Features | Brass Band World

Thursday 15 June 2017

San Antonio Strikes up the band

San Antonio Brass began in 1981 as a ten-piece group in the mould of the famous Philip Jones Brass Ensemble. Gordon Hallberg assumed leadership of the group following his retirement from the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the ensemble grew to full symphonic brass and percussion proportions… Read this article, featured in June...read more

Thursday 15 June 2017

Seizing the day

Nicola Bland spotlights the Chicago Staff Band’s Principal Cornet - the lovely Beth Cooper, who also plays for Chicago Brass Band Beth’s educational background includes a Bachelor of Music degree in trumpet Performance from the University of Louisville, a Master of Fine Arts degree in Trumpet Performance from the California Institute of...read more

Thursday 15 June 2017

Opening Pandora’s box

American composer, Stephen Bulla, has enjoyed a long career at the highest level, providing music for over 30 years for the President’s Own United States Marine Band and Chamber Orchestra in Washington DC. In June’s BBW, he offers a composer’s perspective on the pallet that percussion has gradually introduced to the...read more

Thursday 15 June 2017

Exciting evolution

Yamaha Percussion Artist and Chinese-born Le Yu arrived on UK shores a decade ago to study percussion at the RNCM, since when he has enjoyed a flourishing career as an international percussion soloist, which has also embraced brass bands. Here, he looks at the exciting achievements of the brass band percussion...read more

Thursday 15 June 2017

Percussion Focus

The June edition of BBW brings a focus on that oft-neglected section of a brass band - percussion. ‘Pro’ percussionist and timpani stick designer/maker, Seán Hooper, works his way through the basic percussion artillery and offers advice on technique I recently had an enjoyable few rehearsals and a contest playing as guest...read more

Thursday 15 June 2017

BBW Interview: Steven and Misa Mead

Euphonium-playing husband and wife, Steven and Misa Mead, enjoy flourishing solo careers and also perform together internationally. Spurred by popular demand from concert audiences, the pair has now recorded the CD, Love’s Joy. Christopher Thomas caught up with the jet-setting couple to find out about the recording and their musical lives...read more

Thursday 15 June 2017

Let's Debate with Mike Kilroy

‘Continuous improvement must be the norm’ Last month, Brass Bands England Chairman, Mike Kilroy, called for a radical rethink of UK brass banding following the Oostende ‘European’, in which the UK – once the World leader of the past-time – failed to capture any adult titles. This month, BBW offers the Let’s...read more