New BBW edition out now!
The April edition of Brass Band World magazine is out and full with fantastic features, articles, reviews and interviews from around the globe…
EDITOR'S VIEW:
BBW's Editor, DAVID CHILDS, highlights the fundraising campaign to raise £90,000 for life-saving treatment - which is above the NHS funding threshold - for the 26-year-old ace trombonist Stephen Sykes - also this month’s BBW Castaway.
LET'S DEBATE — WHEN JUSTICE IS DONE
DAVID READ MBE has moved from adjudicating brass bands at the highest level of competition to joining the audience and debates the validity of critique from his new vantage point.
EUROPEAN COUNTDOWN
NICOLA BLAND surveys the programme of events on offer for the 40th edition of the European Brass Band Championships in Oostende, Belgium, at the end of this month and composer, PAUL MCGHEE, casts his expert eyes over the tests for the Championship and Challenge sections.
THE BBW INTERVIEW — MUSICAL POLYMATH
CHRISTOPHER THOMAS chats to BBW’s April cover story - the tuba world’s bundle of fun and multi-faceted professional musician - LES NEISH.
WORLDWIDE COMPETITION COVERAGE:
CHRISTOPHER THOMAS reviews the last six UK Regional Championships, at which the top section test, Pageantry, toppled a clutch of the fancied bands. MALCOLM WOOD brings coverage from the nation’s National Youth Championships, whilst JOEL COLLIER brings news of the great strides taken at the North American Brass Band Championships in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
REPROGRAMMING YOUR SAT NAV
‘Pro’ player, MARCUS REYNOLDS, offers a route to over-coming Focal Dystonia, which can devastate brass players - even those at the top of their careers.
UNIQUE VOICE
WING COMMANDER, DUNCAN STUBBS, is poised to retire as Principal Director of Music, Royal Air Force. David Childs and other luminaries pay tribute to a man who has changed the face of music in one of the UK’s military services.
BRASS EDUCATION AND CAREER 'OPPS':
Chetham’s specialist music school in Manchester launches Advice Auditions Week in May.
PRO PRACTICE:
What, how and when to practice with Dr. ROGER WEBSTER.
PRO PLATFORM:
DAVID CHILDS enjoys a Q&A with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra’s principal trombonist - SIMON JOHNSON.
BBW CASTAWAY:
KATRINA MARZELLA chats to the young trombonist, STEPHEN SYKES, who takes a break from his treatment for Hodgkin’s Lymphoma to select his desert island listening.
YOUNG VOICES:
MARK GOOD meets the principal cornet of Hammonds Saltaire Band, PHILIP VARLEY, who collected the Best Principal Cornet Award at the Yorkshire Regional Championships last month.
BBW CENTRE BAND:
How the North American champion, Atlantic Brass Band, is helping to develop the brass band culture Stateside.
REVIEWS — CDS:
David Childs finds affinity with Les Neish’s recent solo recording; Christopher Thomas reviews ‘The Nationals 2016’ CD and Thomas Dunne puts Grant Jameson’s ‘Genesis’ into the CD player, as well as enjoys a Q&A with the American euphonium player.
MUSIC:
A selection of new concert music to perform from Prima Vista Musikk and The Salvation Army Eastern Territory USA.
CONCERT REVIEWS:
Dr. Robert Childs took in the Mountbatten Festival at London’s Royal Albert Hall; Christopher Thomas found the Portraits of Tibshelf evening full of imagination and concept, whilst Peter Bale enjoyed a night with The International Staff Band at Regent Hall, London.
PRODUCTS:
Christopher Turner gives his verdict on The Elgar Howarth Way - 16 studies for trumpet from the Brass Wind Publications stable; David Childs finds Yamaha’s new generation SILENT Brass for euphonium impressive; and NICOLA BLAND BRINGS news about the Instrument Replacement Scheme just launched by Hayes Music, along with information about the ‘Euro’ download audio and video on the horizon from World of Sound/World of Brass.
NEWS:
Historic principal cornet appointment at Brighouse and high-profile departures at Grimethorpe; the exciting line-up for Black Dyke’s June Festival is revealed, along with the 2017 Brass in Concert band and entertainment line-up.
RANKINGS:
Which band has re-entered the top 20 in April?
DIARY DATES:
What's on around the World in April and May
… AND ANOTHER THING:
JOHN BARBER and cartoonist, NEZZY, ruminate over the last will and testament of a ‘Regional’ judge
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