THE NEWS

BY BARNEY MEDLAND British Trombone Festival 2022 The BTS has recently announced the exciting news that over the weekend of 29 and 30 October 2022 the British Trombone Festival will take place at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. The Festival promises to be a wonderful celebration of all things trombone, comprising performances, masterclasses, competitions, massed blows, group warm-ups, and trade stands.

Competitions taking place over the two days will include the BTS Inter-collegiate Trombone Choir Competition, the BTS Trombone Quartet Competition, the BTS Bob Hughes Bass Trombone Competition, and the inaugural BTS Sackbut Competition, in association with Egger Instruments. An array of world-class artists has been confirmed for the festival, including Ian Bousfield, Katy Jones, Callum Au, Isobel Daws, Emily White, Chris Thomas, Tony Boorer, Chris Augustine, and Slide Action.

For all the latest updates about the Festival, you can visit the BTS’s dedicated Festival webpage.

Composers' Competition The BTS Trombone Composers’ Competition 2022 has been announced. Composers are invited to enter trombone quartets of no more than 15 minutes in length. Entries will be judged by an exciting line-up of judges including Mark Nightingale, Callum Au, and Dani Howard. The winning piece will be recorded and published by Bones Apart, while two runners-up will each receive an hour-long composition lesson with a judge. For more details and the entry form, visit the BTS’s website.

Slide Action recently recorded the 2020 winning entry, Andy Wareham’s Fanfare and Three Poems. Check out their fantastic performance here, and purchase a copy of the sheet music from Bones Apart Publishing.

The 2021 winning entry, Bright Call by Salvatore Sciarratta, is available now from Warwick Music.

Kate Rockett new General Director at Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century The Netherlands-based Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century has announced Kate Rockett as their new General Director. Kate started her career as a trombonist, specialising in historical performance. She performed with leading historical ensembles around the world, such as The Gabrieli Consort and Freiburger Barockorcheser, before making the career switch to cultural management.

On her appointment Kate said: ‘Since its founding over forty years ago by Frans Brüggen, the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century has been a highly respected key player in the historically informed performance movement and has inspired many other ensembles, both in the Netherlands and worldwide. Sieuwert Verster has been at the helm for all this time, a quite exceptional track record and a difficult act to follow. The Orchestra is a remarkable international collective of passionate and committed musicians; I am delighted to have the opportunity to shape the next chapter of the organisation’s history.’

Tragic death of Tom Hammond We have been extremely saddened to hear the news that trombonist and conductor Tom Hammond passed away suddenly on 27 December 2021, aged just 47. Tom studied trombone at the Royal Academy of Music before embarking on a playing career. Gradually, Tom’s career focused increasingly on his conducting work. He founded the Hertfordshire Festival of Music in 2016 and was Principal Conductor of the St Albans Symphony Orchestra and other ensembles.

He collaborated with the likes of Stephen Hough and Steven Isserlis. Tom was also a regular visitor to the Middle East, conducting ensembles at the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music, in Palestine, and the Palestinian Youth Orchestra.

In 2017, Tom was described by Musical Opinion as ‘a serious contender for most promising maestro of his generation’. There are many people in the UK and beyond whose lives have been enriched by Tom’s music making; he will be greatly missed.

New Signings at Getzen Two new trombone stars have recently endorsed Getzen instruments. Principal trombone at the London Symphony Orchestra, Peter Moore, became a Getzen International Performing Artist in February. Peter now plays a Getzen 4147IB Custom Reserve, calling the instrument ‘an absolute dream’.

Isobel Daws joined the Getzen stable the following month. Getzen said they ‘are so excited to welcome Isobel Daws to the Getzen team as a 4147IB trombone artist.’ 22-year-old Isobel is a student at the Royal Academy of Music and member of the trombone quartet Bone-afide. She has recently become the first British trombone player to be accepted into the prestigious Karajan Academy of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. The Academy is the graduate arm of the orchestra, and mentors outstanding young professionals for top-flight orchestral careers. About one third of the current Berlin Philharmonic are graduates of the Karajan Academy. Congratulations to Isobel for this outstanding achievement. Alan Adams appointed principal bass trombone at Scottish Ballet Congratulations to Alan Adams, who has been appointed principal bass trombone with the Scottish Ballet Orchestra. The former Royal Conservatoire of Scotland student won the Bob Hughes Bass Trombone Competition in 2020. Alan said he was ‘over the moon’ to be joining the orchestra of Scotland’s national ballet company.

Leading Role on Broadway According to a recently published Wall Street Journal article trombonists are playing a leading role in the resurgence of Broadway post pandemic.

Despite the ongoing reductions in band sizes orchestrators are continuing to make use of the trombone because of the instrument's versatility to play across a range of genres. Though 74 short of the full complement two trombonists are employed in the pit for the current revival of The Music Man. In Hadestown trombonist Brian Drye appears on stage and interacts with the cast, prompting one twitter user to claim the trombone as the real star of the show, and at Chicago both trombonists are on stage for the entire show.

Back at The Music Man, star Hugh Jackman has started a tradition which would be welcomed in orchestra pits everywhere: he buys the band members lottery scratch cards very week, in recognition of the vital contribution of live musicians.

And finally… A First World War era G trombone has been returned to its regimental home over a century after it was made. Many years ago, Richard Smith, a young Gloucester based trombonist, spotted the Boosey & Co. instrument in a second-hand shop. Richard sadly passed away in 2017. After his death, his wife Gill polished up the old instrument and saw the inscription on the bell ‘3rd Line 2nd Monmouthshire Regiment Pontypool’. Gill asked James Doran from the Leyland Band to do some investigating. He discovered the instrument was made for the regiment in 1916, and whoever played it would have likely seen considerable action in the First World War. The instrument has been presented to the Royal Welsh Regimental Museum in Brecon. James hopes one day researchers at the museum may find out who played this instrument over 100 years ago. ◆