I'm thrilled to announce that on Saturday, September 28th at 7:00pm, I will be premiering a brand new euphonium solo with the renowned Flowers Band. The performance will take place at the Reading Town Hall as part of the British Bandsman Concert Series.
The piece I'll be premiering is called "The Reckless Engineer" and was composed by Philip Harper. It's based on the life and character of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, one of Britain's most famous and influential engineers from the Industrial Revolution era. Brunel was known for his daring and innovative designs, including the Great Western Railway, a series of steamships like the SS Great Eastern, and iconic structures like the Clifton Suspension Bridge, Box Tunnel, and the Royal Albert Bridge in Cornwall.
The solo line aims to capture Brunel's audacious spirit and reputation as "The Reckless Engineer", with plenty of bravado and some death-defying musical stunts for me to navigate! Meanwhile, the band accompaniment paints an evocative backdrop of Industrial Britain, from the rhythms of the railways to the rise and fall of the sea. There's even a romantic interlude featuring the hymn tune 'Horsley', composed by Brunel's father-in-law.
I commissioned this piece with support from the Elgar International Brass Band Summer School, and it has been a joy to work on it with Philip, who is an absolute master of composing for brass bands. He has written test pieces for the National Brass Band Championships, conducted numerous world-class bands like the Cory Band to major contest victories, and is currently the editor of Wright & Round publishing. So to have a brand new solo from his pen written especially for me is a real honor.
It's also an honor to give the premiere performance with the Flowers Band, based in Gloucester. They are consistently ranked as one of the finest brass bands in the world, with an incredible history of contest successes. I've been a member of the band since January 2024, and they're a great bunch of folks!
If you're able to attend the concert in Reading, I'd love to see you there to share this exciting premiere! Tickets and further details are available from the Flowers Band website, and from the following link https://whatsonreading.com/venues/concert-hall/whats-on/flowers-band.
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