a fantastic programme of music to you. Check out Mahler’s 5th Symphony at the Royal Festival Hall on 14 October, followed by a repeat concert in Leicester at the De Montfort Hall the following night; some classic section playing in this one with a few feature spots too.

One of my favourite Bruckner Symphonies to play is the 8th, and The Philharmonia is to perform it at the Royal Festival Hall on 28 October. Try not to sit too near to the timpani in this one though. I was bumping Dudley Bright in the LSO ten years ago and regretted not having earplugs (because of the timpani, not Dudley obviously!) and my ears were ringing for days!

With Dudley in mind, let us look at the London Symphony Orchestra, where Paul Milner very kindly picked out some programmes from its autumn schedule, starting with Elgar’s 1st Symphony

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on 18 October at the Barbican. Elgar writes so well for trombones and in this symphony he does it all; glorious chords, a few tunes, some quite demanding running passages and a few top C-sharps thrown in for good measure.

The LSO is a household name due in no small part to it work in the movie industry, so here is a chance to hear what all the fuss is all about. On 8 November it will present an evening of music by John Williams at the Barbican.

Expect all of your favourite themes from Star Wars to Harry Potter.

Back south of the Thames now, and some highlights from my orchestra’s schedule. The London Philharmonic Orchestra will be sharing the Royal Festival Hall stage with the Russian National Orchestra, performing two Russian works - the well-known 1812 Overture by Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich’s 7th Symphony. It is very interesting to do these joint concerts and a great opportunity to see how the other half blow. Russian trombone sections are well known for having incredible power, and both these pieces require full lungs and strong chops.

Shostakovich 7 doubles its brass quota by having a second section play as a ‘band’ on the side of the stage. We will do half of the symphony in the orchestra and then swap with the Russian players to do the band parts. We will not attempt any kind of volume competition with these guys - that would be futile - but we will try to hold our own! The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra continues with the Russian theme, when it performs Mussorgsky’s Night on the Bare Mountain and Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5 in the Royal Festival Hall with Andrew Litton. I am sure Matt will be opening and closing the concert in style with these monumental works.

Another concert by the LPO sees

On the Horizon Strauss’s Ein Heldenleben performed on 24 November. Strauss wrote this towards the end of his life and used it to sum up his feelings about love, life and loss. ‘A Hero’s Life’ explores some full on brass writing and will feature Dave Whitehouse on euphonium. He told me: “The first time I played Ein Heldenleben in the orchestra, on euphonium, I was struck by how much of a section it forms with the tuba, often quite separate from the trombones.” I am quite happy for Dave to sit further down the line, especially if he’s had a curry before the show!

Let’s finish off my southern saunter by seeing what the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra is doing. Robb Tooley very kindly picked out two programmes for us. It will be performing Holst’s The Planets in Poole, Bristol and Portsmouth. Robb says: “It’s a real tour de force for us, from the raging fortissimos of Mars, through the joyous Jupiter to the eerie chorale in Saturn.”

On 24 October in Poole and two days later in Portsmouth, the BSO will be giving a beautifully contrasting concert of Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony and Stravinsky’s Firebird. Robb goes on to say: “As one of the earlier appearances in the symphonic repertoire for trombones, Schubert sees the section add colour and solemnity to the orchestration. The Stravinsky with its visceral Infernal Dance of King Kastchei uses more virtuosic writing to create a real impact from the brass.”

The composer even throws in some lip trills and glissandi, and the finale is real edge-of-the-seat stuff. Over to Matt now to find out what is happening in other parts of the country.

For many, London is considered the musical hub of the UK, yet some of our finest orchestras lie in the midlands and the north of the country, often performing many miles away from their resident hall, in churches, theatres and, weather permitting, even outdoors.

Starting with the ever-impressive City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, I managed to get a few words regarding an upcoming performance of Bruckner’s 8th Symphony from principal trombone, Edward Jones: “Ever since I first heard this piece around ten years ago, I’ve been desperate to play it… Bruckner had such a wonderful understanding of how to use a trombone section and the 8th Symphony is perhaps the best example of his monumental symphonic style.”

The concert takes place on Thursday 6 November and is conducted by Andris Nelsons, widely regarded as an energetic force to be reckoned with. This promises

to be a fantastic evening.

Only 80 miles north of Birmingham, we get to Manchester’s award-winning Hallé Orchestra. It has had a plethora of fantastic players over the years, and excitement still surrounds its most recent appointment of Katy Jones as principal trombone. Janacek’s Sinfonietta needs little by way of introduction. Katy tells us: “This piece was written to honour the Czech armed forces and has offstage brass galore - nine trumpets, two bass trumpets and two euphoniums. It is such good writing for the trombones with plenty of special effects and fun to be had. I’ll be practising my pedal notes in anticipation!”

Another concert that caught my eye in Manchester is in late September with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra.

On Saturday 29 September it will give an all Wagner programme with chief conductor, Juanjo Mena, at the Bridgewater Hall. From the outset the trombones will be laying down one of the biggest tunes in the repertoire - the overture to Tannhäuser. The orchestra will finish the evening with the apocalyptic final scenes of Götterdämmerung. If, like me, you find Wagner’s music to be some of the most exciting music ever composed, you can get a further installment next year by attending Opera North’s Siegfried, from its critically acclaimed Der Ring des Nibelungen. You will certainly not be disappointed with the amount of low brass on show, especially with Christian Jones being unleashed on the contrabass trombone! Tickets will be on sale before Christmas, so see Opera North’s website for more details.

North of Hadrian’s Wall, we arrive at one of the most densely populated musical areas in the UK. Carrying on a rich musical heritage, no less than five professional orchestras continue to serve every part of Scotland with orchestral concerts, ballet and opera.

The Royal Scottish National Orchestra’s Dávur Magnussen is known to all of us through his great work with the BTS and, in between performing concerts in caves and building a pier at his summerhouse, we managed to have a chat about performing Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique in the Autumn.

He commented: “In the RSNO we… [try] to play this piece on smaller bore instruments in order to create a bright and ‘noisy’ sound…[creating a] rebellious and chaotic character, which the woodwinds and strings can still be heard through. In order for the ending to sound absolutely frantic and out of control, the musicians have to play very precisely and with absolute control.”

This dichotomy highlighted by Dávur

Autumn 2012 The Trombonist

applies to a huge amount of other repertoire and is one of the hardest challenges for a trombone section.

The animateur Paul Rissman will be analysing the music in the first half, followed by a complete performance of the work in the second half. If you are unfamiliar with Symphonie Fantastique, then this will be a fabulous introduction to one of the greatest pieces in the repertoire.

A ten-minute walk east from Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall brings us to City Halls, the home of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Recent years have seen personnel changes within the low brass department, but Simon Johnson continues to command huge respect for the exciting and polished performances of his section. In December it will perform The Miraculous Mandarin suite

by Béla Bartók. Although his music can be more than a little challenging for some audiences, I urge you to go and listen. It is an exciting, frenzied 20minutes - a real assault on the senses!

Finally we move across to Ireland. The Ulster Orchestra has gone that extra mile to please lovers of the trombone in putting on a concert with trombone virtuoso, Christian Lindberg. Not only is he performing and directing Helikon Wasp, his own composition for trombone and orchestra, but he is also conducting the rest of the concert.

As trombonists, we do sometimes have long periods of inactivity on stage, but that only makes the symphonic colours we bring to a performance even more important. Denis Wick once told me (Mark) that when we do not have much to do it is even more important to make what we do absolutely perfect. To hear a trombone section playing precisely together, in-tune and balanced can be just as enjoyable as hearing a big solo.

Despite what our heart may tell us, a truly great orchestral performance is not just about how the trombone section sounds; it is about how the trombones colour the overall texture, when exactly to dominate or quietly support the strings. Try to bear these things in mind the next time you attend a concert. If you are not familiar with the orchestral scene, these concerts are a great place to start. We hope you get to hear some of our recommendations, but if not there is plenty happening outside of this snapshot. In the face of yet more funding cuts our orchestras continue to put on some epic concerts and desperately require your help and support. If you manage to make it to one of Matt’s suggestions, or mine, drop the BTS an email, Tweet or Facebook us and tell us about your experience.

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On the Horizon

BBC Philharmonic Orchestra

29 September

Manchester

BBC Symphony Orchestra

3 October

The Barbican Hall, London

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra

3 October

Poole

4 October

Bristol

5 October

Portsmouth

Ulster Orchestra

5 October

Ulster Hall, Ulster

London Philharmonic Orchestra

5 October

Royal Festival Hall, London

Holst: The Planets

Christian Lindberg Shostakovich: Symphony No.7

RFH

R. Strauss: Ein Heldenleben

BBC National Orchestra of Wales

12 October

St. David’s Hall, Cardiff

R. Strauss: Till Eulenspiegel

Philharmonia Orchestra

14 October

Royal Festival Hall Leicester

15 October

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

16 October

Royal Festival Hall

17 October

Croydon

18 October

Aylesbury

London Symphony Orchestra

18 October

The Barbican Hall, London

Elgar: Symphony No. 1

BBC Symphony Orchestra

19 October

The Barbican Hall, London

Wagner: An Orchestral Adventure

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra

24 October

Poole

26 October

Portsmouth

Philharmonia Orchestra

28 October

Royal Festival Hall

Hallé Orchestra

London Symphony Orchestra

24 November

An evening of Wagner Shostakovich: Symphony No. 4

7 November

Nottingham

10 November

Manchester

8 November 15 November

Dundee

16 November

Edinburgh

17 November

Glasgow

5 December

6 December

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra

13 December

Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5

Stravinsky: The Firebird Bruckner: Symphony No. 8 Janácek: Sinfonietta

Barbican Hall

Royal Scottish National Orchestra

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra

Mahler: Symphony No. 5

John Williams, Film Night Berlioz: Symphony Fantastique

The Sage, Gateshead, Birmingham City Halls, Glasgow

Bruckner: Symphony No. 8

Bartók: Miraculous Manderin

Where are they now?

Peter Younghusband

by Brett Baker Readers of a slightly more mature age may remember Peter Younghusband, who played bass trombone with Leyland Band. After an 18-month spell with Foden’s, Peter signed for Leyland in September 1986. He joined Trevor Wallbank and Paul Taylor in what was to become a long-standing relationship. After 11 years of immense fun, satisfaction, numerous contest wins, radio and TV appearances, Peter left the band, and indeed the UK, in July 1997 to take up a new life in Western Australia. It is from there that we pick up the story…

From living in Chorley, Lancashire and enjoying a life that revolved around brass bands, Peter boarded a flight in Manchester and got off in Karratha. As the plane came in to land, his first impression was, “Where the hell am I?” The scenery resembled somewhere more like Mars than a scene from Neighbours. Karratha is 1,000 miles north of Perth on the coast of a remote region known as the Pilbara. The location is in the heart of Australia’s mining industry and the land is a deep red colour.

The landscape is harsh due to the lack of rain and searing temperatures, which can reach 50oC at times.

You may ask yourself ‘what was he thinking?’ You wouldn’t be on your own. His friends in the UK and also on the east coast of Australia thought exactly the same. To be fair, following a visit in July 1996 when he toured the country as a soloist, clinician and adjudicator, he was offered a teaching position with the WA Education Department. As such, he was placed in Karratha to develop a music programme in the town. Although a town of around 10,000 people, Karratha has one government high school, one private high school and around seven feeder primary schools. The nearest high school is 250km to the north at Port Hedland. Music had not been part of Karratha life (unlike sport) but Peter was to have a major impact on this over the next seven years.

Although not a brass band, Peter grew the programme to a swell of trumpet, trombone and tuba players. Add to that a few woodwind and percussion players and the Karratha Schools Band became a familiar name across the state and, indeed, the country. On the way through, a number of his students gained scholarships at highly regarded schools in Perth.

With an extremely supportive Principal, Peter was able to keep up his own skills by accepting invitations from the eastern states that included to playing with brass bands, adjudicating and also running Australia Brass - the first National Brass Band, founded by Greg Aitken and John Thomas (formerly of Black Dyke).

Towards the end of 2004, Peter was asked to take up a position in Perth teaching at a number of the highly-regarded government schools. After many weeks of thought he decided that it was probably an opportunity that couldn’t be turned down and it was with a great deal of sadness that he said goodbye to Karratha. After two years, however, Peter relinquished his new position to concentrate on developing a property business he set up with Greg Aitken. Greg is a trombone player from Brisbane who also runs a music shop (www.brassmusic.com.au). The two got into property investing and have built a portfolio around the country. Peter is still heavily involved in music and banding however. He has played with a number of brass bands at contests in Australia and also in New Zealand over recent years. He also holds a number of other positions, including Band Manager for National Australia Brass (www. nationalaustraliabrass.com/) run by Professor David King, Director of the Federation of Australasian Brass bands (www.fabb.com.au) and also does the timetabling for ABRSM examinations in Western Australia. He also plays regularly in and around Perth with his swing band (http:// ozbigband.com.au/) and as a freelance musician. Peter currently works as a relief teacher and lives in North Coogee (10km from Fremantle) with his partner, Karen. www.peteryounghusband.com.au

Autumn 2012 The Trombonist

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Slides

End of the Tunnel: David Gibson David Gibson is a new name to me. A quick search on the Internet, however, reveals a dynamic young artist on the American scene, with quick interlopes to the continent of Europe. On this his latest album, End of the Tunnel, he is joined by Julius Tolentino on alto saxophone, Jared Gold on organ and Quincy Davis on drums. It is a compilation of what I can best describe as hard-bop tunes, very simple arrangements, tight sound, lots of solos and attitude. Most of the tunes take the form of a normal jazz standard: Head-Solos-Head, but with quite varied accompaniments throughout.

It is great to hear a jazz trombonist that sounds healthy. The normal jazz trombone stereotype is often something that sounds a bit like an asthmatic hamster having a bad day, and that is my personal little pet hate. David Gibson however manages to use many colours in his playing without sounding like that stereotypic breathless rodent.

My favourite track is Sunday Morning; a medium-slow ballad with slight soul influence. When I heard it the first time I was sure it was some sort of standard, but it is not. I think it should be, but standards are like Stradivarius violins. We cannot figure out how to make one anymore. I suspect that has more to do with the music business than the actual quality of the composers. The organ solo is a particular highlight intricate but not rambling. The synergy between trombone and saxophone is also magical. The title track sticks out on the album as it harks back to be-bop. It is harmonically more

intricate than any other track and it runs at quite a brisk tempo. Be-bop is also a pet hate of mine, since I associate it with 20-minute saxophone solos in the style of ‘look how many scales I can play’, but again the ensemble manages to stay clear and concise - a very stylish and original sounding trombone solo, as well as a colourful accompaniment. Another track of note is Splat, which has bucket loads of attitude and a very tight arrangement.

When you put this album in your CD player for the first time you might find yourself in despair. It sounds like it is going to be another one of those jazz albums that are all about the solos and nothing else, with soloists trying to do wildly eccentric solos, but all ending up in the same grey sounding mass, but despair not. This is a discreetly clever and wellthought-out bunch of tracks, played by a confident but unpretentious ensemble. Well worth a listen for people with an ear for detail.

Dávur Juul Magnussen, principal trombone, Royal Scottish National Orchestra

The Brett Baker Trombone Collection Pieces for the Advanced Trombone Player KIRLEES MUSIC PUBLICATION This year sees the publication of a new book of sheet music, The Brett Baker Trombone Collection. This is the first album Brett has brought out and it is aimed at the advanced trombone player looking for new repertoire to play in recitals.

The book is complemented by a brand new CD entitled Boneman Walking (WR12-03, available from World of Brass) that contains the majority of tracks found in this sheet music album. The exception is Bone Apart, which Brett asked Don Gibson to try and find for publication in this album. His composition was originally for trombone and piano and he says he was inspired to write the band accompaniment after coming to a Black Dyke concert, therefore Brett thought it would be nice to feature the piano version in the music album.

Salsa Panadero was written by Philip Harper for Brett as a vehicle to inject some hot Latin passion into solo recitals across the world! This is something a bit different to do in recitals as it includes loosely spoken vocals and a drum part, which both add another dimension to the carnival atmosphere and will go down really well in workshops.

His Provision was a request that Brett sent to Dorothy Gates, but was also the piece that Gerard Klaucke asked him to have commissioned and perform for his brother Henk. His wife, who passed away recently, really liked the melody. She translated the lyrics for the Dutch Salvation Army.

The two pieces arranged by Keith Wilkinson came about because Brett had played in Ohio with Keith on around nine

separate occasions and he needed some pieces with piano for workshops and church services, so he arranged the piano parts of Largo and Ye Banks and Braes to play at such occasions.

When Brett was thinking about this album, he asked Philip Wilby to compose a piece, and Cool Shades is ideal for the budding trombonist, as a short and sweet fun item to play in a concert.

Finally, Andrea Price agreed to compose a piece that would be melodic in nature and reflect some of the more relaxing and memorable places Brett had been, so she called the piece Nightfall in Joao Passoa, which is a beautiful town on the coast of Brazil where Brett had the good fortune of attending the Brazilian Trombone Association festival some years ago.

The album has eight pieces for trombone, written in both treble and bass clef, with piano accompaniment in standard notation. Trombone players will find the Brett Baker Trombone Collection tremendously satisfying and it is perfect for any advanced students looking for recital repertoire material of a lighter nature.

Chris Jeans Music Educator, trombone soloist and clinician

Slides

Autumn 2012 The Trombonist

Trombones To The Fore Four trombones in concert is unusual. Four female trombonists in concert is unique.

Earlier this year, the Canford School music faculty played host to a stunning performance given by the four girls of Bones Apart - Becky Smith, Jayne Murrill, Helen Vollam and Lorna McDonald.

They arrived at the school earlier in the day in time to give a masterclass to around 20 of the music students. After the concert, the Head of Music, Christopher Sparkhall, said: “I am delighted to have welcomed Bones Apart to Canford and we have been dazzled by their technical and artistic virtuosity - it was a thoroughly enjoyable programme which explored a wide variety of musical styles.”

The two-hour programme included the girls’ own arrangements of Bizet’s Carmen Suite, Purcell’s Indian Queen, also a selection of Bernstein and Gershwin music.

The concert concluded with their own arrangement of J.P Sousa’s march, Stars and Stripes Forever, with a tenor trombone putting in the piccolo part with infinite delicacy.

This was a fine concert performed impeccably well by four trombonists at the top of their game.

Bruce Harding Wessex area British Trombone Society representative.

Run Stop Run: William Carn I didn’t know what to expect when I began listening to this album, but found myself turning it up as soon as it started.

That’s got to be a good sign!

William Carn is a contemporary jazz trombonist and composer based in Canada, and a successful one at that. Run Stop Run is a new quartet run by juno-nominated trombonist Carn and consists of a trombone and guitar frontline alongside bass and drums. All musicians are at the top of their game on this album. Carn displays a complete range of skills from brilliantly crafted intense, edgy solos and funky playing to a beautiful soft and warm legato tone.

The styles on the disc encompass contemporary jazz right through to almost ‘chill out’ vibes. The album is full of stunning compositions, some by Carn himself. The Gift also sees Carn adopting vocals and this track is probably my favourite, cleverly juxtaposing funky and intense drums with calm smooth trombone lines.

I also extremely like the way the album starts and ends, with Track 1 called Beginning and Track 12 called End! Both tracks are simply just multi-tracked long trombone chords with effects on top. Dark sounds, but with an ‘open’ feel which conjures up all sorts of thoughts and feelings when you listen to them.

The word ‘contemporary’ should never put a listener off music classed in this category. This album is extremely

listenable and I’m glad I got the job of reviewing it. I’m just annoyed I didn’t know about Carn before, when I was out in his neck of the woods in Toronto! Next time I’m there I will most definitely try to get to hear him in person. If you like jazz and like trombones, then you need this album in your collection.

More info: www.williamcarn.com Carol Jarvis

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NEWS

Bone of Contention

Autumn 2012 The Trombonist

Diary of Events from September 2012 Please refer to page 7 or the BTS website for more detailed information about BTS events, including times and costs.

Sunday 16 September 2012: Wessex BTS Day 9.30am Registration Featuring Kevin Morgan, principal trombone, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra Pimperne Village Hall Near Blandford Forum DT11 8UZ Contact: wessex@britishtrombonesociety.org Sunday 7 October: East Anglia BTS Day and Annual General Meeting 9.30am Registration Featuring Brett Baker, Matt Gee, Carol Jarvis, Duncan Wilson, Paul Fisher and Mark Templeton Oundle School, Oundle, Peterborough, PE8 4GH Contact Ben Bouzan: eastanglia@britishtrombonesociety.org Sunday 28 October: Royal Academy of Music Trombone Day 10am Registration Marylebone Road, London, NW1 5HT Contact Bob Hughes: pastpresident@britishtrombonesociety. org Featuring Dudley Bright, Denis Wick, Bob Hughes, Matt Gee, Mark Templeton, Jörgen van Rijen, The Black Dyke Trombone Quartet, Ian Bousfield and more.

Saturday and Sunday 3-4 November: Isle of Man BTS Day Sponsored by the Isle of Man Arts Council Peel Centenary Centre, Peel, Isle of Man Featuring the Black Dyke Trombone Quartet & guests Events start 2.30pm on Saturday with a workshop and evening concert Contact: secretary@britishtrombonesociety.org Sunday 2 December 2012: Northwest BTS Day 9.30am Registration, 4.00pm finish Featuring the RNCM Trombone Choir conducted by Adrian Morris & Simon Cowan Principal Trombone of the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Manchester Metropolitan University Crewe Green Road Crewe CW1 5DU Reception tel: + 44 (0) 161 247 5003 Contact: Kerry Baldwin northwest@britishtrombonesociety.org Sunday 17 March or Sunday 24 March 2013 North East Trombone Day Huddersfield University School of Music, Humanities and Media Creative Arts Building The University of Huddersfield Queensgate, Huddersfield HD1 3DH Contact: president@britishtrombonesociety.org

The Humboldt Brass Chamber Music Workshop Announces 2013 Composition Contest For Brass Septet First Prize: $2,000; Second Prize: $1,000; Third Prize: $500 All works will be PLAYED and judged by the BCMW coaching staff.

Winners’ works will be performed during the July 2013 Brass Chamber Music Workshop in Arcata, California. Amateur musicians will perform the music in a workshop format.

Qualifying submissions will be added to the Workshop Library.

COMPOSITION SPECIFICATIONS: Composition should be an original, previously unpublished, work for brass septet (2221) - 2 trumpets (cornets, flugelhorns), 2 horns (in F), 2 trombones (bass clef) and tuba. The composition should be a multi-movement work, from 10-12 minutes in length.

Composer’s original material written for another complement and adapted for brass septet is acceptable. Difficulty level: should be playable by the average college ensemble. You may write for trumpets in other keys (C, E-flat, piccolo), but please include Bb parts; trombone and euphonium parts in bass clef.

Please include a complete score, a completed set of parts, a CD with a PDF of score and parts, and a recording. Recording may be a synthesized midi recording. Please put PDFs and recording on one disk. All entries should be received no later than 1 February 2013. Winning submissions will be notified by 15 May 2013.

Send submissions to: BCMW Composition Contest, c/o Tony Clements, 321 Dallas Drive, Campbell, CA 95008 DIRECTIONS FOR SUBMISSION: In order to ensure anonymity, do NOT put your name on the score or on any of the parts.

Put all contact information (name, address, phone, email) in a SEALED envelope with the TITLE of your composition on the outside of the envelope.

GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSIONS: Please print all scores and parts double sided, taking page turns into consideration.

Scores should be reduced as they are used for coaching purposes and are not used for conducting. Bind and/or tape scores and parts. Please do not submit loose pages. Works not adhering to these guidelines will be disqualified.

For further information, please email: ttuba@comcast.net.

One copy of each submission becomes the property of the BCMW, for use at the workshop and may be performed at a later date. Composer retains copyrights of all works submitted.

One duplicated copy will be made for archival purposes.

East Riding BTS Day Date in 2013 to be confirmed

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