World of Brass Update - May 2008
The 31st European Brass Band Championships will long be remembered by those who attended for a variety of reasons but most notably for the way in which Cory Band won the title of European Champion for the first time in 28 years. In one of the closest results possible, Cory Band were declared winners by virtue of their near perfect 99 points out of 100 score for the set test piece despite finishing level, on overall points, with Grimethorpe Colliery Band. Brass Band Willebroek made a brave attempt to complete a hat-trick of victories by winning the own-choice section of the contest but had to be content with third place overall this time. We’re already working on our highlights recordings and the double CD and double DVD are both on offer at a £2 discount to the usual price if you place your order before 1st July. The CD will be available in August with the DVD due out in September. These products will form a long-lasting memento of the championships for those fortunate enough to attend and the ‘next best thing’ for those who were not. Qualification for English bands to compete in the European Brass Band Championships is now made by the English National Brass Band Championships which are being held for the third time this year, on June 28th. The organisers asked Robert Redhead to write a new test-piece and he has come up with Infinity which promises to be a stern test for the competing bands as well as making for interesting listening for the audience. World of Brass is pleased to have Infinity study scores available now, four weeks in advance of contest day.
The early part of this month has already seen the release of several new recordings; Highlights from the Norwegian Brass Band Championships 2008, National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain 2007, Trailblazers and Boscombe and Foden’s LIVE and this update brings news of several more.
May 17th saw the launch of Daystar, the 2008 recording from The International Staff Band of The Salvation Army, on the occasion of their sell-out Epic Brass II concert with Black Dyke Band. Last weekend saw the release of The Incredible Polysteel Band from the band of that name and this weekend we have available for the first time new recordings from two of the UK’s foremost Salvation Army bands; Kettering Citadel Band with Endless Praise and Boscombe Band with Sanctuary.
All of the recordings mentioned so far will be available from our music download store World of Brass Tunes in due course.
As well as our own new releases, World of Brass is always on the look-out for other recordings from around the world that we think you might be interested in. Pasadena Tabernacle Band from Los Angeles has recently completed a tour of Southern USA and we have managed to secure a quantity of their tour CD Proclamation. Chris Houlding has enjoyed a long and distinguished career as principal trombone of the Orchestra of Opera North and has recently released his first solo CD. Houlding His Own features standard trombone repertoire in the form of the sonatas of Hindemith and Sulek along with new and lesser-known repertoire for trombone alone and with piano accompaniment.
Written by Ian McKenzie on May 29th, 2008 with no comments.
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