The Trombonist - Winter 2022

The Trombonist WINTER 2022

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President’s Welcome

SIMON MINSHALL

Dear Members,

It's now been a full year since my first message to you in the role of President of our wonderful Society. Over that year I have seen the BTS accomplish more and more.

Last year I spoke about the planning for the first British Trombone Festival, chief organiser Matthew Gee and fronted by Jon Stokes. To all the C ommittee and everyone who helped bring the weekend together, I can't thank you enough. Thank you too to all the sponsors of the Festival and the BTS competitions: your ongoing commitment to helping us do as much as possible is really appreciated. The Festival, I know, has lit a fire under trombone players far and wide to get together more and enjoy each other’s playing.

Looking ahead to 2023 two regional Trombone Days are already confirmed, for the South West at Wells Cathedral School on Saturday, 21 January and for the North East on Sunday, 30 April at Collingwood College, University of Durham. Keep an eye on the BTS social media, website and emails for further details.

Now, off you go to find friends/colleagues and play some Christmas carols. Maybe even enjoy a mulled wine and mince pie.

Have a wonderful festive period and a Happy New Year to your families and loved ones.

Editor’s Welcome

ALASTAIR WARREN

Welcome to the Winter 2022 issue of The Trombonist.

In this issue we focus on the British Trombone Festival 2022, which saw probably the biggest gathering of trombonists in the UK since the International Trombone Festival of 2006, coincidentally both events hosted in Birmingham. The Festival welcomed delegates of all ages and experiences, celebrating the very best the British trombone family has to offer.

Continuing the celebratory mood, we congratulate the winners of the 2022 BTS Awards, the 2022 BTS Performance Competitions, and the 2022 BTS Composers’ Competition. Elsewhere we review debut albums from two rising stars, Isobel Daws and Dave Sear, and interview Dave about his career to date and the challenges of writing and releasing a jazz album.

Hoping to one day play like Joe Alessi? Read on to find out the secrets he revealed during his recent marathon masterclass and Q&A session hosted by Opera North, and if you find practice a pain in the neck Dr. Alan Watson shares some of his research into the causes, and prevention, of neck and shoulder pain experienced by trombonists.

Finally, as you join Simon with a glass of mulled wine and a mince pie check out The Listening Lounge and listen in awe to some of the artists who featured across the Festival weekend.

Merry Christmas, one and all!

Simon Minshall president@britishtrombonesociety.org

Alastair Warren

editor@britishtrombonesociety.org

GET IN TOUCH: British Trombone Society, Registered Charity No: 1158011, Main Telephone: +44 (0)7715 273740

The Crows Nest, Apt. 17, Eastcliff Court, Crescent Road, Shanklin, Isle of Wight, PO37 6EJ

EDITOR

Alastair Warren editor@britishtrombonesociety.org

SUB-EDITORS

Peter Chester and Alison Keep

NEWS EDITOR Barney Medland news@britishtrombonesociety.org

EVENTS EDITOR events@britishtrombonesociety.org

REVIEWS EDITOR Jane Salmon reviews@britishtrombonesociety.org

ADVERTISING MANAGER Chris Valentine advertising@britishtrombonesociety.org

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Martin Lee Thompson content@britishtrombonesociety.org

MAGAZINE DESIGN Sára Mikkelsen saramikkelsen.com

FRONT COVER

BTF Logo Design – Hannah Walker hannahmwalker.com CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS

Alastair Warren Barney Medland

Josh Cirtina

Tom Lees

Jamie Tweed Bob Hughes David Thornber

Peter Chester Dr. Alan Watson

Martin Gladdish

Kevin Morgan

Peter Thornton Ben Bouzan Ned Petitt

Jon Stokes

Amos Miller Becky Pepper Daniel Nixon

BY BARNEY MEDLAND

Election of New British Trombone Committee

The AGM of the British Trombone Society took place on 20 November. BTS members present heard reports from BTS President Simon Minshall, BTS Administrator Chris Sowerby, and regional reports from BTS Regional Representatives. One of the main events at the AGM was the election of the new committee. You can see your current BTS committee on the BTS website

Victory for Kris Garfitt at ARD

International Music Competition Trombonist Kris Garfitt has won first prize and audience prize at the prestigious ARD International Music Competition, based in Munich. Kris’s prizewinning performance included the Trombone Concerto by Henri Tomasi. In the semi-final, Kris won the trombone category Special Prize for Interpretation of a Commission Competition, with his performance of two Concert Etudes by Mike Svoboda. Congratulations to Kris for these awesome achievements.

Kris has been Solo Trombone with the WDR Symphony Orchestra since 2020, having previously held the same post at the German Radio Philharmonic. In addition to his orchestral work, Kris has a busy solo career of recitals and competitions. Carol Jarvis, a former president of the British Trombone Society, interviewed Kris for the BTS last year. You can hear all about Kris’s work so far, including expert tips, in the interview, which is available to view to all BTS members here.

Ivors Composer Awards Nomination for Alex Paxton

Congratulations to Alex Paxton, whose work Music for Bosch People was nominated in the Chamber Ensemble category at this year’s Ivors Composer

Awards. This follows Alex winning the award for best Small Chamber Composition, for Sometimes Voices for keyboard and drums, last year. Alex is an improvising trombonist and one of the most exciting British composers around. The BTS interviewed Alex about last year. You can read the full interview here

Concerto Performances

The last week in November saw THREE trombone concerti performed in Leeds, plus TWO world premières! Something of a record? With the Orchestra of Opera North Joe Alessi recorded Pandora and Christian Jones recorded Gresley, both by Ben Ellin, and Blair Sinclair performed the Concerto by Nino Rota at the Leeds Conservatoire. All three recorded Ben’s new works: an unaccompanied trio called Stow Sketches and a piece for three trombones and orchestra called Windows Somewhat busy times … and some great playing.

And finally

A new trombone-based PC game has taken the online world by storm. Trombone Champ is a rhythm-based game that bears more than a passing resemblance to the famous game Guitar Hero. In Trombone Champ, players move a virtual trombone slide as famous pieces like Johann Strauss’s Blue Danube Waltz and Richard Strauss’s Also Sprach Zarathustra play, attempting to hit as many notes as possible. The greater the accuracy the higher the score. Videos of the game have had millions of views online, and the game is a bestseller on the PC game selling platform Steam. Trombone-playing readers can watch this clip and make up their own minds how much resemblance Trombone Champ has to playing Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony in real life. ◆

BTS Wessex Trombone Day

BY KEVIN MORGAN

The Wessex region of the BTS had its first get together after several years on Saturday, 15 October. The venue was Blandford Corn Exchange, a lovely Georgian building which was built in 1734 by John and William Bastard. While remarkable, more pertinent to the trombone world, and often missed by locals, is that the plumbing was installed by the Balls!

Although life has moved on somewhat since the original lockdown, the epidemic is still causing disruption and we lost a presenter and at least one attendee to the virus. Best wishes to all for a swift recovery.

Our annual blows have always attracted an enthusiastic crowd of players and, with the Corn Exchange having a great acoustic for brass thanks to William and John, we were set for a promising day of music making.

Robb Tooley began the proceedings with a warm-up and chat about basic techniques in his trademark thoughtful and engaging style. Breath attacks, airflow and slide coordination were discussed with plenty of questions and feedback from the audience along the way. Even more importantly was the opportunity to try out the ideas in real time which is so refreshing for those of us that have been relying on YouTube for the best part of three years to keep motivated.

We then embarked upon a series of four-part arrangements during which we put these ideas into practice. Locus Iste, Bruckner’s lovely vocal motet, made the most of the reverberant acoustic and reminded us of how close the trombone is to the voice. This was followed by Handel’s Sarabande (it must be somewhere towards

the top of Classic FM’s Hall of Fame?). These brought out some beautiful warm sounds from the ensemble.

We were pleased to welcome Ollie Tooley on drums for the remainder of the session to accompany the lighter numbers. Not only does he have a trombonist father but he has also played jazz drums in front of Wycliffe Gordon – not bad for a 13-year old!

A lively discussion was had about stylistic considerations such as written articulations and different types of swing. This helped guide our path through numbers such as My Funny Valentine, The Girl from Ipanema and Charlie Parker’s My Little Suede Shoes

Robb took the solo part on an arrangement of Cariad Cyntaf (First Love) – a beautiful Welsh folk song, tastefully demonstrating everything that he had spoken about earlier. The set was completed with another Gilberto number, How Insensitive. (If you haven’t heard Gordon Campbell’s version of this on his CD ‘But Beautiful’ then you should!)

After a spot of carb-fuelled lunch from the bakery next door, and a little more rehearsing, the group performed the whole set. Next time we should invite an audience too!

Many thanks to Robb and Ollie and to all the trombonists who came and supported the event. It was amazing how quickly the music came together to create a quality performance.

These events are a great way of meeting new people from other musical genres and also to catch up with old friends so make sure you get out there and support your local events – nothing beats live music!

Watch out for more in the New Year. ◆

BTS ANNUAL AWARDS 2022

The winners of this year’s BTS Annual Awards were announced by BTS Vice-President Jon Stokes at the British Trombone Festival. Congratulations to all the recipients on their well-deserved awards.

Emily studied trombone at the Royal Academy of Music and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and baroque violin at Trinity Laban. She loves the freedom that can be found in early music performance practice and contemporary music and has commissioned many new pieces for sackbut. Her trio, Pandora's Box, with John Kenny and Miguel Sevillano Tantos has toured their improvisatory take on contemporary and early music across Europe and the USA. She is a member of The English Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble, regularly plays principal for Il Giardino Armonico in Italy and works with Alte Musik Berlin, B'Rock, Les Talens Lyriques, and the 'crack British ensemble’ (The Observer), In Echo.

Emily directs Sackbut Frenzy, which includes current and former students of hers. Their first album A Cry Was Heard, of new and old music for early instruments, was released in October 2022. She is professor of sackbut at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, teaches trombone and sackbut at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and trombone at Wells Cathedral School, and has recently been a guest sackbut tutor at Trossingen Conservatoire in Germany. She was awarded an ARAM for services to early music and is a Conn-Selmer affiliated artist.

Teacher of the Year – Lindsay Shilling

‘This is a massive honour to be named ‘Teacher of the Year’ by the BTS membership and the certificate will proudly go up on the wall next to the FRCM certificate that I was awarded earlier this year. Many thanks for this recognition!’

Lindsay studied, as an Associated Board Scholar, at the Royal College of Music with John Iveson and Arthur Wilson. Months after graduating in 1981 he accepted his first teaching post, teaching all brass instruments, for Kent Music School. In 1992 he was asked to deputise for John Iveson which led to his official appointment as trombone professor at the RCM in 1997. Lindsay’s tenure of 25 years at the RCM has run in tandem with a successful orchestral career including positions with the London Symphony Orchestra and London Philharmonic Orchestra, and since 2003 Section Principal Trombone with the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House.

Sheila Tracy Award – Emily White

Outstanding Contribution – Rob Burtenshaw

‘What a nice surprise. Thank you very much to you and the BTS.’

Originally from Scarborough, Rob first learnt the trombone with the appropriately named Joe Blewitt before attending Chetham’s School of Music, where he was taught by Peter Leary. Awarded an Exhibition to the Royal College of Music, Rob studied with Arthur Wilson. In his final year he won the Arthur Sommerville Brass Prize and gained the ARCM diploma with honours.

In 1978 Rob joined the newly formed Orchestra of Opera North as Sub-Principal Trombone. There he enjoyed the musical variety, from 80’s nights to Wagner’s Ring Cycle, and the lifestyle so much, that he stayed for 43 years. During this time Rob also freelanced with many of the UK’s major orchestra’s, including playing at the Proms with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, the Hallé, London Symphony Orchestra, and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. He also recorded Gabrielli with the LSO Brass.

Player of the Year – Helen Vollam

Helen has been Principal Trombone of the BBC Symphony Orchestra since 2004, the first woman to be appointed principal trombone of a London orchestra, and she is also member of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe and Bones Apart Trombone Quartet. Her schedule with the BBCSO includes performing in many of the BBC Proms each year, including the legendary Last Night of the Proms, broadcast worldwide. She can also be heard on numerous film, TV and video game soundtracks.

In demand as a guest teacher, Helen has given classes throughout the UK and is Visiting Artist in Trombone at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. She was on the Artist Faculty for the 2017 Dublin Brass Week and has adjudicated for BBC Young Musician, Royal OverSeas League, BBC Radio 2 Young Brass Award, BTS, International Trombone Association, Swisstbone and Ian Bousfield Getzen competitions.

Alongside his playing career Rob taught trombone at Chetham’s and Leeds University, as well as brass at schools such as Bingley Grammar and Giggleswick. Many of his former students hold orchestral positions in the UK and beyond, and others are heads of education authorities. Rob claims to have learnt much from his pupils and discovered useful teaching techniques from coaching adventure sports! Rob is a keen skier who lives in the Pennines, where he can pursue many outdoor activities such as hill walking, mountain biking and paragliding. Full biographies of this years’ winners can be found on the BTS website.

Student of the Year – Josh Cargill

Josh is a bass trombonist currently studying as a postgraduate at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama under Dave Stewart, Simon Wills and Mark Templeton. Originally from Belfast he completed his undergraduate studies at the Royal Northern College of Music where he remained true to his brass band roots playing with the WFEL Fairey Band for four years. Having worked professionally over the past year with groups such as the Hallé, Opera North and Irish National Opera, Josh hopes to follow a career on the London freelance scene. ◆

‘I’m extremely flattered and humbled to receive this award! There are so many worthy players and I’m honoured to have been chosen this year.’

BY PETER CHESTER

You have to get the sound right!

Thanks to a recording project organised by Christian Jones of Opera North and the composer Benjamin Ellin – more on that in the Spring magazine – the distinguished Principal Trombone of the New York Philharmonic, Joseph Alessi, was in Leeds in November. As well as being a world-famous player of the highest order, Joe is a most experienced teacher, working at the Julliard School in New York, and he kindly agreed to lead a masterclass. A wide variety of players, some one hundred in number, were there to watch ensembles from Chetham’s, the RNCM and RAM, along with several individual talented students, put themselves forward for scrutiny, and a variety of music was heard, from Cavatine to Doolallynastics (!) As might be expected in five hours of playing and listening, much comment on a wide range of issues was generated:

On Sound

In Joe’s opinion, the most important thing in playing any musical instrument is the sound. Everyone should have a concept of the sound they want to produce and the start of any practice session should be time spent creating that sound. Aim for your ‘best sound’, to set you up for the day, otherwise you are wasting your time. Start with your best note and gradually apply that across the range. No matter where you are, be ready to fill the space with your sound. If necessary, work in mf to sustain the sound before moving to other dynamics. If you’re not happy, experiment with small details, for example, opening the teeth slightly to widen the airflow; lowering the pitch with your lips; blowing more slowly; slightly increasing the pressure of your teeth on the back of your lips. Using long notes clearly helps, as do slow glissandi, to ensure your sound remains constant. Words like warm, unforced, welcoming, and relaxed should be part of the concept of your sound.

On Breath and Embouchure

…

Breath goes in through the corners of the mouth, occasionally the nose, and should be as steady and relaxed as possible, with the mouthpiece remaining in

place on the lips – avoid gulping. Be sure you never run out of air, aiming to finish notes without decline or collapse, so marking breath points is essential. Firm corners of the lips are essential to a good control of breath and embouchure, and lip slurs are very useful in strengthening corners. All you need to do with your embouchure is to make the air vibrate. That does not require straining and certainly not bulging cheeks. Think of the letter ‘M’, that is, neutral, relaxed lips, as the starting point of your embouchure and, as he learned from his father, check it in a mirror and be ready to experiment with different positions until the sound and flexibility is right. Relaxed buzzing with the mouthpiece can be effective in establishing embouchure (also in warm-up). Good buzzes hold pitch (useful to pick a note on piano) before moving to glissando buzzes. Practice playing without the tongue and be wary of using too much tongue anyway; air speed is more important in supporting the notes, and the general rule is that low register needs slow air, high register needs quicker air, the air speed being controlled by the position of the tongue. Remember you have two sets of muscles around the lips – ‘puckers’ and ‘smiles’ – high register playing depends on puckers. For low register be wary of overblowing and be ready to pivot the mouthpiece a little if that aids production of sound. The Arban book has good exercises for the lower register.

On the Slide …

Forget the notion of the bell being a reference point for slide positions. Your ears are far more important –positioning is all about listening so be ready to microtune as you play. Slide movements should be quick, but not jerky, and experiment with alternative positions to ease movement between notes.

On Intonation and tone and pitch …

There’s no excuse for poor intonation – it’s not the fault of the trombone. In the lower register it is often a matter of controlling breath; for the high register ‘pre-load’ your notes, that is, a split-second before you play, have

An afternoon with the Principal Trombone of the New York Philharmonic, Joseph Alessi.

the note/breath/compression already in your head. Ensure trills are on the right note and be ready to use the valve for them.

On Musicianship

Remember when you play, your musicianship is exposed to the world. Musicians are expected to know all about rhythm and pitch, so these basic features should be accurately displayed. When playing with a piano, band or an orchestra, the soloist must lead the accompaniment, but equally, in ensemble work must know when to blend or get out of the way. This usually boils down to listening and working on phrasing, for example, or playing notes of the right length and always knowing where the melody is so you can support it. Important details: (i) accents are not mini-crescendos (ii) articulation such as staccato and slurs should be carefully agreed and rigidly applied (iii) be ready to shape repetitious phrases (iv) identify ‘ramps’, the links between sections or between parts, such as a crescendo from one part that is picked up by another. One useful exercise for ensembles is to sing and conduct their parts together, as Joe said he encourages at Julliard.

The session concluded with a brief Q&A: Given the high standards of playing today what makes a student stand out?

One who asks lots of questions, one who displays curiosity; one who goes to concerts and is obviously interested in music; one who is very well prepared for everything they do with, for example, thoughtful planning for their lessons with breath marks, alternate positions, marked on their music. Each student is their own quality control – recording your work is very helpful in that respect.

Do you get nervous?

Yes, a little, at times, but my way of dealing with nerves is not to think too much about the audience. Create your own personal bubble and don't let anybody else in, then you can do your job.

How important is Jazz playing to you?

Short answer – Yes, very much so. Everyone should be able to play in all fields, in all venues and in all situations, and perhaps the key is being able to fit whatever situation you are in.

Daily free improvisation is useful in warm-up and you should listen to Jazz players for inspiration.

The recent concerto by Chick Corea starts with a free improvisation. It is useful to know a little about chords and the basic notes that make up a jazz chord. Jazz scales are a useful part of a warm-up.

How important is singing?

My mother was a singer and I learned much about its importance from her. For trombone players, singing,

especially with others, is about refining your breathing, intonation, phrasing and sound.

What is your daily warm-up?

Most things I play are already in my head so there are lots to choose from but the important point is mixing up what you do and establishing the sound you want. Stefan Schultz, for example, will play what sounds to be a haphazard set of glissandi but when you listen to it no matter where it is on the instrument, his sound is consistent. That is the aim of a warm-up. Glissandi are very useful in that respect. Don't use the tongue but establish a good air flow. Play some scales but don't forget the value of long tones – again it’s all about sound. Ultimately your warm-up depends on what you need for the day so be ready to vary it.

Do you ever have ‘downtime’ and if so, how do you start up again?

I usually take a week off in the summer but if I’m feeling fresh and inspired then why stop playing? However, if you have stopped, or being forced to stop because you are unhappy about something (I recently lost my mouthpiece – it turned up in a washing machine!) then to restart, it's back to basics – buzzing, long tones, slow slide work, lip slurs, all with no stress. In fact, everyone needs some unrushed quiet time to remind themselves of the basics.

I've got an audition imminent – what should I do? First, try to manage your peak, to be at your best on the day, not the day before. Therefore, be careful not to over practice. Keep your playing fresh and remember it is rhythm and intonation that are going to impress, so record yourself to keep checking on these things. Be ready to play with others, as you will still be exercising the correct faculties. Regarding excerpts, you must know your orchestral role or the score behind what you are playing. Practice with orchestral recordings – take the orchestra on stage with you. On the day, warm up as usual, with your singing or conducting as you will have practised. Try a little piece of each thing you're going to play but do not hammer away at everything as you will be tired and stressed when it comes to the actual audition.

Quick fire questions:

Piece of music that you enjoy but have never played? Respighi‘s Church Windows Inspiration? Clifford Brown, JJ Johnson, Pavarotti, Sinatra. Scary Music? This morning’s pieces by Ben Ellin! Favourite conductor? Bernstein, also Muti, Mehta.

The amazing session ended with sincere thanks to all concerned, but particularly to Joe for his insights and guidance. As a postscript, readers might be interested in looking for more guidance and material from Joe on the internet and via his website ◆

British Trombone Festival 2022

EDITED BY ALASTAIR WARREN

The

weekend of 29–30 October saw a total of over 200 trombonists descend on the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire for the British Trombone Festival 2022, the first edition of the new BTS biennial National Festival.

Across the two days delegates were treated to workshops, lecture recitals, and concerts spanning 500 years of trombone history, as well as the BTS performance competitions. Reporting in detail on every moment of the Festival would fill an edition of The Trombonist many times over, but I hope the following gives a flavour of the experience, in the words of several of those lucky enough to attend. Many of the sessions were recorded and will be made available to BTS members at a later date via the members section of the website, and in future editions of The Trombonist Watch out in particular for Callum Au’s ‘Lecture Recital – Writing for the Trombone’, Chris Augustine and Josh Cirtina’s ‘Orchestral Trombone Playing’ and Emily White’s ‘Welcome to the Sackbut’

Both days started with a warm-up session, led on Saturday by Amos Miller and Sunday by Katy Jones Both stressed the need to warm up both body and mind, leaving delegates suitably energised for the day ahead.

Youth Day – Becky Pepper

Running a National Festival after a pandemic was always going to bring some uncertainty, but one thing the committee was committed to from the outset was the desire to ensure our youngest and newest players were nurtured and welcomed. They have missed so many opportunities at crucial stages of their music education over the last few years, and we wanted to bring some

KATY JONES LEADS THE SUNDAY WARM-UP SESSION.

PHOTO CREDIT: JONATHAN BUNT.

AMOS MILLER LEADS THE SATURDAY WARM-UP SESSION. PHOTO CREDIT: GEOFF WOLMARK.

much-needed collaboration and joy back to our young trombonists, hence the youth day was born. We focused the Youth Day programme onto the Saturday of the Festival, though we were delighted to see many turn up for the offerings on Sunday too – proof we didn’t scare them away!

When Tom Lees and I first discussed ideas of what a youth day might involve we were sure of three things: we wanted it to be inclusive, for children of all ages and abilities, we wanted it to be interactive, so they had a chance to play and voice their opinion and ask questions and we wanted it to be entertaining and joyful, to inspire the love of music making, and in particular group music-making.

We started with a wonderful warm up led by Jon Stokes, where we gathered all the young people in the impressive Bradshaw Hall for their first notes of the day. From the start we could see that this was going to be a great day. Sound was the focus of the warm-up, and it culminated in a play-by-ear performance of Amazing Grace, that turned out to be incredibly accurate and musical: the sound was incredible!

From there we were joined by all the delegates for the traditional massed blow, led by the legendary Bob Hughes. Bob guided us through The Theme from Superman, Oh When the Saints and Moon River. As part of our inclusivity, we had prepared simplified parts to around grade 1 range and easily readable, in both treble and bass clefs, from which our youngest players could play to feel the experience of the massed choir. Some older delegates who are new to the instrument found them helpful too and it was wonderful to see these new players of different ages and backgrounds learning together.

The ensemble skills workshop was born from the question, ‘Can we get young people to turn out a good performance out in 45 minutes, after never playing together as an ensemble before?’. The answer was of course, yes! The Youth Stars Octet (with a few doubles!) proved well worthy of their name and were made up

of students from the South, South West, Midlands and North: Will Bennet, Helena Kiesner, Arthur Easey, Belinda Mendes da Costa, Alex Holford, Tim Smith, Ned Pettitt, Morgan Bland, Ellie Curson and Ben Haslam. Thank you to these young people for being so wonderful and making our job so easy!

I think the people milling around at the trade stalls and in the café in the foyer were both surprised and amazed by their balcony performance of Massaino’s Canzon 33 (1608). Again, in the spirit of joining in, this was followed with a rousing performance of Queen’s We will rock you performed by all our young participants. It was delightful to see the young people make friends and muck in together. One particularly heart-warming moment was when two young lads who had never met before both found out they had been successful in auditioning for the National Youth Orchestra and would be playing together later on in the year!

I was blown away by the talent on display in the grade performance masterclass. It was an honour to lead the conversation and feedback amongst the young people who were all so supportive of their peers, but not afraid to share constructive criticism and experience. They were so open to new ideas and there was a real sense of building community. It is nerve racking to play a solo in any setting but to do it in front of your peers and professionals took some guts, but they were all so fantastic and willing to improve.

Before joining back in with the Showcase Concert and attending the evening jazz concert with all the delegates, we held a careers panel. It was an honour to have such a diverse panel of experiences to be able to draw on for the young people to see the breadth of possibility available for our instrument. Military music, musicals, classical orchestral, chamber music, jazz, pop and rock – we really do have a versatile instrument and it was great to show how you can succeed in any or all of these avenues of playing, as well as the options for teaching, journalism, music administration and

MASSED BLOW. PHOTO CREDIT: MELISSA BROWN.

YOUTH DAY BALCONY PERFORMANCE. PHOTO CREDIT: DAVID THORNBER.

promotion! The young people were very open and asked insightful questions and I hope they feel better equipped to face a modern musical industry, if they choose.

The Youth Day was a huge undertaking, and I must give particular thanks to Matthew Gee and Tom Lees for their work and support beforehand, and to Jon Stokes and Jonty Hill for doing so much to support the youth provision on the day. An honourable mention also goes to Ben Bouzan for stepping in last minute to talk about his career on the live panel! I can’t wait to do it all again!

Best weekend of my life – Ned Petitt

My weekend at the British Trombone Festival was probably the best weekend of my life. I took part in so many different sessions (too many to mention) and learned loads. Meeting and hearing some of the top players in the country was really fun.

The weekend started with a bang when 75 of us stood on the concert hall stage and played the theme to Superman, When the Saints and Moon River, conducted by Bob Hughes. The arrangements were amazing but the best thing for me was that, almost immediately, 75 people of different ages and standards were playing some challenging repertoire pretty well. The sound was amazing! It made me feel like part of a huge family who were all insanely passionate about one pretty niche thing.

I was at the festival because I had been invited, by Tom Lees, to play in an octet of teenagers from junior music colleges or specialist music schools. We played a beautiful piece called Canzon 33 by Massaino. I enjoyed playing with everyone and the warm, homogenous sound we made. Five of us are in the NYO section this year and were meeting for the first time, which made it feel really friendly.

At the end of the day we all filtered into the Eastside Jazz Club to listen to Rory Ingham’s Trombone Assembly. It was the first time I had been up close to that quality of virtuosic jazz trombone playing. I loved it! Even the fire alarm (a false alarm) going off during the last part of the performance didn’t faze them. They used it to their advantage, effortlessly incorporating it into their solos and improvising around the incredibly annoying siren. It was hilarious and awe-inspiring!

Highlights of the second day were the masterclass with Peter Moore and amazing performances by Katy Jones and Emily White. This was the first time I had heard the sackbut played live. Its beautiful tone and clarity of sound hit me instantly. Katy Jones played a really cool piece by Jim Maynard. She told us that it was originally written for Peter Moore and that the three of them are linked by their time playing in the LSO. Her anecdote really brought it to life for me and made me feel part of a community.

And finally, the icing on the cake was the stunning performance by Peter Moore. Not only did he stand in for Ian Bousfield at the last minute, playing some very virtuosic repertoire but he played it perfectly. If I imagine what a perfect trombonist would sound like, that’s Peter Moore. It was the best trombone playing I have ever heard. I came away completely inspired.

Thanks, British Trombone Society, for an amazing weekend!

Rebuilding the Trombone: Behind the Scenes –Slide Action

Continuing their mission to reimagine just what a trombone quartet can be, Slide Action presented several works from their ‘Rebuilding the Trombone’ programme, followed by a Q & A session with the audience that segued into a live recording of Melissa Brown’s ‘Bold as Brass’ Podcast. Available now from Apple, Google and Spotify, Josh Cirtina and Benny Vernon talk about creating a new voice for the trombone, managing a trombone quartet with four busy professional careers, and about the marriage advice that keeps the group happy!

Showcase Concert

Saturday’s Showcase Concert featured musicians from the RBC but was kicked off by the Festival delegates with a performance of the pieces rehearsed in the morning’s massed blow. Thankfully stands and music were found exactly where they were left and a fine performance ensued. After a swift re-casing of instruments and taking of seats in the audience, the concert continued with Broken Bones, a low brass quartet of senior RBC students made up of Ollie Plant, Ed Simons and Katie Blackburn on tenor trombone and Archie McVicar on

SLIDE ACTION. PHOTO CREDIT: MELISSA BROWN.

tuba. Their programme of Sonny Rollins’ St. Thomas, Sommersong by Wilhelm Peterson-Berger, Harold Arlen’s Somewhere over the Rainbow and the fourth movement of Goff Richards Suite for Trombones was well-chosen and was performed with a great sense of freedom and maturity.

The first half of the concert was drawn to a close by the RBC Trombone Choir: Joel Godfrey, Xin Chen. Jordan Kinsey, Jack Spencer, Ollie Plant, Ed Simons, Katie Blackburn, Matt Lockyer, Emily Watson, Adam Saville, Molly Baggott, Nathaniel Lawton, Seth Evarts, Ed Mellors, and Daniel Huggins, with a stylish performance of the Frankie Valli hit I love you baby.

For the second half of the concert the audience reconvened in the Eastside Jazz Club for a set from the RBC Big Band, led by Head of Jazz Jeremy Price, and featuring Mark Nightingale. Mark had worked with the band on a selection of his compositions and arrangements, and the players obviously enjoyed playing and trading solos with one of the greats of the British jazz scene, whetting the appetite for what was to come later in the evening with Rory Ingham’s Trombone Assembly.

Rory Ingham’s Trombone Assembly

Mark Nightingale, Trevor Mires, Daniel Higham, Andy Wood and Rory Ingham: the five trombonists that make up Rory Inghams Trombone Assembly represent the cream of British jazz trombonists and treated a capacity audience to an unforgettable Jazz Night. A true ‘you had to be there’ moment, right down to the false fire alarm. The after party was pretty good too …

Secret Lessons

In a first for the BTS, secret lessons were offered across the weekend. Delegates were able to book in advance a 20-minute lesson with an artist performing at the Festival but without knowing who would teach them. Chris Augustine, Dan West, Katy Jones, Dr. Tony Boorer, Tom Lees, Amos Miller, Huw Evans and Rory Ingham all kindly agreed to take part and the experience was greatly valued by those lucky enough to receive a lesson. Daniel Regan said ‘Chris helped me out with the style and character of the piece of music by playing his trombone alongside me and after moved to the piano and did my accompaniment. It was a very nice and encouraging experience, I thoroughly enjoyed it’.

Ellie Curson agreed, ‘In my secret lesson, I loved getting a new opinion on my current piece. With Rory, I firstly played my full piece through and received stylistic feedback. He was very welcoming and made me feel at ease, even in such a short space of time. I also learnt some fresh ideas about the piece which I hadn’t heard before. I really enjoyed his input, and it definitely improved my next practice and then the performance.’

My British Trombone Festival Experience –Daniel Nixon (aged 12)

The weekend was great! I enjoyed every lesson and session and met some great people. Throughout the weekend I found all of the sessions very informative, like learning what a sackbut was, watching Peter Moore

BROKEN BONES. PHOTO CREDIT: DAVID THORNBER. L-R ANDY WOOD, MARK NIGHTINGALE, RORY INGHAM, DANIEL HIGHAM, TREVOR MIRES. PHOTO CREDIT: HONEY SCHRECKER.

THE RBC BIG BAND. PHOTO CREDIT: DAVID THORNBER.

teach others on their current pieces and having a secret lesson with Dr Tony Boorer.

Everything felt very interactive and was organised very well. The closing concert with Peter Moore’s solo was fabulous. I couldn’t believe how he got through all of those pieces without any sheet music.

Mark Nightingale’s jazz night was amazing (even with that alarm) and I loved the band he played with. The Youth Day workshop with Tom Lees and Jon Stokes was great fun. The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire was a great venue too, it suited the mood of the event very well and was easy to navigate. Overall, it was a great weekend and I will certainly consider going to the next event.

Peter Moore Masterclass – Ben Bouzan

Over the years, as the BTS East Anglia Rep, I’ve run an annual Trombone Day at Oundle School, near Peterborough. The executive committee have always been a huge help to me in organising groups, players and competitions to include in the day, so when they said they were planning the first British Trombone Festival I put myself forward to help in any way I could.

One session I was tasked to assist with was the Ian Bousfield Masterclass. After Ian’s unfortunate withdrawal due to illness, Peter Moore very kindly stepped in to take over Ian’s duties. Having been very fortunate over the years to have been tutored in trombone sections by Ian and attend a few of his Masterclasses, I was very excited by the unexpected opportunity to see Peter in action up close, as I hadn’t seen him in a coaching situation before. The performers, delegates and I were not to be disappointed in the slightest. Four students, Joel Godfrey, Jamie Reid, Brian Choi and James Parkinson presented four very different pieces. The thing that jumped out at me right from the start about Peter was how he kept everything simple, not trying to over explain or use complicated

jargon and techniques that just complicate the issues being addressed. He emphasised air flow and keeping the throat open, so it is used as the passageway that it is meant to be, whether it be for loud or quiet playing, remembering that the trombone is just a length of tubing in our hands that we control the air flow through. Next, posture, not pointing the bell down so the sound is directed at the audience and not the floor, and keeping the body relaxed, especially the upper body so our abdominal muscles and lungs are not restricted when the air is coming in and out. I found myself smiling inwardly all the way through as I heard the words used by myself and many other teachers being repeated by one of the greatest exponents of our instrument. All four students were stunning players: they knew their pieces well, all the right notes in the right place at the right time but Peter managed to pull so much more expressiveness and musicality from them. He asked them what they thought about how they’d played a particular section, how would/could they improve it? He gave advice on how a particular section might sound better articulated in a different way, playing it to show why, explaining the pros and cons. I wish I had been able to take many more notes to share Peter’s philosophy in greater detail but look forward to refreshing my memory when videos of the Festival become available. A huge congratulations to all of our performers and a huge thanks again to Peter for such an enjoyable and informative experience!

Recital by Emily White and Katy Jones –Peter Chester ‘Delightful’, ‘Exquisite’, ‘very moving’ … these were just some of the comments generated by an enthralling recital on the Sunday afternoon by two of the country’s leading players, Katy Jones and Emily White. Here were two friends, in perfect accord, enjoying what they do and between them capable of playing a huge range of styles and repertoire for the trombone and sackbut. With music spanning four centuries packed into an hour or so, this was as much an education in what trombones

DANIEL NIXON RECEIVES A SECRET LESSON FROM DR TONY BOORER.

PHOTO CREDIT DAVID THORNBER.

PHOTO CREDIT: CHRIS SOWERBY.

can do as it was a sublime recital. Their lovely manner, engaging and informing at the same time, was very much part of the BTS mission to communicate and educate, and this recital did just that. Duets opened and closed the recital, with the first being one of the most imaginative, and certainly technically challenging pieces, to have been heard all weekend.

Take composer Peter Cowdrey’s transcription of the song of a wren, develop it (wrens are somewhat garrulous!), and then produce a clever exchange between two trombones that left the audience in awe. Trombones = birdsong? Yes, Wrens worked! In contrast the closing duet, a transcription of the first movement of a Concerto in G Minor for two cellos by Vivaldi, was an excellent example of how music not originally written for the trombone can be nonetheless effective. Emily and Katy made easy work of its intricate passages and produced something which could well have been approved by the composer, had he had access to such skilled players.

In the same vein, two of Katy’s three pieces featured music not originally written for the trombone. A beautiful rendition of the Butterworth song The Loveliest of Trees was partnered with a Minuet and Trio from Brahms’ Cello Sonata. To show off contemporary repertoire, Katy played Urban Variations by Jim Maynard, a three-movement piece inspired by the composer’s travels with the LSO, and reflecting a variety of moods, from dreamy calm to up-tempo jazz.

Very much an education to some members of the audience, Emily introduced us to the pleasures of the sackbut, with four pieces from the early music period and one contemporary piece, of her own composition. As she pointed out, the sackbut is very much a vocal instrument, both in its own right and in blending with voices. Thus, when playing music that has words it was essential that the player understood those words and so could match the phrasing and sentiment of the words as they would be sung. Similar advice often surfaces in other contexts, like jazz, where there’s another similarity, that of improvisation, with scale passages, flourishes, trills, and so on, all ably demonstrated by Emily in the pieces she chose. O Quam tu pulchra by Grandi, Se L’aura Spira by Fescobaldi, Flow my Tears and Fine Knacks for Ladies, both by Dowland, transported us back into the 16th and 17th centuries, although a powerfully emotional contrast came with Emily’s own Spring in An Unreal World. This was a poignant setting of words by her late husband Brian Nesbit, with accompanying sackbut and prepared harpsichord. Emily’s latest CD, A Cry was Heard, has some of these pieces.

All in all, a distinctive and characterful recital by Katy and Emily with the excellent support of Robin Bigwood (Harpsichord and Organ) and Jo Sealey (piano).

Following the formal recital Emily tempted a number

of people to form a sackbut ensemble, to have a go at the wonderful instruments she had enthused about, fine examples of which were provided by the Egger company of Switzerland, one of the major manufacturers present at the Festival. An ad hoc sackbut choir of eight players was established and worked through a Giovanni Gabrieli piece for two quartets, Lieto godea. This was a revelation for those taking part and to work with Emily, putting her ideas on singing and phrasing into practice and transferring all that to the instrument, was most enjoyable. A good time was definitely had by all!

Vorsprung Durch Technik Posaune –David Thornber

It was a pleasure to see my friend and former colleague from Royal Marine Band days, Tony (now Doctor Tony) Boorer, featuring on the programme of the Festival with an intriguingly titled workshop ‘Creative hacking for trombone and interactive electronics’.

Tony has had an illustrious career as trombonist, composer, technologist and educator. Since graduating from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Tony has held the position of Principal Trombone of the KZN Philharmonic Orchestra in Durban, South Africa, worked with the Royal Seville Symphony Orchestra, reached the finals for co-principal trombone of the Bern Symphony Orchestra, as well as freelancing in London and around Europe with many major symphony orchestras and ensembles. Tony recently completed his PhD in composition and electro-acoustic technology at the University of Hull and his workshop showcased some of his research.

There was a sense of theatre on entering The Lab. Tony was surrounded by an array of electronic and multimedia equipment and illuminated by a single spotlight. It reminded me of the anticipation I felt prior to hearing my first live performance of Luciana Berio’s Sequenza V

During his presentation, Tony gave us a whistlestop introduction to some of the doyens of 20th and 21st Century contemporary composers who scored

PHOTO CREDIT: EGGER INSTRUMENTS.

for the trombone, in ensemble and solo works.

Tony cited Stuart Dempster, Brian Eno, Nicolas Collins and Mark Bokowiec as having a particular influence on his compositional and performance style.

Tony started experimenting with electronic music in 2013 but wanted to move away from using backing tracks in favour of a style that made the experience more interactive. Tony was especially active during Covid lockdown, creating a number of creative multi-tracked videos, many influenced by the machinations of UK political life at the time and his own experiences of how lockdown felt for him.

I was particularly impressed by the level of inventiveness that Tony had had to employ to create the sounds and effects that he wanted to bring to his music. With limited resources to hand, Tony talked about the need to adopt a ‘bottom-up’ approach and reverseengineer some of the electronic equipment he was using. Tony shared how he used deductive reasoning to study how previously made devices, systems and pieces of software accomplished their task, and then recreate them in a streamlined and cost-effective way.

Using reverse-engineering, Tony created the ‘eBone System’, an augmentation system for trombone and interactive electronics, incorporating an e-plunger mute and slide, which Tony demonstrated in performance.

I was delighted to hear Tony weave everything he spoke about during the workshop into a performance of three of his own works, utilising the ‘eBone System’, multi-phonics and synthesised techniques. The works were Phases, Discourses of Brexit and Discourse 1 #The Queen. Through his playing, Tony not only showcased

his immaculate sound and technique, but made it crystal clear that he is someone to watch when it comes to pushing the boundaries of what the trombone can achieve.

RAF Trombone Octet

For the penultimate session of the Festival, the RAF Trombone Octet, Sergeants Jonty Hill, Neil Wharton, Hamish Dean, Josh Hayward, Adam Smith and Matthew Edwardson and Air Specialists (Class 1) James Richardson and Maddie Dowdeswell, presented a recital conducted by RAF Principal Director of Music, Wing Commander Piers Morell.

Opening with the dramatic St. Michael the Archangel from Respighi’s Church Windows, arranged by Randall Malmstrom, the ensemble displayed the well-balanced, rich and burnished sound I have come to associate with the RAF trombonists. This was followed by three pieces drawn from the BTS Library, a resource open to all BTS members. Carillon from Bizet’s L’Arlesienne, arranged by Dave Hankin, is an ideal work for trombone ensemble, with bell-like tones ringing even in the relatively dead acoustic of the Eastside Jazz Club. James Ryon’s arrangement of Vejvanovsky’s Offertorium ad duos Choros provided a late Baroque change of pace, and an agility workout for bass trombonists Josh and Adam, before we fast forwarded to Dave Hankin’s lush arrangement of Here’s That Rainy Day. Composed in 2001 for New Trombone Collective, Inner Space by Ruud Van Eeten explores the process of thought via complex repeating rhythmic patterns and it was delivered with a precision and a conviction to provide a thrilling end to a recital showcasing the incredibly high standards of musicianship within the British Armed Forces, and the RAF in particular.

PHOTO CREDIT: DAVID THORNBER.

PHOTO CREDIT: CHRIS SOWERBY.

Gala Concert

Concluding the Festival was Sunday evening’s Gala Concert, featuring Peter Moore as soloist accompanied by the RBC Brass Band, ably conducted by Alan Gifford and Matthew Ludford-King, both students on the RBC’s postgraduate Brass Band conductor’s course. Both band and conductors deserve special praise for coping magnificently with the inevitable last-minute change of repertoire brought about by the late change of featured soloist.

Recognising the 150th anniversary of Ralph Vaughan Williams’ birth, the concert opened with his Flourish for Band, before Peter joined the band on stage to perform Gordon Langford’s Rhapsody in a performance characterized by effortless legato and a sweet tone Don Lusher would surely have approved of.

An extended Suite from Vaughan Williams’ score for the film The 49th Parallel allowed the band to stretch their legs in some glorious sweeping melodies, before Peter returned to play Simon Wood’s arrangement of Blessed Assurance. For me and many others this was the highlight of the concert, a simple Gospel hymn played with total conviction and that sound, perfection.

To finish the concert, Peter chose Arthur Pryor’s Fantastic Polka and treated us a performance that showed a musician in total control of his instrument: the applause following the last note was long and loud.

Amos Miller – Head of Brass at RBC

The Festival weekend was a total joy! Aside from the immediate pleasure of having scores of people on your wavelength in the same building, it was a joy to see several generations of enthusiasts all actually playing together (and sounding pretty darn marvellous!).

From a personal perspective there were too many highlights to mention here, but a brief and painfully selected set of highlights (especially as I didn’t get to see anywhere near everything) follows.

The massed blows: Bob Hughes marshalled the troops beautifully, and the final result was genuinely both lush and moving!

The joint recital of Katy Jones and Emily White: immaculate artistry, concept and presentation all in one supremely articulate and utterly approachable package.

The spectacular jazz bits! Don’t know where to start with this, but, given that I’ve worshipped Mark Nightingale, Andy Wood and Trevor Mires for years, I’ll focus on the people I hadn’t heard live before: Rory Ingham’s effortless fluency and Dan Higham’s utter soul (what a noise he makes!) were so inspiring. Massive chapeau to our own RBC jazz orchestra, under Jeremy Price, for its beautiful contributions too.

Our own RBC ‘bones. Both our low brass quartet Broken Bones and our Trombone Choir sounded fab, and from personal experience (trombone quartet with Ian Bousfield, Dudley Bright and Bob Hughes in 1993 anyone ?!!) I know how scary an audience it is …

Peter Moore. That is all. What a spectacularly beautiful musician, and someone who is so inspiringly able to put that insanely good technique to work always at the service of the music. Not for the first time, his playing made me cry. (In a good way!). We are lucky, both for his consummate artistry and that he’s an amazingly lovely person who was prepared to give up his only day off for months to step into the breach!

PHOTO CREDIT: CHRIS SOWERBY.

A Trombone Feast –BTS Vice President Jon Stokes

What a brilliantly inspiring celebration of all things Trombone! It’s taken me a while to process all that took place at the biggest trombone festival the Society has presented, but it’s clear that the trombone community is still hungry to come together, make music, socialise, and enjoy listening to exciting, innovative trombonists.

A huge thank you has to go to Past President Matthew Gee for putting together such a diverse and varied programme, from sackbuts to electronics, talks on arranging and orchestral playing to outrageous performances from players including Mark Nightingale and Peter Moore, the Festival had at all covered. Amongst this carnival of trombone, it was heartening to see the next generation of trombone players also getting involved. The Youth Day, with all its workshops and activities, was a fabulous event and so a massive round of applause for Becky Pepper and Tom Lees for providing a beautiful environment to help inspire and encourage our fantastic young musicians.

Capping off the first night with a jazz gig like no other was not only musically mind blowing, and it was also a great opportunity to chat and enjoy an evening with friends – what a joyous occasion. Peter Moore’s Gala Concert on the Sunday, with musicians from the

Royal Birmingham Conservative was equally breathtaking. Wow!

Organising such a large event, with multiple moving parts and dealing with laid-back trombonists is no easy feat. Thanks, therefore, must also go to the BTS team making sure everything ran as smoothly as possible behind (and in front of) the scenes. They really are an incredible team. Thanks to the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and all the staff, especially Amos Miller and Jeremy Price, for providing the perfect venue and creating such a friendly, welcoming atmosphere. Thanks to all the sponsors for their support and continued commitment to the cause. It simply wouldn’t be so special without them. Thanks to all the performers and contributors who showed us what the trombone is capable of and reminded us all why we do what we do.

Finally, thanks to everyone who came and got involved. That’s what makes this Society so extraordinary. To be part of such a supportive community of like-minded musicians is truly humbling. The massed blow with maestro Bob Hughes, where a complete beginner can stand next to a seasoned pro, has to be a highlight for me. What a sound. What an experience.

Lots of lessons to learn but for now, I’m off to do some practice. See you at the next one!

THE BTS TEAM. L-R: CHRIS SOWERBY, ALISON KEEP, BEN BOUZAN, JONTY HILL, JON STOKES, TOM LEES, ALASTAIR WARREN, ADRIAN TAYLOR, BECKY PEPPER.

The final word – Matthew Gee

If anyone should ask you to organise a trombone festival, just take a moment to think it through. Here are two basic rules: always double or triple the amount of time you think it will take and make sure you are actually in the country for the festival. Two early failures by me, but my desire to present what was potentially the biggest trombone festival in the UK since the ITF in 2006 was insatiable.

The schedule was a little tricky to put together, but the response, willingness, and excitement from those I had invited to perform was more than enough reward. Fortunately, I was on tour in early October, which gave me many bus journeys to dot the ‘i’s’ and cross the ‘t’s’ –the Polish countryside will forever fill me with feelings of excitement, and frustration at missing out!

The transition of schedules and responsibility to the BTS committee had largely gone well, and the pre-mortem of potential problems had not thrown up too much. Being five hours behind in America meant that I would often wake up to a flurry of emails, which could be swiftly dealt with as long as I was not driving the Septura bus. Two big curve balls at the eleventh hour threatened to de-rail us – Ian Bousfield flying back to Bern two days before the festival because of illness, and Chris Thomas also being bed-bound the day before the festival (I am happy to report that they are now both up and performing again). A few phone calls later and Peter Moore was stepping into the breach – I do not know many players in the world who would have been happy to do this at such short notice, and to perform with such class: Pete, you really are a star! So, disaster averted, and Simon Minshall and I could now sit back and watch it unfold on social media.

‘Was it worth it?’ my wife asked me when I returned home … ‘absolutely’, I said. The trombone world is a special place for its ability to pull together, support each other and celebrate in the success of others. We should cherish these traits and will honour them with another festival in two-year’s time.

After around twelve years in various roles on the BTS committee, I have decided to call it a day. I have a young family and various other projects which I wish to focus on, so I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those people who have both supported and run the BTS during this time. I became a member at the age of seven and it is probably one of the reasons why I now find myself in the music profession. I hope to see many of you at future festivals, but as an attendee, sitting back, enjoying the wonderful playing of others, devoid of the stress and pressure of putting on such an event.

Many more images from the British Trombone Festival 2022 can be viewed here. ◆

TRADE STANDS. FROM TOP: EGGER INSTRUMENTS, MICHAEL RATH, WARWICK MUSIC. PHOTO CREDIT: DAVID THORNBER.

BTS Competitions

OLD BONES – THE INAUGURAL BTS SACKBUT COMPETITION

BY TOM LEES

The BTS tries to be as broad a church as possible, and although the thought of a sackbut competition might have seemed a bit ‘niche’, the idea was to support young players interested in this area of study by giving them something to work towards, as well as a chance to get some professional mentorship. To that end, the competition was supported by the English Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble (ECSE) who offered all entrants access to open rehearsals and a chance to meet each other and play together, with further mentoring and ‘side by side’ sessions for the selected finalists. The competition was also generously sponsored by Egger Instruments from Basel, Switzerland, who offered a £500 voucher towards one of their instruments as first prize and a historical mouthpiece for the runner up. They also provided a magnificent trophy from their workshop and came to the festival with many of their beautifully made historical trombones.

The first round saw recorded entries submitted from students across Europe, and from those, Sam Barber, Pau Hernández Santamaria and Emily Saville were chosen to play in the final. All three competitors demonstrated a very high standard of musicianship and virtuosity, with a studious and considered approach to their programmes. Special mention too to Robin Bigwood of the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire who sympathetically accompanied all of the finalists.  Stand out highlights were the performances of vocal music, authentically appropriated for their instruments and full

of nuance of articulation and tone that characterise what the sackbuts are often required to do. Knowledge and expression of the text are key to these, and Pau’s performance of Dowland’s Flow my Tears was an honest and heartfelt performance that made a real impression and earned him second place. In the end, Emily Saville was awarded first prize; her performance of Orlando di Lasso’s Veni in hortum meum with her own written diminutions (the Renaissance art of taking a popular song and embellishing it by ‘diminishing’ longer notes of the melody with lots of shorter notes) was a perfectly stylish and authentic account that really impressed the judging panel (myself, Adrian France and Conor Hastings from ECSE).

It was an entertaining and informative competition and there was a lot to learn from it. The trombone has a 500-year-old tradition of performing vocal lines and the voice is very much part of its legacy. How often do we ask pupils to make the instrument ‘sing’? Even Frank Sinatra credits Tommy Dorsey with influencing his breathing and singing style! These young sackbut players beautifully demonstrated where it all began …

Click here to learn more about Emily Saville.

L-R: ADRIAN FRANCE, CONOR HASTINGS, TOM LEES, EMILY SAVILLE, PAU HERNÁNDEZ SANTAMARIA, SAM BARBER, PETER BOEKELS (EGGER INSTRUMENTS). PHOTO CREDIT: ALISON KEEP.

BTS TROMBONE QUARTET COMPETITION

BY JAMIE TWEED

Along with my Slide Action colleagues Benny Vernon and Huw Evans, I had the pleasure of judging the BTS Trombone Quartet Competition, sponsored by World of Sound. Competitions are a difficult thing to prepare for, due to not knowing what each juror is looking for, in repertoire choice, playing ideals and such like, and so when our own group has prepared for competitions, we simply strive to represent ourselves and our sound to the best of our ability. As long as we achieve that in our own minds, it has been a success. Both ensembles, 221 Bones and Genesis Trombones, were obviously striving for this and brought varied programmes that showed off the best of their skillsets and both played brilliantly to a small but packed room.

Although there was a good audience on this occasion, often in competitions you can find yourself playing to a panel only. In either scenario, however, performing, not just playing, is absolutely key and this was the theme of the day for all performers. There is an saying I’m sure most of us have heard, that we listen with our eyes as well as our ears, and seeing a group visibly enjoying and engaging with the music is a massive part of the experience for a listener. It is especially tricky when we have frustrating rectangles of plastic in front of us called music stands! My advice to begin with is get the stands (if needed) as low and as out of the way as you can. Make sure there is a clear path from you, your trombone and your bell to the audience. This stops us hiding away and forces us to confront the thought that we may not be as totally comfortable with the music as perhaps we thought we were!

Once we decide we are going to really perform to people, this gets our minds off the dots on the page and into the room. We start to address questions like, how did that really sound, what do we want to do here, and, why are we doing this? We felt that Genesis Trombones could have done with a bit more decision-making, musically. Don’t be afraid to get outside your box, and outside of your comfort zone. Ask yourselves the above questions every single time you pick up the instrument, in the rehearsal room; too many ideas are better than none. Articulation, tuning and blend often happen naturally when we put the sound of music itself at the forefront, rather than meeting technical challenges just because the dots on the page say so. That being said, the technical challenges of their programme were met, but it’s just time to go beyond that now.

In the end this is what gave our winners, 221 Bones, the edge. We really enjoyed the various colours and textures that were achieved throughout a difficult and pretty chop-busting program. As mentioned on the day, their next step is undoubtedly developing the showmanship that any performer needs to engage their audience. It’s not enough to put some talking into the programme (which both groups did, bravo) but hold our attention! I remember looking up on several occasions and you could have been playing the same thing each time, due to how still you were! Silence and composure just before a tender, soft section can draw us in one moment, while a sudden burst of energy and movement as you all get going on a faster energetic passage, can show us what you’re striving for, the next. Congratulations to 221 Bones and thank you to both groups for a very enjoyable and interesting afternoon.

Click here to learn more about 221 Bones.

L-R: JAMES OWEN, MEGGIE MURPHY, FELIX ROCKHILL, SAMUEL DAWES, BENNY VERNON, JAMIE TWEED, HUW EVANS. PHOTO CREDIT: ALISON KEEP.

BOB HUGHES BASS TROMBONE COMPETITION

BY JOSH CIRTINA

In this year’s Bob Hughes Bass Trombone Competition, sponsored by Mercer and Barker, Dan West and I were treated to some wonderful playing from Jan Kruijsse, a recent graduate from the Royal Academy of Music. He gave strong performances of two of Brahms’ Four Serious Songs and Claude Pascal’s Sonate in 6 minutes 30. He impressed us with his rich, sumptuous sound and some lyrical playing in the Brahms. In our round-up afterwards, we gave some general feedback, aimed at both competitors and audience members, on relaxing into a high-pressure performance, enabling us to take our solo playing to the next level. We look forward to watching Jan’s career progress in the coming years!

Click here to learn more about Jan Kruijsse.

BTS INTERCOLLEGIATE TROMBONE CHOIR COMPETITION

BY BOB HUGHES

The four entries to the BTS Intercollegiate Trombone Choir Competition, kindly sponsored by Warwick Music Publishing, treated us to an entertaining and inspiring couple of hours.

To kick off proceedings, the Royal Northern College of Music Trombone Choir, under the baton of Murray Greig, gave a rousing performance of Hex Files by James Kazik. In Helen Vollam’s arrangement of Nine sili nebesaniye by Alexander Scheremetiev, the ensemble demonstrated high levels of balanced and controlled playing. Steven Verhelst’s The River Bells was a lively and spirited finale to the recital.

The Guildhall School of Music and Drama Trombone Choir, conducted by Eric Crees, opened its spot with the extremely challenging Scherzo Funebre by Derek Bourgeois, with solid rhythmic ensemble playing and wide dynamic contrasts. Eric’s arrangement of Gabrieli’s Sonata Pian e Forte with antiphonal trombones made the most of the warm, spacious acoustic of the Bradshaw Hall. Charles Ives’s Putnam’s Camp was captivating. The complex rhythmical nature and wild dissonances were executed with admirable clarity.

All 19 players of the Royal College of Music Trombone Choir presented Chris Sharp’s arrangement of J. S. Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D Minor. This was an impressive performance with excellent blend and ensemble playing; even more impressive with no conductor. Anton Bruckner’s Os Justi displayed fine control and intonation. In complete contrast Pee-Wee Ellis’ The Chicken, arranged by Richard Edwards, gave the opportunity for the RCM Choir to let its hair down with some jazz funk and some entertaining solo spots.

The choir from Trinity Laban, directed by Graham Lee chose a lighter and more relaxed programme featuring Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah, Stevie Wonder’s Isn’t She Lovely and music from The Lion King. It was clear that all players thoroughly enjoyed themselves and their performance was enthusiastic and energetic. There was a fine jazz solo in the Stevie Wonder number by James Wade.

To reach a decision to choose a winner was a close-run thing but my fellow judge, Amos Miller, and I did agree that the Royal College of Music Choir deserved first place due to its polished presentation and performance, a varied programme and all without a conductor. ◆

L-R: JOSH CIRTINA, JAN KRUIJSSE, BOB HUGHES, DAN WEST.

PHOTO CREDIT: ALASTAIR WARREN.

RCM TROMBONE CHOIR. PHOTO CREDIT: CHRIS SOWERBY.

BTS Composers’ Competition 2022

In October the BTS announced the results of its Composers’ Competition 2022. The judging panel, comprised of Mark Nightingale, Dani Howard and Callum Au, awarded First Prize to Alberto Maniaci for his work Game of Oranges. Runners-up prizes were awarded to Chris Noble for Plains Song and Salvatore Sciarratta for Labirinto. Game of Oranges will be published by Bones Apart Publishing

First Prize –Game of Oranges –

Alberto Maniaci

Alberto is a conductor, composer and pianist born in Palermo, Sicily.

He was awarded a First Class honours degree in piano from the ‘V. Bellini’ Conservatorium, Palermo, having also studied composition with Marco Betta and conducting with Piero Bellugi and Ennio Nicotra.

Alberto is much in demand as a conductor and arranger in concert halls, theatres and opera houses across Italy but has a particularly close association with Teatro Massimo in Palermo, conducting operas of the grand tradition alongside productions of new works. Away from Palermo, this year Alberto has conducted Le Nozze di Figaro for the Pirandello Theatre of Agrigento and a tribute concert to Charlie Chaplin as part of the Ritratti Festival in Monopoli. Alberto’s compositions are published by Edizioni Musicali Wicky, Kelidon Edizioni and U07 Edizioni.

projects involving artists such as dance company Ffin Dance and metalwork sculptor Gill Brent. Graduating with a PhD (Sheffield University) in 2009, Chris lists a number of diverse influences upon his work including jazz pianists Herbie Hancock and Bill Evans, alongside contemporary composers such as Marc-Anthony Turnage and Richard Rodney Bennett. Compositionally, he is primarily interested in integrating jazz harmonies into a more contemporary ‘classical’ context.

Runner-Up –Labirinto

–

Salvatore Sciarratta

Winner of the BTS Composers’ Competition 2021, Salvatore is an Italian trombonist, euphonium player and composer. In 2018 he obtained a BA degree from the “Alessandro Scarlatti” Conservatory, Palermo, studying trombone with Giuseppe Bonanno, and euphonium with Francesco Tolentino. He is furthering his trombone studies with Roberto Basile and composition with Alberto Maniaci.

Runner-Up –Plains Song

Chris Noble

–

Chris is a contemporary composer and jazz arranger based in Sheffield, England. He has written pieces for performance by such varied artists as Ensemble 360, contemporary pianist Phil Thomas and percussion duo Passepartout, and has collaborated across the arts with

In the summer of 2021 Salvatore was commissioned by ISSM ‘A. Toscanini’ Ribera, to compose Prologo –Tempio di Hera for orchestra, the first movement of Suite dei Templi. In December 2021 he played with the Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra at the Beirut Chants Festival, in collaboration with the American and Italian Embassies, at the Assembly Hall of the American University of Beirut in Lebanon.

Full biographies of this years’ prize-winners can be found on the BTS website. ◆

Listening Lounge

In this edition of The Listening Lounge, we feature artists who performed at the British Trombone Festival 2022: trombone and sackbut player extraordinaire Emily White, jazz trombonist Rory Ingham and his Trombone Assembly, Dr. Tony Boorer with his augmented trombone and the peerless Peter Moore. Nominations of tracks or albums to include in The Listening Lounge can be made by emailing editor@britishtrombonesociety.org.

JOHN KENNY – SECRET HOUSE FOR FEMALE TROMBONIST

is John Kenny’s fifth sonata for solo trombone. Much of the contemporary repertoire for trombone uses multi-phonics in a range that is too low for most women's voices, so Kenny conscientiously created a work to exploit the very highest regions of the female Secret House is dedicated to Emily White, who premiered the work in 2000: this recording encapsulates her captivating presence as a performer.

DISCOURSES OF BREXIT – TONY BOORER

This complete performance by Dr Tony Boorer of his Discourses of Brexit showcases the possibilities of his eBone system to augment and extend the capabilities of the trombone, allowing the performer to create an interactive multi-layered sound world beyond the usual ability of a single player. To find out more about trombone hacking read Dr. Boorer’s article in the Summer 2022 edition of The Trombonist.

TP TIME – CLARK TERRY

Rory Ingham’s Trombone Assembly tore up the Eastside Jazz Club on the Saturday night of the British Trombone Festival. This Club features the same line up of Andy Wood, Mark Nightingale, Rory Ingham, Daniel Higham and Trevor Mires performing Nightingale’s arrangement of Clark Terry’s

DANI HOWARD AND PETER MOORE IN CONVERSATION

In this creation of Howard’s insight into the process of bringing a new work to life from both the composer’s and soloist’s perspective, and a chance to marvel at Moore’s effortless technique in close up.

From the Stage to the Pit …

As 2022 draws to a close we have seen a year of pretty epic proportions as orchestras resumed their schedules. Concerts on a colossal scale such as the LPO’s Gurrelieder and RPO’s Mahler 8 were particular highlights, almost unimaginable just 12 months earlier. Moving into the Spring 2023 seasons doesn’t see so many gigantic works, although there is some more interesting programming going on across the country, highlights of which I’ve tried to feature below.*

BY JOSH CIRTINA // PRINCIPAL BASS TROMBONE IN THE ROYAL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

SYMPHONIC HIGHLIGHTS

MAHLER’S 5TH SYMPHONY

– BBC SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

7.30pm, Friday, 20 January Barbican Centre, London Tragedy, triumph, and a whole life lived in between: Ryan Wigglesworth conducts a work that needs no introduction – Mahler’s 5th Symphony, as well as his own song-cycle Till Dawning sung by the inimitable Sophie Bevan.

ALPINE SYMPHONY – ROYAL LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

7.30pm, Thursday, 2 February Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool Not only conducting but also featuring as soloist, Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider leads the RLPO through Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1 and Strauss’ Alpine Symphony – a programme that might at first seem an odd pairing but listen to some of the thematic material in the Bruch and one may notice where Strauss got some of his ideas from for the following work.

JOURNEYS OF DISCOVERY: ECSTASY – ROYAL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

7.30pm, Wednesday, 8 February Royal Festival Hall, London Vasily Petrenko and the RPO presents an absolute barnstormer of a programme. Excerpts from Prokofiev’s infamous ballet Romeo and Juliet, Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G (soloist Javier Perianes) and Wagner’s simply stunning Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan and Isolde are the rather sumptuous build up to Scriabin’s Poem of

Ecstasy. This is a magical work, effervescent and transcendent throughout (with large numbers of brass to boost).

HEARING PLACES –BBC NATIONAL ORCHESTRA OF WALES 7.30pm, Friday, 17 February BBC Hoddinott Hall, Cardiff Pianist Freddy Kempf joins conductor Matthew Coorey and the BBC NOW as they perform works by Steve Reich, Gershwin and the world premiere of Hearing Places by renowned British composer Colin Riley. Preceding the premiere is Gershwin’s rich Rhapsody No. 2 and Steve Reich’s City Life This rarely performed (in the UK at least) work combines live instruments with digital samplers loaded with sounds such as car horns, door slams, air brakes and other city noises alongside bits of recorded speech (with a rather dark background…) – it’s super cool.

FRENCH FANCIES – BBC PHILHARMONIC 7.30pm, Saturday, 25 February Bridgewater Hall, Manchester Ludovic Morlot conducts the BBC Philharmonic with a buffet of modernist French fancies to excite and delight, joined by soprano Elizabeth Atherton as they paint pictures of France through the decades. The programme includes Dutilleux’s Le Temps l’Horloge, Dukas’ infamous Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Honneger’s unstoppable Pacific 231, Birtwistle’s seminal The Triumph of Time and concludes with the most famous of musical climaxes –Ravel’s Bolero. ◆

CD REVIEWCD

I Always Thought My Thoughts Were Me

BY DAVE SEAR

BY MARTIN GLADDISH

Is there a genre that’s seen as much improvement in technical facility over the last 100 years or so as jazz trombone? We’ve come a long way from the days of Kid Ory tailgating in support of his more fluent front-line partners. But this progress has not been linear, and the relative scarcity of albums by contemporary trombonists means it’s not all that well documented. Which is a longwinded way of explaining why I jumped at the chance when The Trombonist called, asking for a review of that rarest of beasts – a new trombonist-led jazz album.

Since much of this progress has been made in the last 30 years or so, I can’t be alone in wondering what some of our older recordings might have sounded like if they could have called on trombonists as agile as the rest of the front line. In this album, I think we have the answer. Dave Sear has put together an unapologetic tribute to the iconic ‘60s Blue Note recordings. Whilst the album is made up of overwhelmingly original tunes, any of them would be equally at home on a Curtis Fuller album (if you put to one side the unfortunate truth that Fuller, arguably the eminent hard bop trombonist of the time, would have struggled badly to play most of them). A trumpet/trombone front line of Sear and Percy Persglove charge their way through a series of up-tempo unison hard bop originals, supported ably by a rhythm section of Elliot Sansom on Piano, James Owston on double bass and nominative determinism’s Jim Bashford on drums.

Yet, despite Sear’s evident instrumental prowess, this is no empty chop stunt-fest. The challenging rapid and intervallic unison lines would not raise an eyebrow in a trumpet/sax front-line and its refreshing to hear them on trombone. And whilst the tunes may be very much of a time, the band’s soloing is not. Sansom’s solo on

the opening track (the obligatory head arrangement of rhythm changes) may start out verging on the wrong side of twee but he finds his feet and quickly ends up somewhere more interesting. Later, on Inner Urge, the album’s only non-original tune, Dave wends his way around the tricky changes in ways that no trombonist from the ‘60s ever could.

To pine for more harmonic or rhythmic interest or complexity is to miss the point of this album entirely. It’s a straight-ahead hard bop album, featuring excellent contemporary playing all round, and a welcome addition to the jazz trombone canon. Heartily recommended.

Click here to watch a performance of Visual Balance from I Always Thought My Thoughts Were Me or click here to buy the album. ◆

CD REVIEW

Isobel Daws

BY ISOBEL DAWS

BY ALASTAIR WARREN

Isobel Daws’ eponymously titled debut album was released in September and showcases repertoire chosen by Daws ‘that I either enjoy playing or listening to’.

The opening track, Apon’s Dream of Fire, is a short waltz-like movement. Something of a modern take on an Arthur Pryor solo, the considerable technical demands are despatched with ease. More demanding still is Lynn’s Doolallynastics but Daws displays an impressive ability to sustain interest and a sense of musical progression across a lengthy unaccompanied work that could so easily become little more than a technical exercise.

A trombonist himself, Elgar would surely have approved of his Romance for bassoon being adapted to the trombone, particularly when played with such expressive sensitivity: another borrowing, Schumann’s Adagio and Allegro, originally for horn but arranged here for trombone by Thomas Pilsbury, works equally as well.

Jongen’s Aria et Polonaise is something of a rarity but Daws endows the long legato lines of the Aria with an effortless singing quality, a quality further demonstrated in the Poulenc chanson Les Chemins de l’amour. Here subtle use of portamenti and glissandi help to achieve an ideal ‘vocal’ performance and is one of the highlights of what is a truly impressive and musically mature recording.

For the final track, Ponce’s Estrellita, Daws is joined by her colleagues from BONE-AFIDE in a performance which perfectly captures the relaxed mood of a warm Mexican evening.

The centrepiece of the album is a major new three movement work, Vistas, by Jim Maynard. About Vistas Daws writes, ‘I commissioned a solo work from Jim Maynard after playing his piece written for Peter Moore, Urban Variations, which I thought was beautifully written with amazingly complex and pleasant harmonies. After receiving a few drafts of Vistas, I knew it was going to be a great piece – not only to play but to listen to. It has its difficulties, but it is so well written for the trombone that the problems are easily overcome. As Jim understands the trombone, his writing just

completely makes sense on the slide! I particularly want to create new works for the trombone that can become part of the ‘core’ repertoire. I hope and believe Vistas can be just this. It is substantial in length and has the right challenges to be a piece really worth working on. A big thanks goes to Jim for writing such a beautiful work that I have had the pleasure of playing and recording!’

Taking as a starting point the dictionary definition of ‘Vista’, a long narrow view, as between rows of trees or buildings, Passage describes the composer’s view of the world from his back garden (long, narrow and flanked by tall trees) during his many months at home during 2020 and 2021. Intermezzo - Elegy to the Stars is a meditation on the stars we can no longer see due to light pollution and Skein refers to a flock of geese flying in formation like an aerobatic display team.

Maynard’s compositional style and harmonic language, adventurous but accessible, clearly continues in the lineage of the great European trombone literature of the 20th century but with a wit and emotion very much the composer’s own. On the basis of this recording, I have no doubt Vistas will quickly become a mainstay of the repertoire.

Isobel Daws by Isobel Daws is available from World of Brass and Vistas is available from Jim Maynard’s website. ◆

Dave Sear INTERVIEW

BY PETER THORNTON

Born in Luton, Dave started playing the trombone aged 8. He gained a place at the prestigious Royal Birmingham Conservatoire (RBC) in 2012 and graduated with a First Class Degree (BMus Hons) in July 2016. In January 2021 Dave became an official artist for B.A.C trombones and in 2022 he joined the faculty at RBC teaching jazz trombone.

PETER THORNTON: Tell me about your journey up until now.

DAVE SEAR: I grew up in Luton for 18 years. It had an amazing music service when I was there – which my mum worked for – so I was really lucky. I don’t know why I picked the trombone in junior school but I enjoyed it and did all of the usual youth music things growing up like big band, orchestra, wind band, brass band, and so on. At sixth-form age I thought I wanted to take music seriously and so I applied for both University and Conservatoire. I did a classical audition to the RBC but Dave Purser (then Head of Brass) thought that I was maybe better suited for the jazz course. I’d listened to loads of New Orleans brass band stuff and some Trombone Shorty so I thought, ‘I don’t really know what’s going on, but ok!’ so I auditioned again for the jazz course and then, in 2012, moved to Birmingham to study jazz. It was amazing, conservatoire life in general – being surrounded by music and musicians all day, every day. I’ve been living in Birmingham for 10 years now and I’m extremely grateful that I get to do this as a job! I’ve worked hard and done a lot of practice but I get to make music with my friends and meet amazing, different musicians.

PT: It’s really nice that you’re still finding it refreshing. I’m aware that many musicians enter into the industry after conservatoire already feeling very negative.

DS: Conservatoire life isn’t for everyone. I embraced it and had a great time but you do see people coming out of lessons in tears – that’s rough. I was dealt pretty good cards because I was the only jazz trombonist in my year – if they needed a trombone for anything I was always

PHOTO CREDIT: CHRIS NEOPHYTOU.

picked and I was always on 1st in the big band. And now I get to teach jazz trombone at the RBC which is nuts, and a bit overwhelming – it’s still sinking in. I’m loving it, it’s so rewarding! You have those moments where you can see it’s just clicked in someone’s head and you know that you helped them.

PT: What happened next in your story, after graduating?

DS: Pretty much freelancing. There’s a band that I play in regularly which is kind of the meat and potatoes of what I do, called Heavy Beat Brass Band. We formed in 2016, the year we graduated, and we’re still going, however many years that is now – 6 or 7 years. I love doing all that stuff – playing all those traditional tunes – because we just get to improvise the whole time! We’ll make up different backings, people

take different melodies, different members bring in different arrangements of things – it keeps it really fresh and it’s really exciting then.

PT: Why did you decide to make a solo album? Was it a long time in the coming?

DS: I kinda wanted to do an album for years but never felt ready or never was in the right place to do it. For the last 10 years jazz has been my life. It’s been a massive friend in a way. I can always rely on jazz to help me through whatever I’m going through. A couple of times I wrote a few tunes and thought, ‘Yes, this is it! Let’s get a band together and rehearse.’ But then it ended up in the drafts folder. And then over Covid I had a lot of time to think and overthink, which is a massive personality trait of mine. I’ve got quite bad OCD and I overthink loads all the time. I’d gone back to trying to write some traditional swing-inspired tunes and I found that I was into what I was writing, and then I got the bug and got excited. I had some musicians in mind and then, last summer, I got everyone in the same room at the same time. Everyone sounds amazing and I’m so grateful that I got those musicians on board – especially seeing as Percy Pursglove, (trumpet) was in Germany half the time. There was also James Owston (bass), Jim Bashford (drums) and Elliot Sansom (piano). They were all up for it and all put so much time and effort in practising and just respecting the music that I wrote.

For the last 5 or 6 years I’ve been trying to find my own voice on the trombone. When I was at conservatoire I just wanted to sound like Elliot Mason, and I gave it a good shot! But now when someone says, ‘that sounds so Dave Sear,’ that really makes me happy.

PT: Could you tell me about the pieces on the album?

DS: A couple of tunes are completely original, but two are standards: one is a rhythm changes and the other is – I wrote a melody over that because I really love those chords. And then I did two arrangements, by Dave Brubeck and by Joe Henderson. I wanted to tie it all together so have all the traditional swing that I love, but with contemporary elements, which I also love, with unison lines for Percy and me, which are a contemporary sound, but over traditional chords. I’ve tried to write groove-based music in the past with electric bass and such like but I just wanted to write some swing! And I tried to make the album cover look quite 50s, like Blue Note kind of vibe. We recorded at Sansom studios in Birmingham and Olly (engineer) is actually Elliot’s (piano) brother, so it was a no brainer really. It’s a really nice studio and it’s just a nice family vibe. I had a couple of mixing sessions after with Olly but when he sent me the 1st mixes back I had hardly anything to say, it sounded good.

I had a zoom interview with Martin Hummel at Ubuntu Music and said he’d be up for releasing it on his label. He’s a really nice guy and was super helpful – the amount of emails I sent him, saying, ‘You’ve asked me to do but I don’t know what is …’ He was really lovely. And he loves the album too, which means a lot.

PT: It sounds like the whole experience was a bit of a learning curve! Is there anything you’d do differently next time?

DS: I underestimated the budget massively and just didn’t apply for enough funding. A lot of it ended up coming out of my own pocket but I wanted to do it properly. It was my first time doing something like this and I asked a lot of friends for advice. It didn’t cross my mind but getting a publicist was extremely useful, she’s been able to get me radio plays and reviews and stuff. She has relationships with these places so it’s much better than me getting in touch myself and having my album sit at the bottom of a pile.

In general everthing’s gone smoothly, especially the writing and recording. I’m very self-critical about my own playing but, with the calibre of musicians I had and the positive energy in the studio, I’m pleased.

PT: In the sleeve notes you talk a bit about your OCD and Anxiety. Is there a specific message you’re trying to get across to listeners through the album?

DS: A lot of people, especially in the music industry, struggle with mental illness. Especially if you freelance, it can be pretty stressful, and Covid was a tough time for everyone. I wanted to start a conversation that it’s ok not to be ok. And that’s where the title comes from, I realised that I’ve had Anxiety my entire life but never knew, as I thought that’s how everyone felt. In the music industry there can definitely be some bad vibes but we all just need to be there to support each other. I also wanted to show my respect for jazz and I’m pleased with how I worded it in the sleeve, ‘Jazz has been an everlasting friend and of continual support which I’m thoroughly grateful for’. Jazz has been there for me when I’ve had some tough times and jazz has been there for me when I’ve had some great times. We should all just be friends and be happy! I have this saying, ‘Don’t down on peoples’ ups.’ Just embrace what makes you happy.

PT: What’s next in store for you?

DS: I’m arranging loads of music for big band, which I hope to perform and record. There’s a band I absolutely adore called Max Ox, and they use these crazy synth sounds that I’m really into and I thought it would it would be great for big band! We’ll see how it sounds but I’m excited by that. ◆

MUSICIANS' HEALTH

More than a pain in the neck …

DR ALAN WATSON

I spend much of my time teaching anatomy to medical students but a chance encounter 20 years ago with an article about the physical problems suffered by musicians changed how I think about the causes of pain. It made me realise that it was not enough to consider the conditions affecting muscles, joints and nerves purely from an abstract medical point of view. Instead, the key to both identifying the origins of these problems and treating them effectively in musicians, is to view them in the context of the postures and movements that are used to play each instrument. However even this is not enough, as the risk of injury depends on not just on the instrument, but the distinctive way each player performs on it, their particular body structure, and even their state of mind.

Not long after I became interested in musicians’ injuries, I was fortunate to meet Kevin Price who had just moved to the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD) after many years as Principal Trombone at the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic. Our discussions gave me an insight into both the rewards and challenges of the life of a professional musician. In this article I am going to discuss one source of neck and arm pain in trombonists. For a broader view that includes the role of psychological factors, and the struggles musicians may face in finding effective help, I refer you to an article Kevin and I wrote together.1

While watching the brass finals of the BBC Young Musician competition some years ago, I was struck by one teenage player who though a wonderful musician, was holding his left shoulder very high. I was surprised that this issue, which could cause real problems in the future, had not been corrected in such an advanced student. This posture will be familiar to many of you (Figure 1) and is often also associated with the left shoulder being drawn forward. It creates tension in the

FIGURE 1. Problems with trombone posture. The effort of supporting the instrument with the left arm may, over time, lead to a raising of the left shoulder (straight arrow) to compensate for tired muscles. The left shoulder may also rotate forward (curved arrow) as the large muscles on the front of the chest enlarge but shorten, with use. The right shoulder and arm generally remain lower and more relaxed as they need to remain mobile to control the slide.

neck and may lead to pain in the muscles of the midback that draw the shoulder blade back into its resting position. Pain may also run into the arm. While the origin of the pain in the neck and back may seem obvious from the tension that underlies the posture, the reason that it often spreads into the arm may be less so.

The bundle of nerves that control the muscles of the arm and hand and supply it with sensation, emerge from the spinal cord between the neck vertebrae (Figure 2). They then pass between a set of muscles (the Scalenes) that tilt the neck to the side but also contribute to inhalation by drawing the ribs upwards. If these muscles are tight, they can squeeze the nerve bundle causing pain that spreads into the arm. The nerves then pass under the collarbone where they can also be compressed, particularly in players with narrow sloping shoulders because the space between the collarbone and the ribs, is very narrow. The left arm supports the weight of the instrument of course and though with good posture, this can be managed without problems,

excessive and unnecessary tension is likely to result in pain and fatigue. Furthermore, allowing the gooseneck to sag onto the upper line of shoulder as a result, may also contribute to the pressure on the nerves. Some branches of the nerves in the neck run upwards to the head so in some cases, pain can spread to the cheek. Both tension and the perception of pain may be exacerbated by stress so it is important to consider psychological as well as physical factors.

When the muscles in the neck are active over long periods, they become stronger (and thicker), but this is often linked to shortening. They may never fully relax so that even during everyday activities or when propping up the bar, there is a tendency for the left shoulder to remain elevated in the playing position: a sure sign of a trombonist or a violinist! It is bad enough to adopt an awkward posture during playing but much worse to maintain it throughout the entire day!

So, what can be done about this? Working on a number of fronts is the best approach:

1) The first, of course, is to improve posture during playing, both in yourselves and in your pupils, keeping the left shoulder low and relaxed. It is easy not to be aware of this in ourselves as we get used to the posture we habitually use, so checking in the practice room mirror and consciously exploring feelings of muscle tension is important.

2) Take adequate rest during practice sessions is a good start in avoiding excessive fatigue which may lead to a compensatory elevation of the shoulder. When not playing, put the instrument down and consciously relax the muscles in the neck and shoulder before picking it up while remembering to adopt a good posture that is as relaxed as is possible. It is not total practise time that is important, but the time spent in ‘deliberate’ goaldirected practise.

3) For a young player grappling with a full-sized instrument, an ergonomic aid such as the Ergobone, can help support its weight as their body matures and they gradually become strong enough to hold it easily. It is also something for adult players to consider if they are recovering from arm or shoulder injuries or excessive fatigue.

4) Make sure to end each practice session with some gentle stretches aimed at allowing the muscles to relax and return to their full length. If you look in the practise room mirror before you leave, your two shoulders should be at the same hight and your back and neck should be straight and erect but relaxed. However, don’t ruin this by slinging the strap of a heavy case over your shoulder as you walk through the door!

FIGURE 2. The nerves running into the arm (purple and blue) emerge from the spinal cord and between the vertebrae of the neck. They then pass between two of the scalene muscles before running under the collarbone and into the arm.

5) Shoulder stability is important for pain-free posture and this particularly means keeping the muscles which attach the shoulder blade to the spine in good condition, to prevent it rotating forwards. Gentle exercising with elasticated Therabands (a.k.a. Dynabands) will help. For example, attach one end of the band to a fixed point in front of you, such as a door handle, and take the ends of the bands in your hands. Gently draw the arms and shoulders backward against this resistance. Videos and pdfs of some useful exercises can be found on websites dealing with Thoracic Outlet Syndrome such as [P]REHAB.

6) If your shoulders are narrow and your collarbone tends to slope downwards from the top of the sternum to your shoulders, exercises to improve the condition of the muscles that raise the shoulders in a shrug may be useful. This helps to increase the space under the collarbone making it less likely that the nerves passing beneath will be compressed. Gentle swimming can be both a useful and enjoyable means of doing this, as well as having benefits for breathing.

Finally, always remember that if you are having difficulties in finding effective treatment for any playingrelated problem that BAPAM (the British Association for Performing Arts Medicine) is there to support you by providing access to clinicians who are experienced in treating musicians.

Dr Alan Watson is a senior lecturer in Anatomy at the University of Cardiff and collaborates with the RWCMD on research projects on respiration in wind players and singers, and instrumental ergonomics. ◆

1 Price K, Watson AHD. 2011. Postural problems of the left shoulder in an orchestral trombonist. Work 40(3):317–324.

What’s on

By Alastair Warren

BEYOND THE BELL TROMBONE QUARTET

1.00pm, Friday, 6 January Regent Hall, London

ENGLISH CORNETT AND SACKBUT

ENSEMBLE

7.30pm, Saturday 14th January St Andrew’s and St George’s West Church, Edinburgh 7.30pm, Saturday, 28 January Collegiate Church of St Mary, Warwick 7.30pm Saturday, 4th February Malvern Theatres, Worcestershire 7.30pm, Saturday, 18th March Stoller Hall, Manchester 7.30pm, Saturday 22nd April Cathedral of St John the Baptist, Norwich

MARK NIGHTINGALE

7.30pm, Saturday, 18 March Pinner Parish Church

THE CALLUM AU ORCHESTRA

Live debut of Songs and Stories, the Parliamentary Jazz Awards ‘Album of the Year’ from Claire Martin and Callum Au 7.30pm, Friday, 20 January Cadogan Hall, London

BONES APART

7.30pm, Tuesday, 17 January Skipton Town Hall, Skipton 11.30am, Sunday, 22 January Rook Lane Chapel, Frome Saturday, 11 March

1.00pm Audience Workshop 2.00pm Family Concert Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford on Avon

CSD BRASS

Featuring Dan Jenkins’ Walthamstow Fanfare 3.00pm, Sunday, 2 April St Luke’s Church, Cambridge

JOSEPHINE DAVIES / MARK BASSEY

'BLUE NOTE' SEXTET 5.30pm, Friday, 27 January St Andrew’s Church, Hove

MID NORFOLK SINGERS

Bruckner: Music for Choir and Trombones 7.30pm, 15 April St Peter Mancroft, Norwich

ONYX BRASS

1.00pm, Thursday, 9 February Imperial College, London 1.00pm, Friday, 17 February Bath Festival, Bath 4.00pm, Thursday, 23 March 30th anniversary concert Royal Academy of Music, London

RNCM BRASS BAND FESTIVAL 2023

Featuring Isobel Daws as soloist with the Brighouse and Rastrick Band Friday, 27 – Sunday, 29 January Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester

CENTRAL BAND OF THE ROYAL AIR FORCE TROMBONE ENSEMBLE TBC March St Clement Danes, London

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Yorkshire Trombone Day

BY PETER CHESTER

It may have been foggy and damp outside but there was a warm welcome for trombone players turning up at the very impressive headquarters of Skelmanthorpe Band on Sunday, 13 November, for what was to be a most enjoyable afternoon in the company of Brett Baker and his colleagues from the Black Dyke Band trombone ensemble.

Varied ages and backgrounds were found among the players, with local youth bands and orchestras represented, alongside experienced band players, and BTS members, all there to play, listen, learn and enjoy, as is usually the case when a group of trombone players get together.

Certainly, playing together was an intentionally prominent part of the programme. From the start, under Brett’s baton, all players worked together on a March, the Spirit of Praise, as well as two contrasting pieces, Stingray and the bossa nova piece, Wave.

Beyond that, however, the players divided into two groups, one intermediate, the other more experienced, and, guided by different members of the Black Dyke team, worked on other pieces. The intermediates worked on a March called Down Under which, when it came to performance, without a conductor, it might be added, was judged to be excellent, just about the best intermediate group heard for some time. The more experienced players had fun working their way through an arrangement of the theme from Peter Gunn and a somewhat laidback jazzy piece called Light Walk. Some tricky top register riffs alongside deftly gentle sounds from the bass trombone players were just some of the highlights there.

It was, as ever, a pleasure to listen to Brett Baker and his colleagues. Brett and Adam Reed, on bass trombone, gave us a masterly performance of Michael Davis’ Trombone Institute of Technology and Devil’s Waltz by Steven Verhelst. They were joined by Adam Warburton (newly-appointed Black Dyke co-principal), Dan Eddison (Young Person’s Rep at BTS) and longtime Band stalwarts Garry Reed and Adrian Hirst for

a sextet recital, a superb demonstration of the power and flexibility of a trombone group. We had an opening March, Praise, then a beautifully smooth rendition of Autumn Leaves from Dan. Catchy arrangements of Tico-Tico and Piazzolla’s Libertango, a solo from Brett, D.L Blues written by Don Lusher, followed, before a colourful selection of themes from James Bond films completed their recital.

Always ready to share their expertise, the team led a very informative Q&A session as well. This covered a number of things, notably tips on breathing exercises, the value of practise mutes to strengthen breathing and stamina in general, and the importance of supportive teamwork in a band section, ‘to get through the tricky bits’. This followed on from a useful section on Trombone maintenance by Tim, from Rath Trombones, which had generously supported this event.

Martin Heartfield, the musical director of Skelmanthorpe band had good reason to be well pleased with the outcome of the day and may well already be planning for 2023. Certainly, a good day was had by all.◆