The Trombonist - Winter 2012

Winter 2012 £4.00

A week in the life of

Amos Miller

Tips from the Top Roger Harvey’s valuable tips

Dan Jenkins the constant composing bug

Desert Island Discs David Purser’s favourites

TR 1.indd 1

30-11-2012 14:54:38

TR 2-3.indd 2

30-11-2012 14:58:13

Contacts British Trombone Society www.britishtrombonesociety.org Honorary Patron: Gordon Campbell Executive Board President Carol Jarvis president@britishtrombonesociety.org Vice-President Christian Jones vicepresident@britishtrombonesociety.org Past-President Brett Baker 01606 783869 pastpresident@britishtrombonesociety.org Chair Ben Bouzan eastanglia@britishtrombonesociety.org Secretary Geoff Wolmark 01377 202209 1-3 Church Street, Hutton, DrifďŹ eld, Yorks, YO25 9PR secretary@britishtrombonesociety.org Treasurer David Carnac 07958280089 treasurer@britishtrombonesociety.org Development OfďŹ cer Stewart Drummond education@britishtrombonesociety.org Staff Membership Manager and Bookkeeper Chris Sowerby 01924 437359 membership@britishtrombonesociety.org 1 Ullswater Road, Dewsbury WF12 7PH, 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 Magazine Editor Dr. Joanna Cambray-Young 07901 733719 editor@britishtrombonesociety.org Magazine Director Brett Baker 01606 783869 pastpresident@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 material for reviews to Chris Mackey 17 Coombe Road, Gravesend Kent, DA12 5PB mb 07758 451146 reviews@britishtrombonesociety.org Representatives Scotland Chris Stearn 01360 860220 scotland@britishtrombonesociety.org Wales Arlene MacFarlane 07773 290975 wales@britishtrombonesociety.org North East & Yorkshire Simon MansďŹ eld 01484 602401 northeast@britishtrombonesociety.org North West Kerry Baldwin 07920 022395 northwest@britishtrombonesociety.org East Midlands Paul Emmett 07974 137693 eastmidlands@britishtrombonesociety.org West Midlands: Martha-Ann Brookes 0121 444 5655 mb 07966416198 westmidlands@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

TR 2-3.indd 3

Prelude

NEWS

Winter 2012 The Trombonist

3

Hello again!

Welcome to the winter edition of The Trombonist and to new BTS President, Carol Jarvis, who you can hear from in her ďŹ rst Presidential address on page 5. We ďŹ nd out what trombone events have been happening around the country, and Matt Gee and Mark Templeton keep us up-to-date with their recommendations for upcoming orchestral concerts. We discover what Amos Miller does all day (when he’s not jumping around with his trombone!) and what Bones Apart are up to at the moment. There are all sorts of interesting and useful tips and facts from a variety of your favourite trombonists, too many to mention here as I need to hand over to the BTS Secretary now.

Enjoy the magazine and I’ll see you all again early next year.

Joanna Cambray-Young PS: You can now download tracks from the new BTS Live album from the 2012 BTS National Day in Cardiff, featuring Dirk Amrein, Kieran McLeod, Stephen Sykes, Jonathan Warburton and Simon Minshall!

Visit www.britishtrombonesociety.org

SECRETARY’S CHALLENGE Do you use the Internet? Do you buy online? Do you want to help the BTS raise extra money without it costing you a penny more?

If you answered ‘yes’ to all three questions, then here is my challenge: overtake my fundraising total by the end of 2013 and you will become the BTS Champion Fundraiser.

All you need to do is go to: easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/bts and sign up as a user. Then, every time you want to buy something online, check to see if the company is part of the easyfundraising scheme and access their site via easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/bts. And that’s it - every purchase done through easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/bts makes some extra money for us.

So what have I bought that has raised ÂŁ51 so far? t "NB[PO GPS CPPLT $%T HBSEFO UPPMT t "JSMJOF GPS IPMJEBZ nJHIUT +FU BOE &BTZKFU t )PMJEBZ &YUSBT GPS BJSQPSU DBS QBSL t $BS IJSF XIJMF PO IPMJEBZ t )PUFM TUBZT XIJMF BUUFOEJOH #54 FWFOUT UIBU BSF UPP GBS BXBZ UP ESJWF If you shop regularly at one of the big supermarkets and use their delivery service, then you should easily beat me! You can even get your car insurance, pet or life insurance policy through easyfundraising.org. uk/causes/bts. There are over 2,000 retailers in the scheme, so accept the challenge and beat the Secretary (ouch!).

Geoff Wolmark BTS Secretary

!

Cover photo courtesy of/copyright City of London Sinfonia/Benjamin Ealovega

"

30-11-2012 14:58:15

4

Winter The Trombonist

Available now

the stunning new DVD from Mnozil Brass

‘Blofeld

’The legendary Austrian ensemble have done it again with a DVD of their amazing new live show.

The new standard in brass band instruments

Also available from www.euphoniumstore.net the Diamonds CD (Steven Mead and The Central Band of the RAF) and Romanze (Kristy Rowe), 2 new discs receiving the highest critical acclaim.

Please visit the store and see what else we have to offer!

www.euphoniumstore.net

TR 4-5.indd 4

Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/YamahaNeo

30-11-2012 12:21:42

President’s address

Winter 2012 The Trombonist

5

President’s address Itt is a real honour to become the youngest ever Presid President of the British Trombone Society and, in doing so, Sheila Tracy stood in for Don Lusher as Acting President jjoin jo in an illustrious line-up of trombone greats. She of the Society back in 1992, so I am the first female fem President in 20 years! many cancer for the past eight years. Even though As m any of you may know, I have been battling b I did d d manage di ma to have quite a lot of input inp into the BTS during my time as Vice President, I wasn’t able to do as much as I would wo have liked. That said, I’m now extremely glad to report that I’m finally in remissio remission, and that this good news coincides perfectly with the start of my tenure as President.

Presid I must take this opportunity to thank Brett Baker, on behalf of the BTS, for his boundless energy over the past pa few years. He has brought this magazine on in leaps and bounds and he w will be remaining as Magazine Director for a few more issues, as we appoint a magazine team. We will soon be welcoming news correspondents from across the country, which will help continue to provide a wide variety of articles, inte interviews and reviews.

As I take over as President, we have a lot of exciting projects pending. We will shortly be introducing aud audio digital downloads from the BTS website; we will be announcing a lot more member benefits; high-profile competitions; a world variety at our events; and hopefully along the way we record attempt; more vari will entice more people tto join. Our social media team is constantly busy, with regular updates on our FFacebook and Twitter pages, so do ‘like’ and ‘follow’ the BTS to keep up with all the latest news and events.

I’m delighted, with this issue, to introduce a high profile competition - the chance for young jazz ttrombonists to win a scholarship to study jazz in the about 13 years ago, and was keen to try to get it USA! I won this scholarship scholar stunning prize - I had the most amazing time studying to run again. It is a stu over on the West Coast Coa of America with artists such as Jiggs Whigham and Carl Fontana all those years ago and can’t encourage people enough to applicants the best of luck! It really is an opportunity not enter. I wish all appli to be missed. See pa page 32 (and the website) for more information. to make; our regional representatives There are a few introductions int welcome Paul Emmett Em as our East Midlands Rep, Martha-Ann Brookes Midlands Rep and Chris Mackey is our new Reviews is our new West M Coordinator. All o of them are brimming with energy and I’m sure that their presence within w the Society will prove to be very exciting.

Finally, I am ext extremely glad and excited to welcome one of the world’s finest bass b trombonists, Christian Jones, to the position of Vice Presiden President. Christian was an active voice during his time at the Philharmon Philharmonia and he has already become a valuable voice in the Executive meetings. I’ve known Christian for many years and I am ab absolutely thrilled to have him on board.

Please do not hesitate to get in touch with me, or any of the BTS team, with comments and ssuggestions about your Society and contributions for inclusion in your magazine. We’d love to hear from you!

TR 4-5.indd 5

30-11-2012 12:21:45

6

Winter 2012 The Trombonist

TR 6-7.indd 6

30-11-2012 14:59:04

Bare Bones

Winter 2012 The Trombonist

7

Bob Hughes Competition winner announced The winner of the 2012 Bob Hughes Bass Trombone Competition is James Buckle, seen here with Bob Hughes, shortly after the judges’ decision was announced at the BTS event in London on Sunday 28 October. James is a second-year student at the Royal Academy of Music in London. In addition to the engraved plaque presented by Bob, James is the proud winner of a brand new, top-of-the-range Courtois bass trombone, generously donated by Courtois.

You will be able to hear James performing at a BTS event in the next 12 months.

Black Dyke Youth Trombone Quartet scoops a tour in Kentucky Recent success has led to the Black Dyke Youth Trombone Quartet being awarded a series of concerts at the Great American Brass Band Festival in Kentucky from 6-9 June next year, along with Brett Baker.

Ross Johnson, Dan Eddison, Elizabeth Bateman and Adam Reed, who travel from Shropshire, Manchester, Yorkshire and County Durham to attend rehearsals regularly with the Quartet, were delighted when they found out that they had been asked to attend.

Brett Baker commented: “Both Dan and Adam mentioned they would like to try to experience ‘Man versus Food’ whilst in Kentucky. The members of the senior quartet are very jealous that they are not able to attend probably the biggest brass event in the world, with up to 40,000 attending each year!” Now the serious business of rehearsing a 90-minute programme needs to take place.

Brett is also delighted to announce the formation of the Black Dyke Junior Quartet, which consists of Charlotte Horsfield, Josh Barber, Hannah Stell and Gemma Riley. Rehearsals will begin in December with the aim of attending BTS events and Black Dyke concerts next year.

BTS Awards

BTS Annual Award Winners, as voted for by the BTS membership, were announced at the AGM in Oundle on 7 October. They went to: Player of the Year: Ian Bousfield Student of the Year: Ryan Watkins Teacher of the Year: Steve Legge Outstanding Contribution to the Trombone: Kevin Price

from left to right: Ian Bousfield, Kevin Price, Ryan Watkins, Steve Legge

Arnold at ENO Hot off the press...

Joe Arnold has been appointed as the new bass trombone at the English National Opera. Find out more on page 18.

TR 6-7.indd 7

There was a noteworthy trombone presence at the recent Brass in Concert entertainment contest, held on Sunday 18th November at The Sage, Gateshead. The Don Lusher Trombone Award was won

by Chris Gomersall for his rendition of Dark Eyes with Grimethorpe Colliery Band.

During the Saturday evening Gala Concert, given by Cory, Black Dyke and the National Youth Brass Band, the BBC Radio 2 Young Brass Awards 2013 were given out by Simone Rebello. The BBC Radio 2 award for the Brass Player of the Year Under 21 was awarded to bass trombonist Josiah Walters of Carnoustie. The Under 18 prize was awarded to Thomas Fountain (cornet/flugel player and member of GUS Virtuosi Band). The Youth Band of the Year Award was awarded to Youth Brass 2000, which is conducted by well-known trombonist Chris Jeans (principal trombone with GUS Virtuosi Band). The award was collected by trombonist Savannah Bone and Jack Wilson (cornet). Well done to them all!

30-11-2012 14:59:08

8

Winter 2012 The Trombonist

Slides

Leeds Town Hall BTS Event The best speeches are short, sharp and to the point. Writing as an engineer, there is a temptation to present this report in ‘engineer-speak’ and, in doing so, allude to one of the great architects of the Roman Empire: “We came, we played, we had a great time, we went home,” but this isn’t really in the spirit of the event!

Specifically, as a lighting engineer, the first order of service would be to criticise the lighting in the room allocated for the day. The discrete up-lighting provided a suitable ambience for the normal use of the space - a bar - but was not entirely conducive to reading music at ‘slide-distance’. It was interesting, though, to note the reaction of certain players to be located in a bar that was permanently locked and showed no sign of a bar-keep! The room was also long and narrow, which meant plenty of room to spread out laterally, but not much forward room.

Nevertheless, casting these niggles aside,

number, full of ‘olde-world’ charm and apparently one of the first trombone solos not to use glissando, it was excellently played by Hannah.

The group then had a chance to ‘rest the chops’ as the Black Dyke Trombone Quartet, featuring Brett Baker, Paul Woodward, Garry Reed and Adrian Hirst, took to the floor to perform a short and varied programme. The opening piece, Red Shield, a traditional Salvation Army March by Henry Goffin and arranged by Ian Jones, certainly rocked the senses, and in the confines of the room confirmed the dynamic range of the trombone to be “on and off”! With some still reeling from aural concussion, the four changed style completely with a sensitive performance of Sir Hubert Parry’s Repton, arranged

by A. Vaughn. The finale took the form of another march, On the King’s Highway by Erik Leidzen and arranged for the quartet by Paul Woodward.

The pace was indeed that of a quick march and at that tempo, it is easy to see how the Royal Marines yomped to

the day began with the usual warm-up, led by Brett Baker in an arrangement of the American folk song Shenandoah, which presented the group with a gentle introduction to the events of the day. After meandering gently towards the great Missouri, the pace picked up a shade with the Bill Reichenbach arrangement of Scarborough Fair.

With around 16 players, assisted and encouraged by the ‘Black Dyke Four’, some rather rich harmonies were to be heard.

The event continued with a solo spot from young Hannah Stell, with Melodie et Caprice by George Hespe, a former resident of her own home town of Skelmanthorpe. A delightful

Port Stanley in record time! It was a fine example of quartet playing.

An impromptu quartet was created by Brett, calling upon the skills of four young ladies - on tenor trombone, Hannah Stell, Charlotte Horsfield and Gemma Riley, with Elizabeth Brocklehurst on bass trombone (picture above). In the form of a masterclass, Brett took the quartet through La Paix from Handel’s Music for the Royal Fireworks. This proved to be a fascinating insight into the art of playing in quartet. At first the pace was a little enthusiastic but was performed very well indeed, considering the piece was being sight-read as well. With a few pointers for guidance from Brett

by Chris Sowerby (BTS Membership Manager)

TR 8-9-10-11.indd 8

and Adrian, the piece was revisited at a statelier tempo and with quite a difference! In such a short space of time, the piece was almost performanceready. With students of this calibre, the future of the trombone is assured.

Following on from the Black Dyke Junior Quartet, the Black Dyke Youth Quartet, featuring on tenor Elizabeth ‘Wizz’ Bateman, Ross Johnson, Dan Eddison, with Adam Reed on bass, performed the second and third movements, Sengakuji and Shibuya, from Philip Sparke’s Tokyo Triptych. Fresh from its recent success at the Music for Youth Regional Festival in Wakefield, the performance was in part a dress rehearsal for the group’s forthcoming appearance in Birmingham at the Music for Youth National Festival in July.

A massed blow was required to rehearse for the highlight of the day - the Gala Concert in the Victoria Hall with Black Dyke Band and guests.

After a warm-up with the March from Holst’s Suite in F, the session continued with a rehearsal of the unofficial National Anthem, Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1, followed by the March from Respighi’s The Pines of Rome and what must be the favourite hymn tune of all brass bands, Handel Parker’s Deep Harmony, before breaking for lunch, when a few found themselves at Brown’s along the Headrow for a light lunch of roast beef and Yorkshire pudding!

The BTS Event in Leeds differs somewhat in that it coincides with the Black Dyke Festival of Brass weekend and the subsequent Gala Concert on the Sunday afternoon. Certainly for this writer, who is relatively new to the sport of tromboneering, the opportunity to

30-11-2012 15:00:23

Slides

Elizabeth ‘Wizz’ Bateman, Ross Johnson, Dan Eddison, Adam Reed play alongside the Black Dyke Band and guests marks a red-letter day in the calendar. This year, Black Dyke and the Yorkshire Youth Brass Band were accompanied by guests from Delph, Hebden Bridge, Kirton and Tewit Youth bands, which together with members of the BTS formed a massed band of

around 200 or so musicians.

The concert opened to a capacity audience with George Allen’s Knight Templar, a foretaste of Black Dyke’s subsequent winning entry in the Whit Friday March contests. The programme included the trombone solo, Atlantic Zephyrs, from Brett, ably demonstrating his prowess on the instrument with not only a phenomenal range, but in creating overtones, making the trombone ‘speak’ as it were.

The first half concluded with a stunning rendition of Karl Jenkins’ The Armed Man.

Winter 2012 The Trombonist

9

The second half featured the massed bands playing together, opening with Pomp and Circumstance, followed by the Youth Quartet performing Paul Lovatt-Cooper’s Dreamcatchers. The programme included a rather novel piece, Spooktacular, featuring excerpts woven from well-known thrillers and horror movies and featuring the gravelly voice of Gary Curtin, before concluding with The Pines of Rome as a massed band finale, with Deep Harmony forming the encore, to tumultuous applause, and the conclusion to a grand day out.

Wessex BTS Day The Wessex Region held its 2012 annual BTS Day at Pimperne Village Hall, near Blandford in Dorset, where 22 trombonists from the locality came together for a fun day of music making. The day was free of charge to BTS members and a small charge levied on non-BTS members, with the hope that at least some will now join our very special society. Wessex Tubas provided an interesting trade stand with a variety of trombones, including a rarely seen contrabass trombone.

The day’s proceedings were in the very safe and capable hands of Kevin Morgan, principal trombone of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, who conducted the group firstly through Titanic, then his own composition Three Moods, concluding with a Gabrieli composition from the late 16th century, the Sonata pian’ e forte, arranged for antiphonal trombone choirs.

Before a well-earned lunch break, Robb Tooley, also a trombonist with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, gave the players a breather with a question, answer and demonstration session, which was very well received. Stan Willis, now in his 80s but who was principal trombone of the famous GUS (Footwear) Band in the 1960s, said he had a memorable day listening to the group being inspired by such talented professionals.

The group expressed its thanks to Kevin and Robb for once again giving freely of their time and making the day so enjoyable.

Bruce Harding British Trombone Society Representative (Wessex Region)

TR 8-9-10-11.indd 9

30-11-2012 15:00:28

10

Winter 2012 The Trombonist

Strong Bass, or Contrabass trombone stand - £45

www.Wessex-Tubas.co.uk – 07787 504987 Our New Double Thayer Plug Bass Trombone …give it a try before you buy!

The Wessex Thayer bass trombone produces a superb sound and comes complete with case and mouthpiece for unbeatable price of only £1,395.

We supply the full range of trombones all of good quality, but at affordable prices.

Eb Alto - £250 Bb - £195 Bb/F tenor - £495 Bb/F/G/Db bass - £895 Thayer valve tenor - £850 Contrabass trombone - £2,000 Rotary Bass trumpet - £350 Piston Bass trumpet - £425 Superbone (slide/valve) - £495 Bb Piston trombone - £350 Compensated Euphonium - £850 You are welcome to visit our showrooms in Andover, Hampshire to view by appointment Email: Wessex.Tubas2@gmail.com

Check out and see how good they are!

TR 8-9-10-11.indd 10

30-11-2012 15:00:28

Slides

Winter 2012 The Trombonist

11

What do you get if you cross 30 enthusiastic young musicians, ten students from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, lots of trombones and a beautiful summer day?

Answer: the second successful Tiddly Trom day!

This year, 30 young trombone players between the ages of 7 and 13 descended upon Rogiet Primary School in Monmouthshire to experience a day of all things trombone. There were some children who returned having attended last year’s Tiddly Trom day and also lots of new faces.

The day began with a quartet performance of all the pieces that the children were to perform by the end of the day, lead by Roger Cutts (principal trombone of the Welsh National Opera). There were performances of popular tunes including Wallace and Gromit, Hey Baby, YMCA, Lollipop and Indiana Jones, which most of the children recognised, and considering it was so early on a Sunday morning I was overwhelmed by their energy. By the end we had most children dancing along to YMCA! Shortly after, Elizabeth Daglish (final year student at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama) got everyone on their feet by leading a Samba Workshop. This was a fantastic start to the day as it involved our young trombonists participating in rhythm games, warming up their bodies and minds and also making a lot of noise with some percussion instruments!

Forty minutes later, the hard work began and we all got stuck into the serious business of rehearsing the pieces for the concert, separating the children into small groups so that myself, Roger and the students of the RWCMD could divide our attention and help the young trombonists learn all five pieces for the concert.

Five pieces seemed like a tall order, but there were lots of experts on hand to help. As a result I felt that we could really focus on the individual needs of the young trombonists.

After lunch, trombone students from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama expertly performed well-known arrangements of The Simpsons, Harry Potter and Pirates of the Caribbean, to name a few, to an attentive audience. The children then had the opportunity to ask the students some questions before we then spent the rest of the afternoon putting the finishing touches to our programme. At the end of the day we performed our five pieces to an audience of around 70 parents, which was met with a warm applause.

TR 8-9-10-11.indd 11

For most of the children it was their first ever public performance on a musical instrument and I think that this is a valuable experience which I hope will inspire them to want to perform and learn more about the trombone. I also think that it was an important day as it gave our young trombone players the opportunity to meet like-minded children, and of all the feedback that I had from the day the social element was something that was consistently mentioned. The fantastic weather also contributed to this - I would like to finish this article with a quote from Caroline Scherf, who’s son Victor attended the day: “Thank you very much for organising this day, Victor was tired but happy when he came back and talked about playing football and the then of Wallace and Gromit.” I think Victor’s comments goes to show that as well as the trombone playing it is also important to have fun, and that is something I definitely tried to achieve in the second Tiddly Trom Day. I would like to say a special big thank you to Kathryn Evans, Headteacher of Rogiet Primary, for freely giving up her Sunday to open the school and provide refreshments. Without her the day would not have run so smoothly. Thanks also to Roger Cutts and the students from the RWCMD for giving up their time; I wouldn’t have been able to run the day without them. I look forward to organising the third Tiddly Trom Day for the Spring Term 2013 watch this space!

30-11-2012 15:00:29

12

Winter 2012 The Trombonist

International feature

Paris International Trombone Festival - July 2012 Observations by Peter Chester

One of the pleasures of an international trombone gathering is the opportunity to listen to and appreciate the different styles of trombone playing that are found across the world. I’ve never been to an event in the USA, but I suspect these differences are even more apparent when it comes to a festival outside North America, such as this one in Paris. Certainly, players across the world share the same technical challenges and, hopefully, similar pleasures in making music, but when musicians from different countries or cultural backgrounds come together, then their subtle differences can be heard.

We can detect differences in soloists, and an international festival is a great occasion to listen to the world’s best, but differences seem to be particularly apparent when listening to trombone

arrangement of the David Concerto, re-written in different styles, to include John Williams, Wagner, Vivaldi, Dvorak and Mozart, so I suppose that was truly international!

North America, however, was not to be outdone on the ensemble front, with the long-established Cramer Choir, composed of senior teachers from across the USA, providing what could be described as a controlled authoritative sound, somehow reflecting the status of the players. Whilst their playing was immaculate, one could not imagine them ‘letting their hair down’, in the way that the Austin University Trombone Choir might - and did!

Perhaps it was the presence of Jiggs Whigham as their guest soloist that helped! Also from across the pond came the smooth and stylish quartet, Maniacal 4, whose breadth of repertoire and

ensembles. For example, a French quartet, such as the Qu4tre à 4 from northern France, playing the music of Jean-Michel Defaye, on Courtois instruments, achieved a level of cool, controlled sophistication in its playing.

In contrast, an ensemble such as the Vallée d’Aoste Trombone Consort, from northern Italy, somehow sounded passionate and flamboyant, especially when giving bravura performances of Italian melodies, everything from O Sole Mio to themes from Ennio Morricone’s Spaghetti Westerns. The Spanish Stomvi Trombone Ensemble was different again and the sound on its splendid silver instruments suggested the warmth of Spain, yet also touched its drama and excitement. And then there were the Hungarians, The Corpus Quartet, with their matching Rath instruments - only they could have the audacity and sheer panache to play an arrangement of Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody no.

2. Actually, they also had a brilliant

experimentation with electronic ‘rock trombone’ added yet another dimension to the sound world of the trombone.

And yet in this difference there was the harmony and common appreciation of the trombone and its music, exemplified supremely by playing in the delegates’ choir. To have in the same group of around 40 players, a 91 year-old from Hawaii, students in their 20s from Holland and Australia, two Scottish teenagers, ‘various-agers’ from Germany, Israel, Britain, France, Japan and the USA (and no doubt other places), all conducted by Irving Wagner (a senior American teacher) is what an international festival is about - sharing the joy of the trombone.

Given the nature of such a festival, the closing concert was bound to be a ‘once in a lifetime’ event. The setting for the Gala Concert was certainly impressive - the Église de la Trinité - one of the larger churches in central Paris.

One special architectural feature is its

TR 12-13.indd 12

galleries, spreading out from the organ loft, 30 metres or more above the nave.

It was a tremendous resonant space, which ideally suited the 24 trombones used, with organ accompaniment, for the opening fanfare, Trinity, by Jérome Naulais, written especially for the event.

Its climax could probably have been heard in London!

Four soloists graced the programme for the evening, and after a gentle piece by Mendelssohn, performed by the Orchestre Prométhée to settle eardrums after the fanfare, Jörgen van Rijen (principal trombone at Royal Concertgebouw) and Michel Becquet (Professor at National Conservatoire Lyon) gave a splendidly spirited rendition of Handel’s Double Concerto, originally composed for cellos. Staying with the baroque, Stefan Schulz (Berlin Philharmonic) then gave us a Telemann concerto, derived from a Bassoon Sonata in F Minor, and now transcribed by Jörg Duda into a splendid Concerto for Bass Trombone. This was a masterclass in articulation and clarity and has made a splendid addition to the repertoire - I’m sure Telemann would have approved. The programme then took us into the 20th century, with a mesmerising performance of Christian Lindberg’s Arabanne, given

by Jörgen van Rijen. Such music is not necessarily approachable in a way that music from earlier centuries is, but the command of the instrument required and the genuine sensitivity of the music, was all presented in such a masterly manner by one of the world’s leading players. This is something which can truly be appreciated when heard in a live performance and which left the audience entranced.

And for a finale it could not get any better - three leading players, the composer in the audience and another world première. Jacques Mauger, the Director of the Festival and President of the Association des Trombonistes Français, joined Michel Becquet and Stefan Schulz, to play Symposium, by Jean-Michel Defaye. This was a concerto for three trombones and the reception it received was tremendous, so much so that they played the last section twice.

Jérome Naulais, Jean-Michel Defaye and Jörgen van Rijen joined the soloists for a final bow, which had everyone on their feet. Jacques Mauger’s final words of thanks to all involved in the Festival were the topped by an invitation to everyone to join him in a celebratory glass of wine - a perfect conclusion to four wonderful days.

30-11-2012 12:20:23

G&T’s G

Matt Gee and Mark Templeton Here at the BTS we are not known for shirking our duties at the bar, so it is high time for a second round of G&Ts. This time it is a double with a dash of Slimline, so we will keep it brief and to the point, and hope that you find time to enjoy one of our suggestions.

Thanks Matt. I have a few cheeky ones for the concertgoer who likes it a bit bone-heavy. Let’s start in Cardiff with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales on 8 February, playing Shostakovich’s 5th Symphony. This is one of the composer’s most performed works and the reasons for its popularity are quite clear; from the beauty of the duet between flute and horn in the 1st movement to the ‘triumphant’ ending, you’ll hear fantastic writing for the trombones. It ticked all the boxes when written and the composer was welcomed back from musical exile after his previous works were seen to be a bit too subversive. The Communist party didn’t do irony but the musicians of the day saw Shostakovich’s ‘Great Work’ for the genius that it was.

He managed to write a work of beauty and power that both towed the line and cut it up. Be entertained and moved.

Pat Jackman from Covent Garden asked me why both Matt and I picked out Wagner in our last article without mentioning the Royal Opera House’s current production of Wagner’s Ring Cycle. Sorry Pat… I love opera too, but with our little article here we are trying to spread the word to people that may not step foot into the orchestral world too often. Going to a Wagner opera is a bit like eating very strong dark chocolate. If you’re not used to it, you should start with a 70 percent cocoa bar and slowly work your way up. Why not ease your way into the operatic world by

TR 12-13.indd 13

On the Horizon

Winter 2012 The Trombonist

13

Orchestral Focus

going to see Puccini’s Tosca at the Royal Opera House this spring. I wouldn’t call it a Dairy Milk Bar of an opera, but there are some sweet moments for the brass and a few crunchy bass trombone notes that will have you wanting to clean your teeth before bedtime. Performances run throughout March and you can pick up some tickets for as little as £4.00.

Staying in London, my band (the LPO) is having a Richard Strauss night on 19 January, with a programme including Also Sprach Zarathustra and the end of his opera Salome. Also Sprach is so much more than the famous opening that everyone knows. There are many delightful twists and turns in this piece with a wide variety of section playing to keep you interested. We also get little features for 1st trombone and last trombone before having a fantastic climax in D major which resolves to C major (a quite spectacular moment I think). Listen out for the trombones’ whispered chords at the end, which seal this piece with a kiss. Over to you Matt…

Starting in the north, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra open proceedings with Starvinsky’s Pulcinella suite under the baton of Thiery Fischer. This is idiomatic writing at its best and displays the lighter, comic side of the trombone without any of its oftenimplied buffoonery. The Royal Scottish National Orchestra serves up a Valentine special, at which you can hear Davur Juul Magnussen work through Richard Strauss’ highly charged Don Juan, before embarking upon Ravel’s Bolero; he will not be the only 1st trombone to feel less than amorous on this day of the year; Katy Jones at the Hallé and Simon Cowan at the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra will also be perspiring a little more than usual!

Just a short hop across the Irish Sea to Dublin and we find the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra performing a concert entitled Lord of the Ring on 4 January. Given the last article’s predilection towards Richard Wagner, it will appear to many that I am somewhat obsessed by the man. I can assure you this is not the case, but cannot hide that fact that his music contains some of the

T

finest trombone writing around. Next year, we celebrate 200 years since his birth, so there is sure to be something near you.

Another birthday celebration takes us up to Ulster on 6 March, where JoAnn Falletta celebrates 100 years since the birth of Benjamin Britten by conducting his Four Sea Interludes. Like Stravinsky, we find clever, well thought-out writing for the trombone section, which not only works technically, but is also musically brilliant.

Moving across to Birmingham, Edward Jones is getting excited about a concert in February. He says: “Elgar often demonstrated an excellent understanding of the capabilities of the trombone, and his symphonic poem Falstaff features some particularly busy passages for us! Respighi’s Pines of Rome is a favourite of brass players everywhere, no doubt in part because of its spectacularly loud conclusion.” Need I say more? There are two offerings from Opera North, one from their traditional oeuvre in the shape of Verdi’s Otello, and then a night of music from the movies. This versatile orchestra is equally at home in the pit or on the stage, and given that a highlight of my career was a movie concert with this band, I am tempted to go myself. For more details of any of these concerts, please visit each orchestra’s website. Mark…

Thanks Matt. This is turning out to be quite a fun experience. I’m sure Matt, like me, has very few opportunities to see our trombone brethren at work, but it is nice to know there is good music happening all over the place. Although we have barely scratched the surface, with a little research you may find one of the UK’s best orchestras performing in your local town or city. Happy listening, until next time…

30-11-2012 12:20:25

BRITISH

BRITISH

Bandsman Bandsman d THE LEADING

the leading international brass magazine Issue no. 5741 - 27 October 2012

Price £1.40

The leading international brass magazine

Issue no. 449 - 8 October 1910

the leading international brass magazine

Double triumph for Foden’s

CIRCULATING MAGAZINE IN THE WORLDWIDE BRASS MARKET

BB REPORTS ON A MEMORABLE ROYAL ALBERT HALL NATIONAL FINAL

the leading international brass magazine Issue no. 5740 - 20 October 2012

Issue no. 156 - 12 August 1900

Price £1.40

ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY AND STAY IN TOUCH WITH OTHERS WHO SHARE YOUR PASSION Telephone 01933 445 442 or log on to our website:

the leading international brass magazine Issue no. 5739 - 13 October 2012

Price £1.40

Issue no. 3684 - 21 October 1972

www.britishbandsman.com Monthly (Direct Debit) - GBP 4.85 Annual (Direct Debit) - GBP 58.50 Annual (Credit Card) - 62.50 Europe - GBP 84.00 Rest of the World - GBP 130 e-bandsman - GBP 58.50

Overseas subscribers can now have the online edition delivered direct to their desktop

BB LOOKS FORWARD TO THE NATIONAL FINAL AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL

Full Name: Address: Card Number: Expiry Date: Valid From: Security code: (3 digits) Issue number (if applicable)

TR 14-15.indd 14

Bandsman

BRITISH

Please send to: British Bandsman 66 - 78 Denington Road, Wellingborough, Northants. NN8 2QH.

the leading international brass magazine

30-11-2012 12:19:58

Star of the Future

Winter 2012 The Trombonist

15

Sam Gale Dan Jenkins Interviewed by le Ga Name: Sam Age: 12 m Location: Farnha

Sinfonia r Royal College mbone of Junio tro t 1s s: ion oir at sit Current po gs in the Boys’ Ch semble. Also sin En ind W funk nic ho ho and Symp Collective (sc ol e in the GCS Funk on mb tro ys pla school and band) Started playing: Teachers: Amos

Aged 5 y

Miller, Mark Card

aped box ed to an oddly-sh young Sam point , 05 20 in one y mb da One rainy s his father’s tro hat’s that?” It wa “W d, ke 7 as d d an , an at home device inside go on the strange a d re fe re of s tu Fu wa the case; Sam and is our Star of attends the JRCM and at 12 he 5, ed years later, now ag him r ment was big fo tru ins e Th . ue nth!” in this iss could reach seve w months ago I fe a ly on s wa He has says: “It essive pedigree. eady has an impr alr m Sa , of the at th Despite Young Musician -Final of the BBC mi Se s as Br e ge of th reached onists at that sta e top four tromb th of e on s out his wa ab Year and when Sam talks is less surprising is Th . on iti Elegy for d et the comp (Sandstrøm) an es Sång till Lotta lik he s ce Saintpie d favourite vid Concertino an d enjoys the Da an in) te e to ns er lin (B ry Mippy II s invented a sto e latter, Sam ha th r Fo e. d and tin Fre va d Saëns’ Ca sical ideas (calle erein the two mu wh , ce liet, Ju pie e of th s go with r the attention vement, fight fo mo t 1s turn e re th as of ) ide Malcolm e two musical movement. As th d 2n ows l kn ica o lyr wh e th who is es. To everyone the fight continu , nt me ny ve ma mo s d ha m in the 3r ll - Fred wins! Sa ry works very we ntions the me he this piece, this sto en wh s and my jaw drop s, ce pie ite ur vo more fa ta.

Hindemith Sona famously difficult rmed when Mippy II) is confi e jazz side (see th r fo nt ha estral nc or Sam’s pe his favourite ch in Paris as one of n ica er Am kovich’s ta An os he cites his choices, Sh t that another of es gg su I g, he n un he yo W so pieces. t piece for one ite a big, violen qu is ,

by The ny d ho ne mp te 10th Sy s literally frigh younger, he wa lot a en wh at th admits eren’t we all?

Rite of Spring. W r Gabriel, says he likes Pete ssical world, Sam cla e th 1, Chelsea m fro Aside also loves Formula ind and Fire. He W rth Ea d king an loo n s Madeo the interview wa d at the time of an s, tic Rome hle to at ay d FC an A family holid pics this summer. ym Ol the e th ed to lov d forwar s visited so far; he st place Sam ha be e ral. th ne be ge in to n su proved joy the summer and seems to en te ma cli y er summ

Sam!

TR 14-15.indd 15

at made him the last thing th d him what was “This question!” s, And when I aske wa er ppose the answ su I So . ed gh laugh, he lau sional trombone is to be a profes ion bit am ing my at Sam’s unhesit cal… just writing necessarily classi ot “N er, os mp an Dave is player and co ere, as his father in good hands th er Caroline th own stuff.” He’s mo d ia Composer, an ed M ing nn he wi dEMMY Awar ol. Trombonists ford County Scho ild Gu at ic us M is Director of ark Nightingale.

Bousfield and M admires are Ian in Young his achievement rightly proud of next time. He al Cheerful Sam is Fin e th hopes to make t bu ar Ye s to e th Musician of Sam!) and hope e VIII (well done ad Gr his d him sse sh pa wi has recently very soon. We l Youth Orchestra na tio Na e th r audition fo for the future. endeavours, and luck in all these

30-11-2012 12:20:00

16

Autumn 2012 The Trombonist

TR 16-17.indd 16

NEWS

30-11-2012 12:19:30

A week in the life

Winter 2012 The Trombonist

17

What do you do the rest of the time?

A week in the life of self-confessed old ranter Amos Miller I have lost count of the number of times that an audience member, leaning over the pit rail with a benign smile, has posed the question: “What do you do the rest of the time?” The standard answer is always: “Er, this is what I do all the time, actually,” manfully resisting the temptation to give voice to one’s real thoughts, which are more along the lines of: “Well spotted! My day job as Emeritus Professor of Sanskrit Etymology at Harvard leaves me plenty of time to dabble in the jolly frippery that is professional music.” The former (more courteous!) answer, inevitably leads to a delighted exclamation of “Oh, what fun!” It is indeed an enjoyable and fulfilling profession (we’re certainly not in it for the money*), but there is something faintly irritating about being told that by someone who is blissfully ignorant about the journey one has taken to get to that point, both metaphorically (years of practice) and literally (320 miles to Sunderland!).

It strikes me, therefore, that musicians ought to be taking our public information responsibilities more seriously, especially given the currently prevailing Simon Cowell-isation of contemporary culture. It sometimes seems that just having an ambition entitles one to achieve it, irrespective of whether one has put in any actual work. Clearly, elitism of opportunity should be anathema in any fair society, but elitism of achievement has also become an unacceptable concept; in fact, it is often regarded as a badge of honour never to have had a lesson!

Nobody would expect to hear Sir Alex Ferguson defending his latest signing by saying, “OK, he only touched the ball twice, is 40, totally unfit, and has never played football in his life, but check out the human story! Didn’t he do well?” Musicians are just as skills-based a breed as sportspeople, and have worked equally hard, but the current media-led dumbing-down of the music scene does no justice to our professionalism - an untutored amateur can win a TV game show and be catapulted to the top of the classical charts.

Phew! In an effort to contextualise, I seem to have deviated from the remit of a ‘week in the life’ slightly!

In looking back through my diary over the last few months to find a ‘typical’ week, I have been joyously

TR 16-17.indd 17

reminded that there is no such thing, so I thought I would give a quick whizz through three different weeks this year that have been challenging and stimulating in different ways. Somewhat reprehensibly I am sitting writing this in a BBC Symphony Orchestra Prom concert rehearsal (making the most of the violins getting a terrible grilling!).

This week has entailed returning from a London Brass trip to a chamber music

...you have to have the energy to work very hard when the opportunity is there... festival in Holland, Wizard of Oz at the Palladium, the BBCSO in Debussy, Goehr, Knussen and Grime (Helen, not Dizzee Rascal), and Carousel at the Barbican theatre. All of these involve the classic freelance skill of deputising (‘depping’) except the latter, which involves my own orchestra, the Royal Ballet Sinfonia, depping for the orchestra of Opera North! In any context where you are not the regular player, it is always a (hopefully rewarding) challenge to try and be the musician you want to be, without making your colleagues yearn for the regular player too much. There are also several different musical idioms involved, so it involves stylistic flexibility, and a degree of stamina. The freelance life can be ‘feast or famine’, so you have to have the energy to work very hard when the opportunity is there.

Another recent week involved a recording of a new work by Gavin Higgins for Rambert Dance Company, sessions for the animated film Paranorman, a Purcell Room recital

with Onyx Brass, depping for Matt Gee in the RPO (Tchaikovsky’s 6th Symphony), and finishing with an 8 to 5 day at the Junior Department of the Royal College of Music, where I am very privileged to teach some amazingly gifted and dedicated young players. Sometimes the variety is inherent in just one programme: we had a fantastic triple-bill week recently with Birmingham Royal Ballet which included some Noel Coward (with me desperately attempting to sound like Gordon Campbell!), a world première of a piece by Matthew Hindson (a massive smash in the face), and finishing with Mendelssohn’s Midsummer Night’s Dream on alto trombone.

I am acutely aware that there is limited interest to be had in somebody else’s diary, the only reason I agreed to write this is that I feel monumentally blessed to be able to do this for a living and to be surrounded by so many incredible musicians, and I wanted to give voice to the mad life they lead. Occasionally there may be a whiff of cynicism in what musicians say, but I can’t think of many who are cynical in the way they play: music is too important, and looking out over a sea of faces of an audience engaged in an exercise of the soul, that has removed them from the stresses of daily life, is a great honour. Governments would do well to remember that the arts are the most cost-effective tonic for a more civilised and happier society. *as an example, the film session hourly rate has gone up £3 in ACTUAL terms since 1977!

[Photo courtesy of Colin Aitchison, Ned Kelly’s Jazz Bar, Hong Kong]

30-11-2012 12:19:33

18

Winter 2012 The Trombonist

Feature

Joe Arnold I first met Joe at the Royal Albert Hall on the English National Opera (ENO) Peter Grimes BBC Prom this past summer. It was his first Prom since performing in several as a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain and the Mahler Jugendorchester.

ENO was the first orchestra Joe had a trial with, after doing several auditions around the UK and Europe. He remembers his auditions well: “I did three European auditions behind screens. I enjoyed them a lot, as you can really focus on what you’re doing and you can almost forget that a panel is listening.”

The only down side, he felt, was that during those screened auditions the player only gets to play a short excerpt of their main piece, and two short excerpts. “Then the bell rings! So you have to be at your best for two minutes tops! And you’ve travelled to another country for those two minutes, so if you don’t get through that first round, it ends up being a city break away as you’ve spent all that money getting there.” Joe felt he learnt a lot from those experiences, though, especially having to be on top form straight away.

BTS President Carol Jarvis catches up with ENO’s new bass trombone TR 18-19.indd 18

Joe grew up in “quite a few different places”, as his dad was in the Army. He was born in Hong Kong, but very soon afterwards his parents flew back with the family home to the UK. They lived in several different places including Hampshire, Cambridgeshire, Glasgow and London. His grandparents lived in Somerset, so that’s where his main base was for school was - Wells Cathedral School, along with his two sisters.

“My dad has always been a massive influence on me. Music that he listened to and played was what we listened to. And he got us excited about music at a very early age. I remember listening to three tapes a lot, even before I’d started school, that he’d given me - Billy Joel, John Williams’ film music and the last Led Zeppelin album.

Obviously the military bands he conducted were a huge influence too. Watching the trombones marching at the front of the band was what made me want to play the instrument, and being able to watch live concerts from a very young age was great.

The first trombonist I saw in action was Ian Bousfield when he came to do a recital at

30-11-2012 15:05:13

Feature Wells when I was nine, and he has remained a big influence ever since.”

Joe studied with Alan Hutt, former trombonist with the RPO and Royal Opera House, at Wells. He played tenor trombone up until the age of 13, then swapped to a Holton bass trombone. “I was at Wells for ten years and studied with Alan the whole time. I was incredibly lucky to have my first ever lesson, and first nine years of lessons, with such a legend.

His nickname back at Wells was ‘God’ and I think anyone who’s had a lesson with him will immediately understand why.”

I wanted to know when Joe knew he wanted to play the trombone for a living: “I was quite young. I started playing in the Big Band and Symphonic Brass Ensembles at Wells when I was 12 and the Symphony Orchestra when I was 13, because the school had few senior trombonists at the time. Paul Denegri, the Head of Brass, conducted the groups, and was very enthusiastic and inspiring. I got hooked on playing in the ensembles and could never really see myself doing anything else except that from then onwards.”

During his last few years at Wells, Joe travelled up to London to have lessons with Bob Hughes (former bass trombone, London Symphony Orchestra and former President of the BTS) at the Royal Academy of Music (RAM). At the time, Bob recommended he got hold of a Shires bass trombone, which Joe has played ever since (and his 1.1/2 G mouthpiece).

Continuing his studies at the RAM made sense for Joe, as he continued to study with Bob. He also had lessons from Keith McNicoll (principal bass trombone and contrabass trombone with the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden). “It was a great mixture.

Bob helped lots with technique and I learnt a lot of repertoire with Keith (as well as the contrabass trombone).

It was quite often whatever Covent Garden was currently performing, so I had a great insight into Operatic excerpts.” He also had bass sackbut lessons from Pat Jackman whilst at the Academy.

On the lead up to his ENO audition, Joe had done three auditions in reasonably quick succession,

TR 18-19.indd 19

Winter 2012 The Trombonist

19

so said he felt he was “Well into audition mode! I felt quite comfortable by the time my ENO audition came up, as I’d recently auditioned for Opera North and BBCNOW.” I asked Joe if he ever got nervous. “I always struggled with nerves through school and at the Royal Academy when performing solos. I love sport but have always preferred being in a team. I remember being nervous months before sports day when I was in Junior School. I think that’s why I enjoyed those ensembles and orchestras at a young age, basically working as a team to create something.”

Joe said he didn’t quite realise he was on trial with ENO. “I heard that a few people had been told that they hadn’t got the job, but I still had things in the diary with them. I soon found out that it had been narrowed down, but really didn’t expect to get the job.”

Even although Joe now has a fulltime job, he admits that his ambitions haven’t changed: “About ten years ago, when I decided I wanted to play professionally, I was aiming for something, but I had no idea what, and that’s the same now. I think that has, and always will motivate me. I’d love to do more solo playing, although I know there’s a fairly small queue of people waiting to hear bass trombone solos! I’d like to be more creative as well. I’ve never really done much composing, but I think as a musician you have to do it. I want to write something even if nobody ever plays it, otherwise you could get through your career without ever contributing to the future of music. My final recital was a bit like highbrow karaoke really, no original material. I think everyone at Music College should have to compose at least one of the pieces that they play in their final recital.”

The next repertoire to come up at ENO for Joe to get his teeth into includes: The Mikado - 21/25/26/30/31 January Travita - 2/7/9/12/16/21/23/26/1 February/March La Boheme/Wozzeck/Perfect American/Death in Venice - all after Easter.

In his free time, Joe still finds time for his hobby: “I love sport.

I was absolutely addicted to it throughout school, and still play club cricket when I can for Roehampton CC. I spent more time practising cricket than the trombone for a few years at school, which was the great thing about being at Wells. You’re a specialist musician, but they still let you hurl yourself into rugby tackles and break your thumb dropping cricket balls!”

It was obvious whilst chatting to Joe that he is thrilled with his job at ENO. It’s always wonderful to hear of younger players doing so well and getting high-profile positions with the UK’s top orchestras. It’s something our music education system, especially our music conservatoires, should be very proud of.

Well done Joe, and all the best of luck!

30-11-2012 15:05:17

20

Winter2012 The Trombonist

Ensemble Feature

Bones Apart

by Jayne Murrill

As a group, Bones Apart have been together for 13 years now, for the last five years with the current line up of players - Becky Smith, Helen Vollam, Jayne Murrill and Lorna McDonald.

We are not a full-time group, and all work in a variety of different musical guises and jobs.

This year has seen us not only working in the UK but also heading back to the United States for the first time in two years. We were invited back to a school in Medina, Ohio, a place the quartet first visited nine years ago.

We were astounded by the music provision there. Every child has the opportunity to learn an instrument from the fifth grade; in fact it is compulsory to do a musical activity, either playing or singing every day, which is perhaps why we were warming up our trombones for the first session of the day at 7.30am! In a school of 800 children, there were over 30 learning the trombone and we hoped that we might inspire a few others to take up the instrument, as the band director was disappointed with the numbers! The kids were fantastic and it was a pleasure to coach them and to see them grow in confidence over the sessions.

We also had the treat of meeting a former pupil who had just started the trombone when the group first went to the school nine years ago and who had been inspired not only to continue playing but to make it his career.

When we had finished in Medina, we drove to Chicago (road trip!). There we were met by the legendary Jay Friedman, who had arranged a recital for us in the beautiful Rudolph Ganz Recital Hall, part of the Roosevelt University. During the recital we had the opportunity to perform a couple of octets with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra trombone section, which was a real treat, not only for us but hopefully also for the audience of almost exclusively trombone players (we established that there were approximately three non-trombonists in the room and those were tuba players!).

TR 20-21.indd 20

We then headed back to New York and another first for the group, giving a class at the Juilliard School and working with its trombone quartets.

The class had been arranged by Joe Alessi, who unfortunately couldn’t be there on the day. As you might expect, the playing was first-class.

We finished off our week with some more coaching, this time at Rutgers University in New Jersey, organised by John Rojak, the trombone professor there. This time we had a real mix of brass groups to work with, a quintet and a trumpet quartet amongst them.

We heard some great playing and it was a lovely end to our trip.

It has been three years since we recorded our fourth CD, Ten, marking a decade of Bones Apart, so we decided it was time for another and this time it was to be our first Christmas album. We had been discussing it on and off for a couple of years, so it was great to see it actually come to fruition. The CD was recorded in August over three days - two of them being the hottest days in 2012! The arrangements for the CD were all new and mostly written by ourselves. It also included arrangements done for us by Mark Nightingale, Phillip Littlemore and Roger Trigg. Once again, the CD was recorded and produced by Tom Watson from Prozone Music, who did our last two CDs and knows how we work - surprisingly that didn’t put him off! It’s been an exciting project and we hope that everyone enjoys the finished product, due out early November. The group has also worked on another exciting project this year.

We have been producing our own arrangements for a number of years so we decided to start publishing them ourselves under the Bones Apart Series banner. This has been an entirely new venture for us and there are already a number of titles available, including Gershwin’s Three Preludes, a Suite from Carmen and Tico Tico, all on our website, with more to follow.

Programming plays a very important part in all we do and we take it very

seriously and work hard to plan concerts around a theme. For the last couple of years we have been performing a programme based around the works of Shakespeare, entitled If Music Be the Food of Love. This theme has provided us with a wealth of music to choose from, with a huge variety of styles included. In fact, the title came from an arrangement that Helen made of a John Dankworth composition, which he attended a performance of before he sadly died.

From 2013, we will be presenting a new programme Chasing Legends which explores every angle of the word legend, and which will once again give us a massive variety of styles to work with. It will also feature a new commission by the trombonist Dan Jenkins about Robin Hood.

We already have a number of recitals coming up, including a short trip to Belgium in November. There is also some interesting education work on the horizon, including a one day course for the ACE Foundation in Cambridge on 3 March 2013, which will see the group dividing, some of us working with trombones and the others coaching euphonium and baritone players. Anyone interested in attending should see our website for details (www.bonesapart.com).

It has been an exciting and varied year for us and we look forward to more of the same in 2013!

30-11-2012 12:18:38

Tips from the Top

Winter 2012 The Trombonist

21

The Alto Trombone

by Roger Harvey

The time has long gone when it was considered to be a weakness to resort to the alto trombone. In fact, it is now expected in Classical and early Romantic repertoire and skill on the alto is a useful quality in a 1st trombonist. One of the effects of the ‘authentic’ performance scene is that even in the modern orchestral set-up natural trumpets, hand horns and smaller bore trombones are sometimes requested by conductors in early repertoire where a lighter sound quality is desirable.

Most of the older generation of players have learned to play the alto on the job; while the demands of the occasion provide plenty of stimulus to learn quickly, it is not a method for the faint-hearted, as what may have seemed like a good idea at the time can expose a marked lack of the sort of auto-pilot that we have developed on our main instrument over many hours of playing.

Even in our music colleges one comes across students who feel it would be a good idea to demonstrate their versatility by picking up an alto a few weeks before their final exam.

A critical examiner may prefer to hear something well played on the main instrument rather than a brave attempt, but lacking finesse, on the alto.

It is a very good idea, then, to do some serious work on the alto before jumping in at the deep end and, having developed some expertise, to maintain it on a regular basis.

As a side issue, it would seem like a very good idea to start young players on the alto. It is relatively easy to blow and handle, can easily be accommodated in wind or brass groups and gives a very good grounding in technical issues for any players wishing to move on to the tenor as they grow. This is already happening in some places but is an idea well worth fostering on a larger scale.

The assumption here is that a tenor player of reasonable competence wishes to embark from scratch on the alto instrument. Although I will make some suggestions for addressing the sort of subtle adjustments of technique that are required, it is

TR 20-21.indd 21

rather difficult to put these into words in any specific way as adjustments are only very slight and it could prove counter-productive to overstress them. There is no substitute for regular, sensible, critical practice, which will inform the brain what needs to be done to get the ‘feel’ of the instrument so that adjustment becomes natural and automatic.

- General sound quality: aim for clearer, lighter sound than on the tenor and in general adopt a leggiero style. This will be particularly helpful when shadowing the words in choral music. Depending on musical context, it may be beneficial to play with a more trumpet-like approach to help blend the sections.

- Due to the shorter length and narrower bore of the alto, breath pressure has to be slightly adjusted: the aperture, being smaller, will allow less volume of air to pass through comfortably than on the tenor, but at a slightly higher pressure. While keeping the exhalation process well controlled to avoid any forcing of the sound, it is still vital to maintain a good flow, so try to find the right balance of pressure to response. If a greater pressure is required in the high register, it may help to restrict the breath to the chest area by pulling tight in the abdominal region.

- The centre of the embouchure should be tightened just a little to help focus a clear, light sound.

- Production needs to be light; try holding the tongue a little further back than usual so that it makes a gentler contact and recoils quickly.

-Tuning: beware of overshooting especially in longer shifts. Practice scales, arpeggios and intervals, listening very critically.

-Reading: persevere when learning alto clef: more practice means more ‘auto-pilot’. Keep it very simple to begin with; use familiar tunes or exercises. For awkward passages it may help to imagine the slide movements and pitching at the tenor equivalent, e.g. moving from e to b flat is the equivalent of a move from b to f on the tenor. You may occasionally be presented with parts in tenor, bass or treble clef, so it is sensible to become familiar with

playing in all clefs.

-Section instruments: when the 1st player is using an alto, a better balance of section sound is achieved if the 2nd uses a medium bore and bass uses something like an 88H. Otherwise the top voice can sound and feel isolated.

-Equipment: there is a good range of alto instruments now available to suit all tastes. I would suggest not trying to use too small a mouthpiece except for music in the extreme high range.

-Practice material: it is easy to become quickly fatigued by playing in the middle to high registers, so I suggest doing a decent amount of work in the low to middle range before moving up. This will extend your practice session considerably. Since I am not aware of any other tutor dedicated to the instrument, I am modestly forced to suggest my own BrassWorkBook for Alto Trombone as a source of progressive practice material. Also try early grade viola studies. You could also use a computer music programme to input and re-clef familiar tunes or exercises.

30-11-2012 12:18:39

22

Winter 2012 The Trombonist

TR 22-23.indd 22

30-11-2012 12:17:49

Composer’s Corner

Winter 2012 The Trombonist

Dan Jenkins In 1972, the BBC held an open competition to write the theme tune for the forthcoming Winter Olympics. Aged five, I sent, in red felt pen, an attractive helter-skelter of hemidemisemiquavers, for no particular instrument, with the accidentals after the notes they referred to.

So the creative bug has always been there. This later exasperated my school music teachers every week, when they’d set a homework exercise - write an appropriate answering phrase, or harmonise a melody in a particular style - and I found it impossible not to do it my way, in my own style, instead of fulfilling the demands of the exercise. In the end I did two lots of homework every week, one to satisfy my own expression, and one to (sometimes) please the teacher.

I know you have to learn the rules and the basics, but I do also think that natural unrestraint can produce results that strict guidelines wouldn’t discover. One of the most popular and innovative chefs in Paris is self-taught.

By the time I got to college, I noticed that I’d already written more music than I could lift. At Guildhall, I was brought into line by Simon Wills, and suddenly found myself surrounded by brass players, and pieces and arrangements emerged fairly regularly. Perhaps of greatest interest to readers will be the Trombone Concerto, written in 1987 for my friend Ed Tarrant’s final recital.

Rather trivially, the motif for the 1st movement is his name, the notes E and D. Well, you’ve got to start somewhere! 23 years later, in 2010, Robb Tooley (Birmingham Symphony Orchestra) gave two performances, complete with orchestra this time, not just piano.

The years after college were increasingly spent earning crusts as a

TR 22-23.indd 23

trombone player, but I did manage to put together a few pieces over the years. One long hot summer, still as a fledgling freelancer, I had nothing to do, and something had to give.

One afternoon I suddenly wrote about 15 new tunes, in stage musical style. They flowed so quickly and seemed so familiar that I was convinced I’d pinched the lot. But none of the people I showed them to over the next fortnight recognised any of them, so I knew they were all original, and turned them into two suites called Bones on Broadway.

The trombone is such a versatile instrument. If it was capable of the speed of a violin or clarinet it would be the perfect instrument to write for.

So we concentrate on its wonderful sound, its very ‘tromboneness’. Exploit the qualities of any instrument you’re writing for. Composition is a beautiful thing, and the more I learn about it by doing it, the further away its boundaries get. All musicians should try it!

There was another flurry of tune writing in 2005 when over the course of about three weeks, I wrote 72 pieces whilst on the Underground.

These are now published as three sets of 24 Sight-Reading Studies. I would

23

say I’m fortunate when it comes to melody writing, though of course the initial inspiration almost certainly isn’t the finished product, and needs work on shape, balance, direction and so on. Nowadays, I find the technical process of composition almost as interesting as the creation of the music itself. And sitting in the BBC Symphony Orchestra every day, with its modern repertoire, where there’s a huge range of new sounds, ideas and effects, there’s a lot to learn from. But I’m more traditional when it comes to my own stuff; I really believe a piece ought to be immediately accessible, with that old-fashioned ingredient, a tune. I feel that the right piece writes itself; it’s just up to me to discover it. There’s already a great piece out there, I just haven’t found out how it goes yet.

There are many more pieces in boxes that I can’t lift, and several projects on the go right now. And that’s only the trombone stuff...

30-11-2012 12:17:50

24

Winter 2012 The Trombonist

Orchestral Feature

Tom Wintho

by Mike Hext

1

In October 2012, my friend and colleague Tom Winthorpe retired as sub-principal trombone from the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House. I felt honoured to be asked by the BTS to put together an article to celebrate his distinguished career in the music profession.

Tom started his playing career in City of Oxford Silver Band in 1955 and had an early brush with fame when Jimmy Edwards played his Boosey Imperial trombone! After a spell with the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain, he actually started work as a draughtsman in 1963.

In 1968, Tom decided to take a chance and apply to the Royal Academy of Music, and was accepted. He still has the original receipt for a Conn 88H which he bought then from Denis Wick and is still playing today.

In 1971, he joined the now defunct BBC Training Orchestra in Bristol,

TR 24-25.indd 24

conducted by Michael Rose. The ‘straining orchestra’, as it was known, was an excellent place for learning the orchestral repertoire, some of it conducted by high-profile conductors, including Sir Adrian Boult.

In 1972, he joined the BBC Northern Ireland Orchestra in Belfast. At that time, the Ulster Orchestra had no trombones on contract and the BBC Northern Ireland Orchestra only had two so they covered all of the work in both orchestras. The repertoire there required an extra player every week, which prompted the arrival in Northern Ireland of Danny Longstaff on a ‘permanent freelance’ basis. This initiated a sudden warming up of the social life in the orchestras and the region in general!

Tom joined the Orchestra of ENO at the Coliseum in 1974 and found the five years he spent there the most significant of his life. His

colleagues in the section were Jim Ketchen (principal) and Leslie Lake (bass trombone), both wonderful players and true friends. During that time ENO performed 13 Ring Cycles, most notably with Reggie Goodall conducting. He met a lovely singer there and they married in 1976. Linda and the Conn 88H are both still with Tom (although Linda looks considerably younger than the trombone!). He played and recorded also with the Locke Brass Ensemble or ‘Locky Brass’, which Leslie Lake started in 1966 as a quintet, but later expanded to a larger ensemble.

In 1979, Tom joined the BBC Symphony Orchestra. His arrival coincided with Gennady Rozhdestvensky’s tenure as Chief Conductor. He particularly remembers the six Last Nights of The Proms.

Other highlights included working with Lennie Bernstein, tours to China,

30-11-2012 12:16:59

Orchestral Feature

Winter 2012 The Trombonist

orpe retires 2

25

4

3

1. The section rehearsing the trombone quartet from Henry Wood’s “Sea Songs” with Chris Mowat, Tony Parsons,Tom and Dick Tyack.

2. An early brush with fame when Jimmy Edwards played his Boosey Imperial trombone!

3. 156 trombones performing in Covent Garden Piazza 4. Tom with the ophicleide

Japan, Korea and Australia, also playing the Beethoven Equale at the interment of former BBC Chairman, George Howard.

Tom moved to the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House in 1985. This time his arrival coincided with Bernard Haitink’s tenure as Music Director.

The following year he was involved in organising the first BTS Mass Trombone Blow.

When the Opera House was cleared for redevelopment in 1998, an ophicleide was found. Tom discovered that it had been played by Sam Hughes, the last ‘original’ ophicleidist of the 19th century. Tom had the instrument renovated and became the resident ophicleidist at the Opera House, playing the instrument in a number of productions and also at an Arthur Sullivan Centenary Prom in 2000 with the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

TR 24-25.indd 25

Tom told me that during his lucky life, he has always felt that there is so much to learn from fellow musicians about playing, both what to do and what not to do, and that it’s free advice! During his time at Covent Garden he has worked with many of the greatest Opera conductors, but for him, Giuseppe Patane embodied all that could be asked of a conductor: a clear beat, absolute knowledge of the score, complete control of everyone involved but based on empathy for his artists, and finally that indefinable ‘magic’. For the ballet, he found Victor Fedotov to be a revelation.

After conducting approximately 2,000 performances of Swan Lake all around the world, Fedotov was asked if he ever got fed up conducting it. His reply: “Do you ever tire of watching the sun rise?” For Tom it has really been a privilege to work with these people and to accompany the greatest

singers of our time in such an iconic venue for so many years.

I am going to miss him both as a friend and as a musician. I admired him enormously because he never gave less than 100 percent, both in his commitment and his playing. I know him well enough to know that in his retirement he certainly won’t be a pipe and slippers man. Interestingly, he was born in the village of Dorchester, Oxfordshire which gives him the right for life to fish in the River Thame but I think he’ll want to be a little more active than that!

All of us at the Opera House offer him our sincere best wishes for his retirement. I will say that if he’s at a loss for things to do, we could offer him a full-time post sorting out the trombone schedules at the Opera House. Tom is still the only person in the section who seems to know how they work!

30-11-2012 12:16:59

26

Winter 2012 The Trombonist

## " #% ' ' &$ $% & "' #% % &'! &

(' "#* ' "" ) %& %+ #" %' '(% "

! & #%% &#" + " " " " !( !( !#%

% % '# + ,

#% #% % #" " ' *** *#% #-% && #!

Watch the preview at www.britishbandsman.com

CD mout s, sheet m hpie ces n usic and ow a vaila b

le!

www.brettbaker.co.uk TR 26-27.indd 26

Brett Baker, Soloist & Teacher

30-11-2012 12:16:35

Bones from the Past

Winter 2012 The Trombonist

27

Gabrieli revisited

by Peter Bassano A few months ago, I was asked to lecture to brass students at Trinity Laban Conservatoire in London on how best to perform early music on modern instruments. Since this year marks the 400th anniversary of the death of Giovanni Gabrieli, I thought I would research recordings of the composer to see if I could come up with the best example of how not to do it.

This particular accolade went to Empire Brass and Friends. Had I listened to their recording when I was a student, I would probably have thought it wonderful, and in terms of spectacular brass playing, it still is.

I left the RCM in 1968 with no interest in composers earlier than Bach and the strong perception that ‘early music’ (EM) was dull and boring and that the practitioners of EM on ‘authentic’ instruments were poor players with little technical ability, appalling intonation and a painfully slow rehearsal technique which meant that knocking a performance into shape took inordinately longer than ‘professionals’ would. It was working with David Munrow, his friends and colleagues for the first time in 1971 that I immediately realised that I might need to radically review my poor opinion of EM performers.

All of the brass players that David used were London-based freelance players, who became aware that there was an opportunity to diversify into ‘authentic’ EM performance by procuring historic instruments - cornetts and sackbutts.

Cornetts were not such a great financial outlay since instrument makers like Christopher Monk reconstructed cornetti and produced them quite cheaply.

Trumpet players found that once they had mastered cornetto fingering and a compromise mouthpiece, more resembling trumpet contours than original acorn-style cornett mouthpieces, it worked well for them. Sackbutts, on the other hand, were a different matter.

German brass manufactures were making copies of original Nuremberg instruments preserved in museums but they were exorbitantly expensive, some four or five times the cost of the modern American instruments played by professional orchestral players.

Most of the freelance trombone players of the 1970s seeking to acquire a small-bore instrument resembling a Renaissance sackbutt embarked on

TR 26-27.indd 27

an act of vandalism. They bought a modern second-hand small or medium bore trombone (freely available and inexpensive) and had the bell flare literally sawn off to reduce its size from 7” to 4”. These adapted instruments became known as ‘sawnoff shotguns’. Like the 1960s cornetti players, trombonists didn’t, at that stage, use copies of mouthpieces of original historic instruments (flat rims and shallow cups) but played on modern versions with slightly smaller diameter rims and shallower cups than they would use with their everyday orchestral instruments. The most notable exception to this adaptation of the cheap ‘sawnoff shotgun’ was Alan Lumsden, who acquired, at great expense, a Meinl and Lauber copy of an instrument by Hans Neuschel.

Since the amount of work for early brass dramatically increased with the invention of the CD and the formation of new specialist orchestras and ensembles, such as the Academy of Ancient Music, English Baroque Soloists, Gabrieli Consort, His Majesty’s Sagbutts & Cornetts, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Taverner Players and so on, it was only a matter of time before players needed to acquire proper copies of historic instruments and mouthpieces if they wished to compete in this new market.

Of course, more important than the instruments they played was knowledge of performance practice, which proved more complicated than might have been anticipated. An awareness of words, cantabile phrasing, a more flexible approach to the interpretation of rhythm, a knowledge of decoration, a sensitivity to mean-tone and other earlier tuning and pitch systems, were just some of the areas that players needed to consider when embarking on an EM, or a part-EM career. Naturally, the conservatoires responded with specialist early music departments and the appointment of EM specialists as professors. Performers like Sue Addison, Sue Dent, Jeremy West, Mark Bennett and many others were appointed to advise on historic specialisation.

Many students who wanted to take EM further went abroad to study; The Hague, Utrecht and Basle became popular postgraduate centres, some performers ended up living where they had studied, with some even forsaking

modern instruments altogether.

Conductors whose careers had been promoted through their own EM orchestras, choirs and ensembles, found themselves conducting modern symphony and chamber orchestras and encouraging them to look anew at the performances of Mozart through to Elgar. These conductors included Harnoncourt, Herreweghe, Gardiner, McCreesh and Norrington. Other more conventionally trained conductors - Elder, Mackerras and Rattle for example - picked up on this historically influenced approach. In some instances requests were made for more ‘authentic’ sounding instruments too; natural trumpets and horns, basset-horns, French bassoons, calf-skin timpani as well as medium-bore trombones.

There are now many concerts involving the generations of sackbutt players trained in the UK. These include Adrian France, Tom Lees, Abigail Newman, Pat Jackman, Emily White, Adam Woolf, and specialist ensembles like QuintEssential Cornett and Sackbutt Ensemble and the English Cornett and Sackbutt Ensemble, but as yet there is no ensemble quite on the lines of the long-established Concerto Palatino directed by Bruce Dickey (cornett) and Charles Toet (sackbutt). Their European base means that journey times and travel costs between major cities European cities is something that ensembles, like His Majesty’s Sackbutts and Cornetts, find hard to compete with.

At this is Gabrieli anniversary, I wonder if there is anything more we can do here to help recreate the precise performing conditions that existed in late 16th century Venice? I would love to see the high pitch of Gabrieli’s Venice revived in the UK’s concert venues. Pitch in Gabrieli’s time was reckoned to be about A=460-470 hz. Of course, that’s not just a question of building high pitch cornetti and organs, for modern trombonists it means reviving Virgiliano and Praetorius’s diatonic slide positions.

For players who find that the seven positions comes as second nature, that would be a real intelligence test.

Peter Bassano As well as a long career as a modern orchestral trombonist, Peter Bassano played with His Majesty’s Sagbutts & Cornetts and English Baroque Soloists and was Professor of Sackbutt at the Royal College of Music.

30-11-2012 12:16:35

28

Winter 2012 The Trombonist

Where are they now?

When Brett Baker asked me to write an article for the ‘Where are they now?’ series, I must admit to feeling both surprised and honoured. I told him I had often wondered whether the story of my accident and my recuperation might be of interest to members.

He thought it would, so here goes: TROMBONE PLAYING IS GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH After playing bass trombone in Tredegar Town Band and then solo trombone in both Tredegar and Sun Life bands, I left the world of brass bands in the mid-1990s and explored the world of the trombone in orchestral, big band and musical theatre.

Thus it was, on 10 October 2009, that something occurred that was to change my life. At 5:45 pm, I was driving to Abergavenny for the last night of King’s Rhapsody when another vehicle shot across a three-lane road and collided broadside on with me. My car - a Discovery - rolled over and came to rest on its roof. My first thought, hanging upside down by the seatbelt, was, “How on earth am I going to get to the gig now?” There was no pain at that point, my body having shut down in shock.

However, I could hear diesel running and decided I had better get out of there. Releasing my seat belt, I dropped to the ceiling of the car and began to pull myself out. Two men appeared, passers-by who had stopped, and they pulled me out.

I ended up in Prince Charles Hospital, Merthyr, where I underwent a sevenand-a-half hour operation, during which my right lung collapsed, a chest drain was inserted and I received nine pints of blood. I awoke the following afternoon in intensive care, where I stayed for four days. I discovered that I had broken four ribs, fractured my sternum, my right shoulder blade and two vertebrae. My pelvis was broken, my femur was broken in five places, and my tibia and fibula in three places just

TR 28-29.indd 28

above the ankle. The ankle itself was totally destroyed - a “bag of bones,” according to my surgeon - and there were multiple fractures in my foot. My surgeon, Lisa Williams, told me that it was the worst injury she had seen short of amputation.

The pain now began, especially in my foot, and I had two further operations, cutting open the flesh to allow the swollen muscles in the foot room to expand. My hip was screwed together with a long metal plate holding the femur together. The metal frame on my lower leg, however, was not doing the job it was meant to do and after four weeks, I was transferred to the Royal Gwent Hospital, Newport, where I came under the care of Mr. Kartik Hariharan, who, I soon discovered, was a keen jazz fan, being a flute and soprano sax player. ok at me and told me I He took one look nough to be e operated op p e on. was not well enough w n’t wake wo ke “If I put you to sleep, you won’t e was right. Four days up,” he said. He gai a n and I was later my lung collapsed ag again once again veryy ill. aff in both h hospitals The nursing staff were wonderful, well ul, and I wass we w ll looked wly wl y became after by them all as I slowl slowly g to receive rece eive stronger. I was lucky enough rom the world wor o ld of music, or musi s c, many visitors from as well as countless tless text an and Facebook o ok messages. One such frien friend, nd, d Denis Wedgwood, appeared ppeared one n day with ne ha aper parcel. “ Delivery for orr huge brown paper “Delivery ed. d Mr. Tilley!” he announce announced. arcel and fo ffound und a I opened the parcel bone which had been en run run flattened trombone everal times. “A batter erred d over by a car several battered battere red re d trombone trombone for a battered enis. The trombone took to ook k player!” said Denis. pride of place in the corner of my room at talking point for all and was a great ee me. who came to see onsultant anaesthetist Eventually, a consultant e and announced he came to see me py to “put me under”. would be happy So, on my 63rd birthday, seven weeks ent, I was taken to after the accident, ke several hours later e theatre. I awoke

with a Taylor Spatial Frame on my leg, metal rings around my leg with spars and struts going into and through the bones. There was a huge metal horseshoe around my foot, with more wires going through the bones. I had been given a Meccano set for my eighth birthday. I hadn’t expected another for my 63rd!

The anaesthetist called to see me the following day. “I just wanted to tell you that there wasn’t a blip with your respiration during the op,” he said, and nodded at the trombone in the corner.

“Mind you, I was immensely reassured when I discovered you play that.”

Now I was allowed to be mobile, at first on a zimmer, later on crutches, and on Friday 11 December I was allowed home. After four days, I began to play the trombone again, and shortly after Christmas, I was contacted by my good friend, John Spruce, who suggested he come to my house and play duets. A week or so later, he rang to ask if we had room forr five trombones, and so Bone Fracture was born, named for the way in which we got together and as a sort of tribute to the famous Bone Structure group, and featuring three tenor and two bass trombones.

John did the arrangements and recorded backings, which he played himself on keyboard, on mini disc, and we did our first gig in November 2010, my foot and leg still encased in metal and propped up cusshions on cushions in

30-11-2012 12:15:17

Where are they now?

front of me! For almost the whole of 2010, I was still in danger of losing my leg. Infection set in the wounds; all bones were healing save for a huge gap in the tibia. Hari (Mr. Hariharan) tried trie ie ed everything, finally deciding on a bone graft. When they opened up the fracture, it was discovered that the fibula ha had h d healed in such a way that it had a step p in it which was propping prop pping open the gap in the tibia. It would never have healed! In December, 2010, Hari decided deci c ded that the fram frame a e would have to co come ome off, “whatever the th he state of the fracture.” At the end of January, 2011, I was admitted for my ninth operation. The plan was to put me in plaster for a couple of weeks to enable any lingering infection to clear up. However, when I awoke, I discovered only bandage on my leg.

They had decided was it w as

TR 28-29.indd 29

stronger than they’d thought and so I was put into a ‘moon boot’. Six weeks later, I was told to “b “bin the boot” and go out a nd start living my life and not and come back for six wee weeks. I was now able to shower… for the first time in ab 16 6 months! What a p pleasure that was, to stand under the ho hot water raining down on my body! do I was cont ntacted by so contacted some brass band fr rie i nds. C o ld I help tthem out and play ou friends.

Could bass tromb trombone m one in the ‘Area’ contest in Swansea? ? And so I be became a member of Abertil ille l ry Brass Ba le Abertillery Band. I put every obst obstacle sttacle I could d thi think ink of in their way: I we’ll pick can’t drive… w e ll pic e’ c you up; I can’t instrument… carry my in nstrument… we’ll carry it for you… And so they did, taking me bringing me home to rehearsal and bring again. I renewed old friendships and made e new ones. At th the same time, I was approached by the Bl Blackhawk Big Band and went there to pla play lead trombone, back and forth again being ferried b June, I played my by kind friends. In Jun first gig: 2nd trombon trombone in the Mozart Requiem, in Llandaff Cathedral, and playing the Tuba Miru Mirum for the first time. determined that I In January 2010, I det would walk unaided by Christmas. I succeeded with a week to spare,

Winter 2012 The Trombonist

29

but only around the house. With the removal of the frame, I set the target of driving by the summer. I succeeded in mid-June, took a driving assessment and bought a car. My first show was two years almost to the day after the accident, working in the same theatre for the same people… and yes, I drove the same route, though I must admit to a few ‘butterflies in the stomach’ whenever I passed the scene of the crash. My leg is two inches shorter than it used to be; my right lung is scarred and the breath control is not as good as it was, but I’ve got my life back.

I am so grateful to the surgeons and the nurses who cared for me and gave me back my life. I’m also so grateful for the wonderful friends I have made over the years who supported me in all manner of ways doing my rehabilitation. I’m also grateful that I play the trombone, because it is through this wonderful instrument I first met so many people.

In the dark days of October and November 2009, when I was so ill, each night, I visualised standing on my own two feet, playing a solo. I have done this several times now, including once on a gig with Mark Nightingale.

Life is very good and wherever I play, I can’t stop smiling at my good fortune.

30-11-2012 12:15:19

30

Winter 2012 The Trombonist

2 )) ) *

# 2 *% #" "#

2 *% " +# " / , " 2 *% * )) . "

" "

" - / ))

*) * & # " " - *$ #+ #

* * -* 1 )) #" & " . / &"0 ) * % & *

. / & '

(* '2 $* # "

35;

! ! - *

*) 8 !

1-! 2 2!% " )= 349;5 765 46< 349;5 :64 <;<

(((2 !

1-! 2 2!%

BRASS AND WOODWIND INSTRUMENTS CTB11ML B flat tenor trombone ¡ Medium-large bore (13.34mm, 0.525in.) ¡ 8-inch bell (205mm) ¡ Single radius tuning slide ¡ Chrome-plated inner slide legs ¡ Sprung water key ¡ Lacquer finish, nickel-plated trim and outer slide ¡ Lightweight backpack case ¡ Genuine Wick 6BS mouthpiece

ÂŁ395.00

CTB12ML B flat/F tenor trombone ¡ Medium-large bore (13.34mm, 0.525in.) ¡ 8-inch bell (205mm) ¡ Traditional (closed) wrap F attachment ¡ Single radius main tuning slide ¡ Chrome-plated inner slide legs ¡ Sprung water key ¡ Lacquer finish, nickel-plated trim and outer slide ¡ Lightweight backpack case ¡ Genuine Wick 6BS mouthpiece

ÂŁ595.00

CTB13L B flat/F tenor trombone ¡ Large bore (13.89mm, 0.547in.) ¡ 8½-inch bell (216mm) ¡ Open wrap F attachment (with dual radius slide) ¡ Single radius main tuning slide ¡ Chrome-plated inner slide legs ¡ Sprung water key ¡ Lacquer finish, nickel-plated trim and outer slide ¡ Lightweight backpack case ¡ Genuine Wick 4AL mouthpiece

ÂŁ595.00

rosehillinstruments.co.uk

TR 30-31.indd 30

01494 671717

30-11-2012 12:15:00

Trombonist’s Island Discs

Winter 2012 The Trombonist

31

David Purser regular additions to our repertoire were an absolute joy to play.

Berg Chamber Concerto with the London Sinfonietta, conducted by David Atherton. The years I spent in the LS, playing the master works of the 20th century, and collaborating with many of the world’s greatest composers (as well as some not-so-great ones) were wonderfully invigorating. This is one of those moments when there are so many recordings to choose from (with Messaien, Takemitsu, Birtwistle, Lutoslawski, to name a few) that I have copped out, and gone for a golden oldie instead.

That’s enough of the nostalgia!

Stravinsky Rite of Spring, Cleveland Orchestra, conducted by Pierre Boulez.

I need some Stravinsky, and I would like to be reminded of Boulez’ lucid musicianship.

The invitation to contribute to the BTS Trombonist’s Island Discs feature has given me serious pause for thought.

After four very happy decades of music-making, during which I was genuinely fortunate to work with some wonderful ensembles (this, I promise you, is not false modesty). I gave up my last playing commitments three years ago to concentrate on my increasingly full-time job at Birmingham

Exhibition with the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble. I didn’t actually play on the recording, as my euphonium playing was deemed to be not up to the mark - a judgement which I was able to prove amply justified in the numerous subsequent performances when I did get my hands on the euphonium part.

But this is a landmark work for brass ensemble and I can hardly begin to describe the thrill of playing it at the Royal Albert Hall in the BBC Proms.

pressed to pick eight discs (I know - that’s the whole point!), especially when you have nostalgia as well as personal musical favourites to consider.

Suffice to say that there is a lot left out of the following!

First the nostalgia: Gary Howarth’s wonderful transcription of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an

TR 30-31.indd 31

Schubert Late Piano Sonatas played by Alfred Brendel.

Bach 48 Preludes and Fugues played by Patricia Hewett.

An Evening with London Brass was recorded live and includes a couple of my own arrangements. Happy days!

These last two are the music I am most likely to listen to in the evening after a hard day at the Conservatoire with the students.

London Brass Surprise. This disc was actually recorded after I had left LB, but it includes some of my favourite arrangements by Richard Bissill. The level of virtuosity that the ensemble had reached by this time was absolutely tremendous (and, I should add, didn’t demand too much of Yours Truly on the 3rd trombone chair) and Richard’s

And if we were to go on to the next eight recordings, the jazz favourites would start kicking in; and the Renaissance music, and… well, the list would be endless. I’ll just have to sit under my palm tree remembering all my amazing colleagues, and all the very happy occasions I have had making music with them!

Conservatoire. Any professional musician of my years would be hard-

Wagner Gotterdammerung. ENO conducted by Reginald Goodall.

Overwhelmingly beautiful and exciting music. And at five-and-a-half hours, should see me through some boring days on my desert island (and actually it’s nostalgia as well, since I played the bass trumpet in these recordings).

30-11-2012 12:15:02

32

Autumn 2012 The Trombonist

TR 32-33.indd 32

NEWS

30-11-2012 12:14:43

Slide rule

T-bone Concerto CD Kew Band Melbourne with soloist Brett Baker T-bone Concerto is the title of the main work on this CD from Kew Band, with trombone soloist Brett Baker. This title and CD sleeve also gives a sense of what to expect - musicians of enormous ability and commitment who value coming together to place on record their love of music.

Brett Baker has a long-standing interest in new music so it is no surprise to see a number of new works and arrangements on this compilation. The highlights are Concerto by Danish composer Launy Grondahl and T-bone Concerto by Dutch composer Johan de Meij. The arrangements for brass band by Howard Lorriman and Darren Cole of these two technically demanding works characterise the enormous power, warmth, brilliance and technical potential not only of the trombone but for this type of brass ensemble more generally. In each performance, Brett Baker’s control of the instrument and artistic insight brings these works to life in a way that will encourage listeners to enjoy many repeated hearings.

Other highlights on the CD include performances of Rhapsody in Blue, the popular song Close to You, and three older favourites; O Mio Babbino Caro, Bride of the Waves and Abide With Me. These are all well chosen and sure to capture the attention of listeners of all ages and listening preferences.

Kew Band, led by Mark Ford, is one of Australia’s premier community ensembles and here provides a technically and musically satisfying accompaniment for every work on the CD. I particularly warmed to the variety of shadings in the performances, the wide dynamic control and the fluid, controlled playing throughout the entire ensemble. The quality of the CD recording (completed over a couple of days in August 2011) is also magnificent.

Without any doubt, this is a release that deserves to attract large sales and sit on the shelves of all who enjoy brass bands.

Gary McPherson - Ormond Professor and Director, Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, The University of Melbourne, Australia

SSHH Mute There are many practice mutes on the market, each with their own good points. I feel that this new mute from New Zealand combines all those good qualities into one practice mute.

It’s extremely lightweight, so doesn’t compromise the balance of your instrument while you play. It performs excellently across the entire range of the instrument and you can blow really freely.

There seems to be less resistance than many other practice mutes, which to me, is essential so that it doesn’t affect the way you normally play.

I have to use practice mutes on a regular basis when away on the road and in various hotel rooms, so I’m looking forward to using the sshhmute wherever I go! www.sshhmute.com Carol Jarvis

TR 32-33.indd 33

Winter 2012 The Trombonist

33

Fanfare CD British Trombone Society White River Evocations: WR12-04 Total Playing Time: 59 mins approx This first BTS recording features a wide range of music, from solo performances to pieces for 20 or so players, and it is designed to raise funds to support its ongoing work. The recording was made in one day, following the sessions for Brett Baker’s Boneman Walking release, with instruments ranging from alto down to contrabass, with noted authority Ed Solomon superbly displaying his prowess on the latter.

Majestic Bruckner tribute The opening Simon Hall Fanfare gets the disc off to an excellent start and is followed by Enrique Crespo’s majestic Bruckner Etude, its organ-like sonorities reminding you of Bruckner’s own fondness for the trombone, as well as his life-long involvement as a church organist.

Solo fantasia and quartets BTS President Brett Baker features as soloist in Dan Jenkins’ Fantasia for Tenor Trombone, inspired by Malcolm Arnold’s similar work and incorporating references to some of his other pieces. Brett is joined by his Black Dyke colleagues in a seductive rendition of Libertango and a quick dash through Charles Williams’ Devil’s Gallop. He also conducts several of the larger ensembles.

A mixed bunch In his Morley Suite Derrick Parker has taken three tunes by the Elizabethan madrigalist Thomas Morley, creating an attractive item for trombone choir. Other arrangements presented are Toccata (Frescobaldi, arr. Kagarice) and Little Fugue in G Minor (JS Bach, arr. Ron Barron).

Gordon Jacob’s Trombone Octet is something of a classic of the genre, and is one of the highlights of the recording. It is actually performed here by nine players, with Ed Jones of the CBSO and Mark Horton of ‘Trombonanza’ sharing the fiendishly high top part between them. It is an eminently attractive work that deserves to be much better known.

An amalgam of styles Simon Minshall is the accomplished soloist in Capriccio for bass trombone and trombone sextet, whilst other original works include James Kazik’s sparkling Mini Overture and James McFadyen’s intriguingly titled Flamethrowers and Galaxies.

In this double quintet the composer acknowledges the influence of Bach, Tchaikovsky and Stravinsky, including a brief extract from 1812, with the various strands combining to give the impression of swirling galaxies. Philip Wilby’s Still Small Voice is a wonderful gem, with the reflective setting of Repton for three trombones and piano. Stephen Sykes, Garry Reed and Gareth Sykes are joined by noted accompanist Fenella Haworth-Head. Vaclav Nelhybel’s Tower Music makes for an imposing finale.

Notable There are many American recordings of trombone choirs on the market, but not many originating in the UK, despite some very fine groups attached to various colleges, as well as independent ensembles. This is a notable addition to the discography and is well worth exploring. There can be something special about a homogenous choir of instruments and it is clear that the trombone choir deserves its place alongside similar string and wind groups.

I hope that it will not be too long before they manage to get together to produce a second volume.

Peter Bale

30-11-2012 12:14:46

34

Winter 2012 The Trombonist

TR 34-35.indd 34

30-11-2012 15:09:43

Diary Dates

Winter 2012 The Trombonist

35

Diary of Events from December 2012 Items in black are organised by the BTS. Please send in details of upcoming trombone concerts or workshops and we will add them to the Diary (in colour).

Date TBC Northern Ireland BTS Day 9.30am Registration Bann House, Portadown, Co. Armagh, Featuring Adrian Morris (Halle Orchestra) and the RNCM trombone ensemble.

Saturday 16 February 2013 Philip Jones Memorial Concert 3.00pm and 6.00pm at St Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Smith Square London SW1 A celebration of brass chamber music in memory of the late Philip Jones Sunday 3 March 2013 Bones Apart Trombone and Euphonium Day 9.30pm Registration, 6.00pm ďŹ nish Sawston Village College, New Road, Sawston Cambridge CB22 3BP Friday 22 March and Saturday 23 March 2013 International Brass Competition Paris For more details visit http://ensembledecuivres.asso-web.com Sunday 24 March 2013 Black Dyke Band Quartet Workshop Day Registration 9.30am Performance Centre The Brunts Academy, Bath Lane, MansďŹ eld NG18 2AT Contact Martin HeartďŹ eld 07411 223221 Sunday 28 April 2013: BTS Jazz Day Venue TBC

Sunday 19 May 2013 BTS at the Black Dyke Band Festival in Yorkshire 9.30am Registration Featuring the Black Dyke Band Trombone Quartet Leeds Town Hall, The Headrow, Leeds, LS1 3AD Contact: pastpresident@britishtrombonesociety.org Tuesday 2 July 2013 Performance of 1,000 Trombones Bristol Cathedral, College Green, Bristol BS1 5TJ Rehearsal will be at 11.30am Performance in the recital will be 1.30pm Bristol Cathedral.

Contact: pastpresident@britishtrombonesociety.org Date TBC East Riding BTS Day 9.30am Registration Featuring the Trombone section of Opera North The Hexagon Music Centre, Coltman Avenue, Beverley, East Riding of Yorkshire.

HU17 9LP Contact Geoff Wolmark: secretary@britishtrombonesociety.org Sunday 22 September 2013 Wessex BTS Day Pimperne Village Hall Blanford Forum, Dorset DT11 8UZ Contact Bruce Harding Wessex@britishtrombonesociety.org Sunday 6 October 2013 East Anglia BTS Day and Annual General Meeting 9.30am Registration Oundle School, Oundle, Peterborough, PE8 4GH Contact Ben Bouzan: eastanglia@britishtrombonesociety.org

We wish all our members a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! â&#x20AC;&#x153;The purpose of gift-wrapping a Christmas present is to decoratively disguise what is inside from the recipient. If you decide to give a trombone, you could run into diďŹ&#x192;culties. &IG 4AKE YOUR TROMBONE TAPE GIFT WRAP AND RIBBON &IG #OLLAPSE THE TROMBONE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE $ISCOVER THE WRAP WILL NOT ĂźT WHEN FOLDED CONVENTIONALLY 'IVE UP HOPE OR GO TO &IG OR &IG &IG 7ORK OUT THAT THE WRAP COULD ĂźT THE TROMBONE WHEN PLACED DIAGONALLY 'ET YOUR HOPES UP IT LOOKS LIKE THIS MIGHT REALLY WORK &IG 7RESTLE THE TROMBONE INTO THE PAPER WITH THE AID OF THE TAPE AND RIBBONS !TTEMPT TO TIE THE RIBBONS DECORATIVELY )F THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE JUST ATTEMPT TO TIE THEM SECURELY &IG 'O OUT TO THE SHOP FOR ANOTHER PIECE OF GIFT WRAP 4APE IT OVER THE END )T DOESNlT MATCH "UT NO ONE WILL NOTICE &IG !LTERNATIVELY IF YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE SOME Ä&#x152;OWERS HANDY

TAKE A LONG STRIP OF GIFT WRAP AND FOLD IT AROUND THE END OF THE TROMBONE "UNCH DECORATIVELY 0LACE THE Ä&#x152;OWERS INTO THE HORN OF THE TROMBONE n Thanks to Honey Schrecker who drew our attention to this helpful item ( http://badaude.typepad.com/my_weblog/2011/12/five-minute-academy-how-to-wrap-a-trombone.html)

TR 34-35.indd 35

30-11-2012 15:09:44

Classic

! $

! " ! ! # # $ "

Heritage " "

!$

" $ ! $ $ " " $ " !!

HeavyTop " !

!

$ $ $

" " "

#

!

$ "

Heritage 5AL mouthpiece:

' ! " " " #"# !" ! " ! % " $ " ! " # # # #" # " $ $ " # " ( Chris Houlding, Professor, Folkwang University of Arts, Essen, Germany, Guildhall School of Music & Drama, London, International Visiting Tutor RNCM, Manchester.

Steven Mead Ultra

" !

% SM2 SM6

M

" euphonium Ultra " "

' & # " " $

#" ! & # % " % & ! Denis Wick

" ! ! ( Aaron Tindall Besson/Buffet Crampon USA Inc. Euphonium and Tuba Artist/Clinician

' % # " #" ! ! & ! ! " $ % " "

" & " ! ! % " % % &! #! % ( Riki McDonnell International Euphonium Soloist

' " !" " !" " !" ( John Starkes, Solo Euphonium, Boscombe SA Band

TR 36.indd 36

" Denis Wick

" !

$ &

#

Denis Wick

$

$ "

"

$

!

$ $

30-11-2012 12:14:15