BRASS BAND NEWS

BY ALASTAIR WARREN AND BARNEY MEDLAND

JOHN MAINES RETIRES FROM NATIONAL YOUTH BRASS BAND OF GREAT BRITAIN

Announcing his retirement, John said ‘After 42 years as a member of the music staff of the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain (NYBBGB) I now feel it is time for me to retire from this great organisation. My wonderful association with the NYBBGB started in 1963 as a young trombone player where I made my many lifelong friends. A few years later, in 1979, I was invited by Harry Mortimer to become trombone tutor of the Band. I held that position for 30 years until passing it on to a younger pool of tutors. I then took on the responsibility of Librarian and conducted the NYBBGB audition sessions around the country. I was honoured to be installed as a trustee of the Band. I have enjoyed my many happy memories during my time with the NYBBGB and the National Children’s Brass Band working alongside some world class conductors, soloists, and some of the finest instrumental tutors on the planet. As well as the obvious musical side of things the social life has been tremendous with the legendary quizzes, informal concerts and not forgetting all the ‘unofficial’ staff meetings! I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the members of staff, tutors and the thousands of players through the years for making my time with the NYBBGB/NCBB such a memorable experience.’

Looking back on his long career John shared a couple of memorable moments for readers of The Trombonist.

‘When I was 13 I joined a very good band in Birkenhead called the Cammell Laird Works Band, sadly no longer in existence. I was allowed two afternoons off school to attend rehearsals and would travel by bus to Birkenhead. On one occasion the bus broke down and

everyone had to walk a short distance through Knotty Ash on the outskirts of Liverpool to get a replacement bus. I had my trombone with me, so I was lagging behind the rest of the group somewhat and as I was passing a man mowing his lawn, he called out ‘what’s that you’ve got, a machine gun?’ It was the great Ken Dodd! I said, ‘no it‘s a trombone,’ so he asked me to prove it. I played The Acrobat, standing on the pavement, and he threw me 2 shillings (10p) and I went on my way!

On another occasion our trombone section and a few cornets were asked to augment the brass section of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra for two performances, firstly the Verdi Requiem and sometime later the Mozart Requiem. Both were performed in the giant Anglican Cathedral, and they were conducted by Sir Charles Groves.

There was an unbelievable echo, and I had a set of minims to play. I confidently came in with the said minims and was told in no uncertain terms to shorten them to quavers!’

NYBBGB 70TH ANNIVERSARY YEAR

The National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain celebrates its 70th Anniversary this year. The theme of the 2022 Concert Season is ‘Celebration’, and two concerts will feature female trombonists from Norway as guest soloists.

The NYBBGB Easter Course will take place at Harrogate Ladies College, and specifically focuses on women in bands, female composers, conductors, and soloists. Irene Anda, from the Netherlands, is the guest conductor for the week and Grethe Tonheim is the guest soloist. Grethe has played principal trombone with the famous Eikanger-Bjørsvik band for more than twenty years and is a legendary teacher at Manger Folkehogskule and a free-lance professional musician, performing with both the Bergen Philharmonic and the Oslo Symphony Orchestra. She will perform Ray Steadman-Allen’s The Eternal Quest, Philip Wilby’s White Knuckle Ride, and Icicles by Anne-Grete Preus, a significant Norwegian female composer.

The National Youth Children’s Band Summer Concert continues the theme set by the National Youth Band at Easter of celebrating females in music, with Karianne Flåtene Nilssen joining as the guest soloist. Karianne is the newly appointed principal trombone with Stavanger Band and is a Yamaha Artist. She teaches at Stavanger School of Culture and gained her Master of Music Degree from The Institute of Music and Dance at University Stavanger. She will be performing an arrangement of Percy Grainger’s Shepherds Hey and give the world première of Lucy Pankhurst’s Trio.

Full details of NYBBGB’s Anniversary year can be found on their website.

LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA YOUTH BRASS BAND

As part of the Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Company, RLPO Principal Trombonist Simon Cowen has set up a Youth Brass Band, the first in the UK to be sponsored by a major classical orchestra. Membership is open to brass and percussion players aged 13–21 from across Liverpool and Merseyside. More information about this exciting new ensemble can be found here. Applications to join from young trombonists are particularly welcome.

STEPHEN LOMAS WINS BRITISH OPEN SOLO 2022

Congratulations to Brighouse and Rastrick Band bass trombonist Stephen Lomas, who took first place at this year’s British Open Solo Championship. Stephen’s winning performance of Walter Hartley’s Sonata Breve was praised by the adjudicator for his ‘total control and style … showing how a bass trombone should be played.’

NEW BRASS BAND APPOINTMENTS

There have been several high-profile solo trombone appointments at top brass bands over the last few months.

The GUS Band have announced Matthew Brown as their new Solo Trombone, taking over from Alan Gifford who has made the decision to focus on his conducting, with a new position as MD at Blidworth Welfare Band. Matthew joins the band after most recently being a member of the Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band, as well as successes conducting the Milnrow band and his appointment as a member of the Association of Brass Band Adjudicators. Matthew said, ‘I’m excited to be joining one the country’s most prestigious bands who I have long admired.’ Matthew’s debut with the band came at the Midlands Regional Championships, where GUS achieved a third-place finish.

Over at Friary, Neil Wharton has joined the Band to fill the Solo Trombone vacancy created by Isobel Daws’ departure for Berlin. Neil enjoyed successful spells with Reg Vardy, Sellers and Hepworth before joining the Royal Air Force in 2002 on euphonium. After filling in on trombone for a period he made the decision to make the move permanent. Having spent most of his RAF career with The Band of the RAF College in Lincolnshire, he is now posted to The Band of the RAF Regiment where he is a trombonist and Drum Major. The Friary’s chair Nigel Stevens welcomed Neil to the band saying ‘Neil is a highly accomplished musician with an excellent history in banding. We’re so pleased to welcome him to Friary.’ Neil commented: ‘I’m only too aware that these are big shoes to fill – and I won’t be wearing Princess Isobel’s sparkly ones – but I’ll certainly give it my best.’

Finally, congratulations to Melissa Brown for her appointment as Resident Conductor of the Raunds Temperance Band. Melissa is a trombonist and has previously appeared in these pages discussing her Bold as Brass podcast. Melissa will join forces with the band’s Creative Director, fellow trombonist Jonathan Pippen. ◆