Concert, 10th August 2024

A recording of the concert is available here.

James Cook Circumnavigator – Gilbert Vinter
Vinter was born in Lincoln. As a youth, he was a chorister at Lincoln Cathedral, and eventually became Head Chorister there. He later became a bassoonist, playing in Thomas Beecham’s newly-formed London Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1930, he joined the BBC Military Band, where he did much of his early conducting. It was during that time that he also began to compose. During World War II, Vinter played in The Central Band of the RAF and later led several other RAF bands.[1] He was the first principal conductor of the BBC Concert Orchestra, from 1952 to 1953.

In 1960, The Daily Herald newspaper and sponsors of brass band contests, commissioned Vinter to write his first major work for brass band, the result of which was Salute to Youth.

Vinter was an adjudicator at the British Open Championships at Belle Vue, Manchester, in 1969 where his Spectrum was the test piece. Midway through the contest, however, he was forced to retire from ‘the box’ due to his failing health. His position at the contest on the day was taken by Tom F Atkinson.
Vinter died in Tintagel, aged 60.

Zelda – Percy Code (not in recording)

Soloist James Fountain

‘Zelda’, written in 1923, became the showpiece of Paul Stender, the pre-eminent Australian cornet player of the era – gaining lasting popularity when he performed it at concerts with the Newcastle Steelworks Band on their famous British Open winning trip to Britain in 1924.

A caprice of delicacy and waspishness, it has remained a core solo standard of cornet player ever since.

With All My Heart – Howard Davies (not in recording)

Soloist James Fountain

Comments by Major Howard Davies:
This is a setting, for Cornet soloist and band, of a song entitled Make me more like you, first published in 1985 in an Australia Southern Territory publication and subsequently in The Musical Salvationist, January 1986.

The melody is gentle and prayerful in nature, with frequent rise and falls that should be carefully negotiated by both soloist and band. The theme of the music is the longing prayer of all God’s children everywhere – namely, the desire to increasingly be formed into the likeness of Christ himself.

A devotional Cornet solo based on an original song by Major Howard Davies. The inspiration for the song comes from words of St. Paul in 2 Corinthians 3:18 which says ‘And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.’ The chorus of the song reads:
Lord, with all my heart I long to be
Just that special person you would have me be;
Change my heart, I pray!
Help me grow into your likeness;
Lord, with all my heart
I just ask you to make me more like you!

Born To Battle – Symphony for Brass Band (2013) – Brenton Broadstock

A three movement work reflecting the Salvation Army’s work in the USA (an expanded version of the shorter work of the same title).

Commissioned by National Australia Brass Band conductor Prof. David King it was premiered at the BMW Edge Theatre, Federation Square, Melbourne July 7, 2013

INTERVAL

Land of the Long White Cloud – Philip Sparke

Dating from 1979, The Land of the Long White Cloud (Aotearoa) was Philip Sparke’s first test-piece. It was commissioned by the New Zealand Brass Band Association for their 1980 National Championships (their centenary year) and set for the European Brass Band Championships, the same year, at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Aotearoa was the name given to New Zealand by its Polynesian settlers whose first sight of the islands was a long, flat cloud lying low over the land. The work has no specific programme although many have seen pictures of the surging ocean in the opening bars. A faster dance-like section leads to a slow, haunting solo for soprano cornet; this is taken up by the whole band before earlier material returns. The dance-like tune is, this time, given a fugal treatment and the opening bars return to close the work.

Black Tears – Fraser Bremner
Soloist James Fountain
Black Tears is a solo for Bb instrument and Brass Band, with an audio recording (for the finale). This piece of music was composed in April 2016 in memory of the 29 men who lost their lives in the Pike River Mine Disaster in 2010. The phrase “Black Tears” refers to the tears that run down a miner’s coalsmudged face.

Originally written for Bb Cornet & Orchestra, this work depicts the aftermath of the tragedy. After viewing tapes of the memorial service, TV coverage of the aftermath, reading articles about the tragedy and speaking to members of the NZ public about their reactions to the disaster, the composer depicts (from start to finish) the sombre and mournful reaction of the nation after 29 miners were trapped in the Pike River Mine, and then later lost their lives after a 2nd and 3rd explosion.

The piece of music finishes with an audio recording of raindrops in a puddle, recorded near the Pike River Mine on the 24th November 2011, exactly one year after the 2nd explosion that killed all 29 miners. The audio recording is started on the downbeat of the final bar. If timed correctly, after the soloist and band are cut off, there are 29 seconds of raindrops – one second for every miner that perished.

Black Tears is also taken from a short poem about the disaster that was written by the composer’s mother, depicting a miner accepting his fate that he would not make it out of the mine alive. The poem reads: It is dark All I feel is my pain and my tears Black tears Tears my mother wiped away as a child Tears my Jesus will wipe away soon My black tears.

Black Tears was premiered by cornet soloist Trevor Bremner and the Taranaki Youth Orchestra, conducted by the composer

How Do You Keep the Music Playing? – Michel Legrand arr Lawrence
Soloist James Fountain

“How Do You Keep the Music Playing?” is a song composed by Michel Legrand, with lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman for the 1982 film Best Friends, where it was introduced by James Ingram and Patti Austin. The Austin/Ingram version became a single in 1983 and reached 45 on the Billboard Hot 100 and 5 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. It was one of three songs with lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman that were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 55th Academy Awards.

Pilgrim Song – Thomas Rive
Assistant Conductor – Joshua Parkhill
In his folksong expeditions in England, Vaughan Williams, through personal contact with country folk, was able to uncover and crystallise into fairly definite versions many fine tunes. From this legacy comes the hymn-tune ‘Monks Gate’ named after the village near Horsham, Sussex, where Vaughan Williams heard it first and subsequently married it to John Bunyan’s words, ‘He who would valiant be’.
In using ‘Monks Gate’ for his theme, Dr. Rive has rearranged the bar lines to give a version which, he feels, aligns the pulse more nearly to the stresses of the words. The spirit of the first verse should be evinced in the opening presentation of the theme and although marked Andante a buoyancy should exist in keeping with the con spirito. The arrangement quickly reveals the composer’s familiar style giving a delightful freshness to the tune which, though never dull in its former setting, does nevertheless sound radiant even with less familiar colouring. In its repeat at section B the theme is thrown from tenor to soprano to alto to soprano registers with apparent ease, and so it should sound. The diminuendo in the last two bars from forte to pp can sound almost breathtaking if well handled. (There is no rall., note.)

There is much to charm us in the first variation (Allegretto grazioso). Sensitively controlled nuances will breathe life into each bar; except in one instance all dynamic fluctuations are made by crescendi and diminuendi and these points are to be exploited. Do not allow the figure (dotted quaver, semiquaver, quaver) to lose poise and gracefulness.

The second variation (Andante con dignita ma con espress.) is a skilfully woven contrapuntal fabric in the form of a chaconne. The eight-bar ground bass continues throughout the variation over which changing melodic and harmonic patterns join to unfold a mounting intensity and climax at the ff. and then to subside gradually and coming to rest on a softly glowing tierce de picardie. From a practical point the variation will call for considerable sustaining power to achieve the necessary intensity and phrasing. The opening ground, ideally sounding as an eight-bar phrase, will probably have to be two four-bar phrases; the falling octave in the eighth bar should be held together and not broken. At the steady speed indicated the turn for flugel (G, bar fourteen) must sound unhurried. The exact moment for the beginning of the turn is not fixed but soon after the written note in this context is best, the four turn-notes being fairly slow.

There is a direct contrast in this third variation (Allegro giojoso). Yet again dynamics play a vital part in the scheme. An almost irrepressible amount of energy is contained in the rhythmic patterns which, with an upward surge, occasionally break free. It is the horns that carry the theme in the main and when so doing are required to play with more volume than the accompanying parts. The variation has an exhilarating surprise ending. Throughout there must be precise playing.

The final variation (Allegro confidente) is in the nature of a fughetta. Clarity of line is vital in such music and at the tempo given, firm control and clarity must be allied. Even so spontaneity should not be sacrificed for mere technique – but then this applies to any music making! The variation leads after a cut to the restatement of the theme.

In bringing the work to a conclusion the Andante maestoso calls for an imposing performance yet not far removed from the con spirito of the introduction. Secure a positive finale with bold tone and unanimity of purpose.

The composer blends four variations of contrasting nature around the theme ‘Monks Gate’ (early English folk tune).

Meditation – The Light of the World – Dean Goffin (not in recording)

This is the first appearance in the Band Journal of a composition by Bandmaster Dean Goffin of New Zealand. Bandmaster Goffin was a military bandmaster during the war, serving in the Near East, and this experience has proved a good schoolmaster in many ways.

What a splendid theme Bandmaster Goffin has chosen for this meditation! It is quite clear that he has had in mind Holman Hunt’s picture of Christ standing at the heart’s closed door; for he takes the unusual course in a meditation of introducing the chorus Behold me standing at the door to emphasise the message. The composer has handled his matter with an agreeable lack of ostentation and yet with that sure touch that betokens the gifted craftsman who has much in reserve.

Introduction. This is in four clearly-marked sections, each of four bars duration. The Horns, which open in a subdued manner in a low register with motif which serves to illustrate the knocking at the heart’s door, are quickly joined by the lower instruments and through these solemn opening chords, the Euphonium emerges with an upward-moving figure in which Flugel and Solo Cornet later join and which leads to a short motif which at once catches the attention. Notice this motif in bars 3 and 4, for it is important, being used repeatedly throughout the meditation. These four bars are repeated sequentially on the next degree of the scale. At the ninth bar, the full band is used, with a stronger dynamic, and the four-bar pattern is again in evidence, now in the upper cornets and in the key of the subdominant. In the last four-bar section, the tonal strength is diminished and with a return to the original key of Eb, the two-bar motif appears once more as the music comes to a half close on a dominant pause chord. Notice the dynamic plan; there are constant changes which need very careful attention.

Section A. Here is introduced, in vocal style, the tune Aurelia, carrying the words O Jesus, thou art standing outside the fast closed door. This needs to be played pianissimo with the swells graded accordingly.

Section B. The melody taken by Solo Cornet and lst Trombone partakes of the character of a recitative, with other instruments inserting chordal punctuation. This four-bar statement is repeated in part by Solo Horn and Euphonium a forth lower with a similar arrangement. The steep crescendo in each of these four-bar statements evidences the emotional character of the music.

Section C. The music grows in intensity (note the Appassionato) and this entire section calls for imagination and good judgement. Watch the dynamic markings with the utmost care; note, for instance, the scoring from bar 7, where echoing appears which necessitates different dynamic markings for various groups. Although this is all very emotional music, keep in mind the need for general restraint.

Section D. Without pause, there now enters, pianissimo, the chorus Behold me standing at the door, given by the Horns in low register with impressive effect; the last phrase is repeated by upper Cornets and there follows the passage where the music reaches its most intense climax.

Section E. There will have to be a steep climb in the last bar of D to the forte which is required here. Notice the familiar ‘knocking’ motif at the bass end previously heard in the first part of the introduction. This motif is heard three times, with responses from the upper instruments on rising degrees of the scale, until with an accelerando, we reach the climax at the fortissimo, following which a hush falls over the music as the ‘knocking’ is heard again, very softly, first in the Horns and then the Basses.

Section F. In the key of G major, the second verse of the song is heard, O Jesus, thou art pleading. The melody is taken by the middle register instruments and there appears above it, on the top Cornets, a most effective commentary, carrying, be it noted, its own dynamic directions.

Section G. The two-bar motif, previously used appears once again, and then the ‘knocking’ at the heart’s closed door is heard once more, and on this arresting note the meditation is bought to a subdued and satisfying close. May many, through this message, open the door of their hearts to the One who is The Light of the world.

A meditation illustrating in expressive manner the song: ‘O Jesus, Thou art standing outside the fast closed door’, (‘Aurelia’) and which also includes the chorus, ‘Behold me standing at the door’.

Vita Destructa – Todd Smith
Vita Destructa gains it title from the devastating February 2011 earthquake that hit Christchurch, New Zealand. The Christchurch area was severally damaged, 185 lives were lost and many more were severely injured. The piece contrasts violent, original music with various transformations of the hymn tune Abide with Me in order to depict the events of the earthquake. The musical narrative embodies the underlying experiences of life in the midst of natural disaster, and show mans ability to rebuild and recover from such events. Commissioned by Professor David King for National Australia Brass in recognition of the work done by Dame Adrienne Stewart, a longtime Christchurch resident, on behalf of the arts across Australia and New Zealand.

Hymn Tune St Clement – Rev Clement Cotteril Scholefield

Australian by birth, David King has a distinguished career profile as an international conductor, instrumentalist and music educator spanning over 40 years.

David King was awarded the title ‘International Brass Musician of the Year’ in 1992 and completed his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in 2000 – the first recipient of a Performance research doctorate awarded within the British university sector. In 2003 he was awarded professorial status and prior to 2009 was Chair of Music – Performance at the University of Salford, England.

From 2004 – 2007 Professor David King was Course Director of the University of Salford MA music programme – the largest externally delivered music education programme linked with the Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom) and Her Majesty’s Royal Marines.

n 2002 Professor David King was appointed Conductor and Musical Director of the ‘Massed Bands of the North West of England’ performing in the closing ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in Manchester. He was also guest conductor at the World Expo, Switzerland 2002.

David King has represented England in the European Brass Band Championships as a conductor on thirteen occasions winning the title an unprecedented ten times.
He has also won the Norwegian National Championships on ten occasions and has been awarded the Mortimer Award as winning conductor at the British Open Championships on four occasions (YBS Band) and the Royal Albert Hall National Championships of Great Britain in 2010, 2011 & 2017 (Brighouse & Rastrick Band).

Professor David King achieved an unprecedented ‘grand slam’ in 2003 as winning conductor at all four major international music festivals in the same year – Norwegian National Championships (Stavanger Band), European Championships (YBS Band), British Open Championships (YBS Band), and the North American National Brass Band Championships (Stavanger Band).

As Principal Conductor and Musical Director of the legendary YBS Band (1993 – 2006) David King’s performance research and recording portfolio includes a definitive three volume compilation, ‘Essays for Brass’ (Polyphonic Label), which has received unprecedented international acclaim within the World of Brass.

Regarded by his peers as a leading interpreter of wind music, Professor David King has commissioned, choreographed, directed and premiered award winning thematic projects for the concert platform working in collaboration with internationally acclaimed composers for the genre. These include Cry of the Celts, Voice of the Vikings, Hymn of the Highlands, Celtic Fusions, Symphonic Dances and War of the Worlds.

In 2005 Professor King conducted and directed the ‘Kings of Europe’ YBS Australian tour which culminated in the world premiere of two major commissioned works performed in the Sydney Opera House – Sunburnt Land (composer Professor Brenton Broadstock) and Terra Australis (composer Dr. Martin Ellerby).

A recipient of the Iles Medal from The Worshipful Company of Musicians (London), David King was awarded Emeritus Professorship by the University of Salford, UK in 2010.

For the past decade Professor King has maintained an active profile both as a freelance international conductor and music educator. From 2008 – 2015 he was Artistic Director of the National Australia Brass Festival (NABfest) and Music Director of Australia’s first National Youth Band (2013 – 2016).

Professor David King is currently the International Chair in Band Studies at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester, UK. He is also Director of the National Australia Brass Academy and in 2018 was appointed Musical Director of the newly founded National Youth Brass Band of America.

David King is the current winning conductor of both the National Championships of Great Britain (Brighouse & Rastrick – England) and the North American National Championships (Fountain City Brass – Kansas, USA).

Principal Trumpet of the London Symphony Orchestra, James Fountain is also Professor of Trumpet at the Royal College of Music, a member of the highly acclaimed brass ensemble Septura and the innovative new music group Neoteric Ensemble.

James grew up surrounded by music, in particular brass bands and began playing the cornet at the age of three. As a youngster, James was Principal Cornet of the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain and the GUS Brass Band before becoming Principal Cornet with the world famous Grimethorpe Colliery Brass Band aged just 17.

After moving to London in 2012 to study Trumpet at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, James was appointed as the Principal Trumpet of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra just three years later. He was featured as a concerto soloist on numerous occasions with the Royal Philharmonic and other solo appearances have taken him around the world, with concerts in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Kuwait, Japan and the USA, as well as regular trips across Europe.

Also in demand in the recording studio, James can be heard performing on several Film, Video Game and TV soundtracks collaborating with composers such as Danny Elfman, Hans Zimmer, Alan Menken and Howard Shore.

After spending five years with the RPO, James accepted the position of Principal Trumpet with the London Philharmonic Orchestra before moving to the LSO in 2021. James’ journey from brass band musician to the LSO’s highly illustrious Principal Trumpet position sees him follow in the footsteps of some of his brass playing heroes including, Philip Cobb, Maurice Murphy, Rod Franks, Howard Snell and Willie Lang.

Joshua is a freelance Trombone player and Conductor from Glasgow. He began his musical training at an early age through the Salvation Army and their YP Band learners programme. A recent first class graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s performance course he studied with Simon Johnson, Davur Juul Magnussen and Lance Green. Throughout his time studying at RCS he was awarded the Governor’s Recital Prize for Brass, Robert McCreath Prize for Outstanding contributions to Brass, David James Brass Prize and also was awarded the Mary D Adams Prize for Chamber Music with his trombone Quartet SlideShow.

He first began conducting in 2021 with Brass Sounds Inverclyde looking to reenergise the band with fresh ideas, focusing on building confidence and musicality post pandemic. Under his leadership they have gone on to win the Scottish 4th section in 2022 and were also Scottish Challenge 4th Section Winners that year. In March 2023 they achieved 3rd place in the Scottish Championships 3rd Section. Joshua is also the Musical Director of Johnstone Band and Resident Conductor of UNISON Kinneil Band.

Music and playing a brass instrument in particular has completely transformed Joshua’s life and afforded him the opportunity to travel and perform internationally with professional orchestras and ensembles in locations such as California, Helsinki, France, the Netherlands and Sweden. This is something that he never imagined someone from his background would get to do and hopes to inspire other young people to try and not let anything hold them back from following their musical passions and see where it takes them!

Brenton was born in Melbourne, Australia in December 1952. He studied History, Politics and Music at Monash University, and later composition and theory with Donald Freund at the University of Memphis in the USA and with Peter Sculthorpe at the University of Sydney. The University of Melbourne awarded him the Doctor of Music degree in 1987. From 1982-2007 he was employed in the Faculty of Music, University of Melbourne where he was Professor of Music and Head of Composition.

In January 2014 Brenton received an AM – Member of the Order of Australia – in the Australia Day Honours for “significant service to music as a composer, educator and mentor”.

In 1991 he signed a publishing contract with G. Schirmer, Australia (Music Sales). He has won numerous prizes for composition including First Prize in the 1981 Townsville Pacific Festival’s National Composition Competition for his orchestral work Festive Overture; the Albert Maggs Award; two APRA Music Awards for his orchestral works The Mountain and Toward The Shining Light; First Prize in the Hambacher Preis International Composers’ Competition, West Germany for his Tuba Concerto; and in 1994 he received the Paul Lowin Song Cycle Award, Australia’s richest composition prize, for Bright Tracks for mezzo soprano and string trio. His orchestral work Stars In A Dark Night (Symphony #2) received four ‘Sounds Australian’ National Music Critics’ Awards including ‘Best Australian Orchestral Work in 1989’ and was the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s entry to the prestigious Paris Rostrum of Composers in 1990. In 2001 he received the Australian Music Centre’s Victorian Award for Best Composition – Dark Side (Symphony #5), and in 2002 his Federation Flourish was nominated for an APRA/AMC “Orchestral Work of the Year”.

His music has been performed at many international festivals including The Stroud Festival, England; the 11th Berlin Biennale; the Festtage fur Musik in East Berlin; Darmstadt Summer School, West Germany; the Music Today Festival, Tokyo; the Hong Kong and Oslo World Music Days; Asian Music Festivals in Japan and Korea; Musica Nova Festival in Munich; the BBC Proms; the European Brass Band Championships in Birmingham; and in Australia at the Adelaide Festival, Musica Nova Festival, Brisbane; Summer Music, Moomba and Spoleto Festivals in Melbourne and the Townsville Pacific Festival. There have also been performances in England, Germany, New Zealand, Canada, Russia, Sweden, Spain and China.

He has had performances by all of the major orchestras in Australia: the Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Queensland, Tasmanian and West Australian Symphony Orchestras, the Australian Youth Orchestra and Camerata Australia, and by the Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra in Japan, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Bavarian Radio Orchestra in Munich, the Pacific Ocean Orchestra and the Krasnoyarsk Orchestra in Russia, the Philharmonic Orchestra of Moldova, the Ulster Orchestra, and the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra in Finland. In July 1994 The Australian Youth Orchestra conducted by Yakov Kreisberg performed Festive Overture on their world tour, including the BBC Proms, at the Royal Albert Hall and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.

Brenton has also written several major brass band works; he was commissioned to write Winds of Change, which was premiered at the 2000 European Brass Band Championships (available on CD) in Birmingham by the Yorkshire Building Society Brass Band, conducted by David King, and broadcast, on BBC Radio (see Reviews). This work was the A Grade Test Piece at the 2002 Australian Brass Band Championships held in Geelong. Brenton’s 30 minute work Gates of Day was premiered as the final work in the 2001 Melbourne International Festival of the Arts. Scored for 100 brass players (4 brass bands), military band (conducted by Graham Lloyd) and 400 bell-ringers playing 2001 bells, it was played at the outdoor Sidney Myer Music Bowl to an audience of several thousand.

In 2001 he was one of seven composers commissioned to compose a work, Jagged Tears, for the Field of Bells – a computer controlled interactive installation (a public music instrument) – at Birrarung Marr in Melbourne. Jagged Tears can be heard at 9am, 12.30pm and 5pm every day.

In 1988-89 he was the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra’s Inaugural Composer In Residence. In 1997 he received the Jean Bogan Prize for his solo piano work Dying of the Light and in 1998 he received the Michelle Morrow Memorial Award for Composition and an Explorations Opera Project grant. In 1998 he spent three months in Italy on fellowships awarded by the Civitella Ranieri Foundation and a Bellagio Study Center Award from the Rockefeller Foundation. In November 2005 he returned to Italy as a fellow at the Ligurian Study Center in Bogliasco, Italy.

In 1999 he received the prestigious Don Banks Award from the Australia Council, for his contribution to Australian Music, which enabled him to compose for most of that year, including visits to the USA (Visiting Professor of Composition at Indiana University), England and Russia. His five symphonies were recorded by the Krasnoyarsk Symphony Orchestra (Russia) conducted by Andrew Wheeler and released on the Etcetera label in 2000 receiving excellent reviews in England and Australia (see Reviews). The CD was named as one of ‘The Recordings of the Year 2007’ by Music Web International editor Rob Barnett (see Reviews).

Brenton’s solo piano work Torre di Forza was one of two Australian ‘test’ pieces commissioned for the 2004 Sydney International Piano Competition, and in 2005 ABC Classics released a CD of orchestral works performed by the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra conducted by Ola Rudner (see Reviews). His chamber opera based on Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 was performed in Bonn, Germany in April 2006.

Brenton has been a member of many boards, committees and competition panels, including The Australia Council, Arts Victoria, the Australian Music Centre, Symphony Australia’s Reading Panel, the Paul Lowin Prize, The Maggs Prize, APRA Classical Music Advisory Committee, The Victorian College of the Arts Committee, Australian National Academy of Music, Australian Composers’ Orchestral Forum, National Music Camp, Chamber Made Opera et al, and adjudicator at several national music competitions and eisteddfods. In 1995 the Australian Music Centre published his book Sound Ideas (with Linda Kouvaras) that documented 95 Australian composers (see Articles – Rites of Passage).

Brenton has written 7 symphonies, concertos for tuba, piano, euphonium and saxophone, several orchestral works, a chamber opera, 4 string quartets and much chamber, choral and solo music. Over 60 compositions are available on 50 commercial CDs worldwide (see discography). In 2007 he was one of 4 musicians short-listed for the Melbourne Prize and he was appointed as a Vice Chancellor’s Fellow at the University of Melbourne.

From 2008 he has been a freelance composer and in 2009 was Composer in Residence with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Recent works include a piece for 12 saxophones, Twelve, a concerto, Made In Heaven, for trumpeter James Morrison and a chamber ensemble work, Hall of Mirrors, for trombonist Brett Kelly. His sixth symphony, Tyranny of Distance, for orchestra (Melbourne Symphony Orchestra conducted by Warwick Stengards), soprano soloist (Merlyn Quaife), didgeridoo (Jaida Gulpilil), MSO Chorus/Jonathan Grieves-Smith and live visuals created and performed by Tim Gruchy, was premiered at the 2009 Melbourne International Festival of the Arts.

In 2011 he received a two year Composer Fellowship from the Australia Council for the Arts that has allowed him to complete a full length version of his opera Fahrenheit 451. He also completed a brass band work, Metal on Metal for the National Australia Brass, directed by Dr David King. In 2011 Brenton was a Composer In Residence with the National Australia Brass.

In November 2013 Brenton’s string orchestra work, Never Truly Lost, commissioned by Rob and Nancy Pallin, was toured around Australia by the Australian Chamber Orchestra with Satu Vänskä as solo violinist. In May 2014 Never Truly Lost was the ABCs entry to the International Rostrum of Composers held in Finland and was selected as a ‘recommended work’ (from 50 entries from 27 national radio networks).

In 2014 Brenton was a Creative Fellow at the State Library of Victoria (working on a new musical/opera with Mike Brady). He also received the Albert H Maggs Award and composed a new work, Syzygy, for the Syzygy Ensemble that is available on their first CD, Making Signs.

In 2014/15 Brenton composed three works to commemorate the Anzac Centennial: for Canning City Band (WA), Borooondara Brass (Vic) and the Australian Chamber Choir.

In 2016 Brenton was commissioned by Warren Lesnie to compose a string quartet, Safe Haven, for his wife Marianne and performed by the Enso Quartet (New York) in May/June during a tour promoted by Music Viva

In 2017 Brenton completed new commissions for the Plexus Ensemble, This Everlasting Silence, premiered at the Recital Centre, Melbourne in November; for the HD Duo, Hammerblow, premiered on their ‘Commonwealth Tour’ in 2018.
He also had the pleasure of working with comedian Simon Hall (aka Yon from Tripod) arranging the music for a 60 minute cabaret show – The Second Wedding Singer – premiered at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival in June 2017.

In 2020 his work Let There Be Light was one of four works chosen by the Tampa Bay Symphony, USA to be performed in January 2022.
In August 2020 his orchestral work In The Sunshine was performed by the Helsingborgs Symfoniorkester in Helsingborg, Sweden conducted by David Björkman.

In 2021 Brenton was selected by the Australian National Academy of Music to compose a solo trombone work, Memento, for Jarrod Callaghan.

His work Pandemic for SATB choir and string quartet was premiered at the Ickinger Konzertzyklus Festival in Ebenhausen, Germany. Philipp Amelung conducted the Theodor Schüz Ensemble and Quartet Berlin-Tokyo. (Read a Limelight Magazine article by Alexander Voltz).
Pandemic was selected as a Finalist in the Art Music Awards 2022 ‘Work of the Year: Choral’ presented by APRA AMCOS and the Australian Music Centre.

Let There Be Light was selected as the winner of the Tampa Bay Symphony ‘5th Annual Call For Scores Competition’ (USA) and was performed twice by the Tampa Bay Symphony in February 2022.

Brenton has completed a new opera The Nurses at Vung Tau based on a story and libretto by Elizabeth Lewis about the Australian nurses in the Vietnam War that was premiered in June 2022 in Brisbane.

My new brass band work, Prayers and Tribulations, was performed by the New York Staff Band, conducted by Derek Lance (who commissioned it) on their tour of the UK in April 2023. They have released a wonderful performance on CD.

Philip Sparke was born in London and studied composition, trumpet and piano at the Royal College of Music, where he gained an ARCM. It was at the College that his interest in bands arose. He played in the College wind orchestra and also formed a brass band among the students, writing several works for both ensembles.
At that time, his first published works appeared – Concert Prelude (brass band) and Gaudium (wind band). A growing interest in his music led to several commissions, his first major one being this featured piece for the Centennial Brass Band Championships in New Zealand – The Land of the Long White Cloud. He has written for brass band championships in New Zealand, Switzerland, Holland, Australia and the UK, including three times for the National Finals at the Royal Albert Hall.
In September 2000, he was awarded the Iles Medal of the Worshipful Company of Musicians for his services to brass bands and in 2005 Music of the Spheres won the National Band Association/William D. Revelli Memorial Band Composition Contest. In 2011, he received the BUMA International Brass Award for his contribution to brass music.
His conducting and adjudicating activities have taken him to most European countries, Scandinavia, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Canada and the USA. In May 2000, he took the major step of becoming a full-time composer by founding his own publishing company, Anglo Music Press. The company is devoted to publishing his brass band, concert band, fanfare band and instrumental publications as well as recordings dedicated to his latest works.

Fraser Bremner, on May 5th 2018 in New Plymouth, New Zealand. Trevor also performed the brass band version with the 2019 National Secondary Schools Brass Band of New Zealand. This piece has also been performed by Belgian cornet soloist Harmen Vanhoorne and the Auckland Sinfonietta, with Rachel Thomas on vibraphone. The additional raindrop recording used in this piece of music is available for free download at: www.fraserbremner.com/downloads/ About the Composer… Born in New Zealand, Fraser Bremner is the youngest son of the well-known Bremner family. As a classically trained percussionist, Fraser has performed with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Wellington (previously known as Vector Wellington Orchestra), Central Band of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, New Zealand Army Band, Dave Dobbyn, and The Veronicas. Fraser’s compositions and arrangements have been performed and/or recorded by the 2017 & 2018 National Youth Brass Band of New Zealand, 2017 National Secondary Schools Brass Band of New Zealand, Wellington Brass and internationally acclaimed cornetist (and father) Trevor Bremner.

Howard Davies was born to Salvationist parents on the 12th of November1940. From the very startof his life, Howard grew up in a musical environment He began studying the violin at the age of seven and in 1959 he achieved his A.MUS.A (Violin – performing (source: The Golden Pen – Steef Klepke )
Howard Davies entered the Melbourne S.A. Training College in 1964. Served forty years as an Officer in varied appointments, mainly corps, but also at IHQ Music Editorial Department and a member of the ISB from 1973 to 1976. Served at the Melbourne Training College followed by Headquarters appointments in both the NZ and Australian Southern Territories.
He is sometimes looked at as a Tunesmith . A tunesmith is, by definition, one who composes melodies or songs. Howard Davies is such an individual, having written dozens of songs (melody and lyrics) foe The Salvation Army over the years. This overture takes a handful of his most popular melodies and turns them into a Broadway-style feature, providing fresh settings of these Howard Davies classics: Not if I owned the world, Tell all the people, God’s still the one, The good Lord brought him through, The wonder of his grace and On the way to Heaven.
Interesting reading: The Story behind the Songs

Born into a Salvationist family in Waimate in the South Island in 1920, Tom Rive very early on showed distinctive musical ability. At 16 years of age he was the bandmaster at Waimate, and after shifting to Wellington in the late 1930’s he was B/M Dean Goffin’s deputy at Wellington South for a period, before moving to Auckland to study at Auckland University. He completed the B. Music degree in 1943 and was appointed to the lecturing staff in 1945. In 1949 he was awarded a N.Z. Government Bursary which enabled him to undertake post-graduate study in composition at the University of Oxford. He was the first graduate to be awarded a Ph.D in music by Auckland University and in 1974 was awarded the rare distinction of a personal chair. His special interest in Roman Catholic liturgical music of the Counter-Reformation, led to his recognition as the leading world authority on the 16th century Spanish composer Thomas Luis de Victoria. For 18 years Tom trained and conducted the University Madrigal Choir, and served a term as President of the Guild of New Zealand composers.
Dr. Rive’s achievements within the context of the Salvation Army were as distinguished as his outstanding academic career. His contributions to Auckland Congress Hall as bandmaster, songster-leader and Corps Sergeant Major were in the finest traditions of local officer leadership, and in the final phase of his life he was a greatly loved bandmaster at the Newton Corps. Throughout these years of Salvation Army service he was blessed by the devoted and loyal support of his wife, the former Audrey Skellon, whom he married in 1943.

Dr. Rive’s two Festival Series selections for brass band “I know a Fount” and “Pilgrim Song” brought him world renown. The former symphonic variations were once described by a very well known Army conductor as “the Army’s most profound published music thus far”. Certainly, Thomas Rive, through the years fulfilled many engagements throughout Australasia, North America, and Europe as guest conductor, lecturer, and preacher. His promotion to glory at the comparatively early age of 57 on February 10, 1978, was a significant loss to both the Salvation Army and academia.

Sir Dean Goffin (9 July 1916 to 1984) was one of New Zealand’s first prolific Salvation Army composers who composed not only music for the Army but for non-Army bands as well.
He grew up in a musically active Salvation Army family, his father a famous bandmaster and composer of popular marches. From a very young age he was active in the musical life of New Zealand, both in and out of the Salvation Army, becoming, at the age of 19, bandmaster of the famed Wellington South Corps.During World War II he served as a military musician, forming and training the band of the 20th Infantry Battalion of the 4th Brigade that was active in the Middle East.
Goffin was the first major Salvation Army composer to complete a bachelor in music from Otago University in 1950. Shortly after he trained to become a Salvation Army Officer, serving initially in New Zealand, then in Great Britain where he held the positions of National Bandmaster (1956-1960) and National Secretary for bands and Songster Brigades (1960-1966). Transferred back to New Zealand (1966), Goffin assumed senior administrative positions culminating in his appointment as Territorial Commander (1980). Goffin was knighted in the 1983 Queens Birthday Honours List.

Todd Smith is currently a New Zealand based brass band composer. Ever since starting to learn brass instruments at age 9, Todd has always had an interest in composing. After enjoying many years of success in New Zealand as a euphonium player, it wasn’t until 2013 when he received his first commission for a major work, ‘Vita Destructa’. Since the premier of the work Todd has become a sort after composer in the Australasian area, becoming the Composer-inResidence for Footscray Yarraville City Band of Australia, and becoming Associate Composer for National Australia Brass. He also has worked closely with the world famous Brighouse and Rastrick Band, with them providing world and UK premiers to two of Todds major works – ‘Vita Destructa’ and ‘Inferno’. Although young, his talent surpasses his years as he continues to prove himself as a composer who can stand up among the very best.