News

The BTS is pleased to announce further developments during the BTS day in Lancashire. Renowned Soloist Nick Hudson will also take part in a recital and workshop, and Stephen Sykes will play Basta by Folke Rabe and Brasilia by Robin Dewhirst in the evening concert.

The British Trombone Society presents:

A spectacular day of trombone music and playing, at Bury Church, Bury, Lancashire on Saturday 19th July 2008 from 10.00 am to 9.00 pm.

The two themes of the day are:

Contemporary music for trombone
The trombone in the brass band

Artists confirmed include:
* Bob Hughes Royal Academy of Music Trombone Professor
* Brett Baker Principal trombone of the Black Dyke Brass Band
* The Stockport Brass (Formerly BT Band), Musical Director Michael Fowles
* Peter Moore winner of the BBC Young Musician of the Year 2008
* Stephen Sykes Principal Trombone of the Leyland Band
* Lorna MacDonald Bass Trombonist with Bones Apart
* Nicholas Hudson soloist, formerly of Fodens and Faireys Bands
* The Black Dyke Band Trombone Quartet

The programme for the day is as follows:

10.00 am Introduction and massed trombone choir led by Bob Hughes

11.00 am “The Bass Trombone” a workshop with Lorna MacDonald

12.30 lunch

1.15pm: Trombone Choir rehearsal

2.15pm The Black Dyke Trombone Quartet + tutoring another quartet

3.30 pm: Brett Baker. Demonstration and discussion of Brass Band repertoire and new compositions.
4.30pm Trombone Choir rehearsal

5.30pm Nick Hudson Recital / Workshop with David and Johnny +

7.00 pm Concert. Brett Baker, Stockport Brass, Peter Moore, Lorna Macdonald of Bones Apart, Stephen Sykes, and Nick Hudson.

Admission to the workshops and daytime events is free to BTS members and £10 to non members.
Tickets for the evening concert available on the door at £5 for all.

Venue: Bury Church, Bury, Lancashire, BL9 0LA. (The nearby rectory is at BL9 0JR)

There will be a number of trade stands present with instruments, sheet music and CDs to try and buy.
For further information, please contact Brett Baker by email: chair@britishtrombonesociety.org

So far there are BTS events confirmed in Somerset and Northamptonshire this autumn.

Wells Cathedral School (Somerset) hosts a BTS day on Sunday 28th September 2008, 10.30am - 5pm. So far Bones Apart and the London Serpent Trio are booked. And of course there will be the massed blow!

Also, the ever-popular BTS day at Oundle School (Northants) returns on 5th October 2008, organised by Ben Bouzan.

Bones Apart - coming to Somerset this September

On the day of his 35th birthday, Brett Baker, Principal Trombone of the Black Dyke Band has announced a new professionally produced website. Of particular interest is the information about Brett’s numerous commissions, as well as the usual bio, discography and details of up-coming tours and concerts.

Brett described it as:

a fantastic site that I am very proud of

www.brettbaker.co.uk

Kevin Morgan invites trombonists in the South-West to get together for a massed blow at The Crown, Winterborne Stickland on the 20th July.

20th July 2008
The Crown, Winterborne Stickland, Blandford, Dorset, DT110NJ
6.00-9.00pm
All trombonists welcome
Further further Information or to confirm attendance email: trombonemusic@mac.com

(The date coincides with a cricket match between the village and Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra at Milton Abbey earlier in the day.)

Young trombonists from across Europe have been flocking to an international summer course in Alicante, Spain for a week of intensive masterclasses and workshops. This year’s course is set to be even bigger, featuring guest trombone artists Ben van Dijk, Jorgen van Rijen, Javier Colomer, Carol Jarvis and Jaume Gavilan.

The course will focus on improving technique, ensemble playing, orchestral section work, orchestral excerpts, preparation for auditions, covering all styles and musical eras. There will also be concerts from Spanish Brass and the course tutors.

Carol Jarvis has really enjoyed heading out in past summers:

The highlight of my year is when I get invited back to Spain to coach on courses run by Javier Colomer. The courses are always packed full of brilliant artists giving plenty of classes and concerts (all spoken in English, so nothing to worry about!). The weather never fails to be wonderful, the place is gorgeous, they work hard but also know how to party hard and with Spanish Brass joining us at the end of the week no-one can possibly walk away disappointed. Flights to Alicante are always advertised at good rates, the price for students on the course is just astounding and I’d love to see more English trombonists coming over to join us for what’s bound to be yet another great week in the sun.

The cost of the course for professionals / advanced students is €200. The course for medium students is €150. There will be a maximum of 15 students per teacher. Student accommodation is available for €25. Food is available from restaurants and bars.
Full information available from Escuela Comarcal de Música del Comtat.

The Scottish Chamber Orchestra’s trombone section has a trombone quartet called Slide Effect and with the backing of Glasgow-based music publisher Mitre Music they have announced three recitals.

Sun 3rd Aug - Balquihidder Summer Music, Balquihidder Parish Church, Scotland
Sat 20th Sept - Kyles of Bute Music Club, Tighnabruich, Scotland
Sat 22nd Nov - Ayr Music Club, Ayr, Scotland

More information about the group is available on the Slide Effect website.

With the raft of cheap flights to Denmark, there is sure to be plenty of interest in the International Trombone Festival next summer in Aarhus. The festival is 25-28th of June 2009, hosted by Niels-Ole Bo Johansen at the Royal Academy of Music, Aarhus.

Brandt Attema (NL), Håkan Björkman (S), Jonas Bylund (S), Michael Davis (USA), Steen Hansen (DK), Chris Houlding (UK), Alex Iles (USA), Jesper Juul (DK), John Kenny (UK), Christian Lindberg (S), Michael Mulcahy (USA), Mark Nightingale (UK), Vincent Nilsson (S/DK), Bill Reichenbach (USA), Jörgen van Rijen (NL), Stefan Schulz (D), PK Svensen (N), Jiggs Whigham (USA) and more to come.

Orchestras/ensembles: Aarhus Symphony Orchestra – The Regimental Band of H.R.H The Prince of Denmark – Stockholm Chamber Brass – Århus Sinfonietta

For more information, browse www.itf2009.org

After a distinguished career at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, Peter Gane will be stepping down from being Head of Department this summer. Having nurtured a great number of brass players, particularly trombonists, there are plenty who may wish to send a small message on this occasion. Jim Dean at Guildhall invites brass players to get in touch so that they can put together a big card for Peter, to be presented in early July.

Send your messages for Peter to: Jim Dean jim.dean@gsmd.ac.uk

The Royal Academy of Music present a trombone concert next week, directed by Bob Hughes, and includes two world premières from Timothy Bowers and Richard Turner.

Programme to include:
Meyerbeer Coronation March from Le Prophète
Gabrieli Sonata Pian’e Forte
Timothy Bowers Sonata for tenor trombone and piano (world première)
JS Bach Passacaglia in C minor
Richard Turner In Memoriam DSCH (world première)

Thursday 12th June, 1:05pm
Duke’s Hall, Royal Academy of Music, London
Free, no tickets required

Following the success and oversubscription of the first event in 2006, the Dutch Bass Trombone Open will run again during 5-7th September 2008. The weekend workshop housed in a castle in Holland will be led by bass trombonists Douglas Yeo, Mark Frost, Phil Teele and Ben van Dijk.

The event is open to all bass trombone players, regardless of age or ability - there’s no “competition” element involved at any stage. We can host a maximum of 50 players at the event.

For full information, check out www.dbto.nl