Paul Hindmarsh, the Artistic Director of the RNCM Festival of Brass has announced the first details of what is likely to prove an engrossing 2013 event.

Century

The Festival will celebrate a century of original brass band music since Percy Fletcher’s ‘Labour and Love’ was first used as a test piece at Crystal Palace in 1913.

Some of the finest, most adventurous music composed for the medium since that date by the likes of John Ireland, Herbert Howells, Wilfred Heaton, Robert Simpson, Robin Holloway, John McCabe, Michael Tippett, Peter Graham and Philip Wilby will be showcased.

Britten, Lloyd and Gabrieli

With 2013 marking the centenary of composers Benjamin Britten and George Lloyd, their contrasting musical journeys are also to be celebrated as is the 400th anniversary of the death of the great Venetian composer Giovanni Gabrieli.

World premieres

Paul told 4BR: "There are no fewer than 12 world premières, including a specially commissioned ‘Diversions after Benjamin Britten’.

Commissioned by the Brass Band Heritage Trust and funded by a grant from the PRS for Music Foundation, it is a collective work in which four of the most original 'voices' writing for brass band have been invited to compose their personal response to the music and character of arguably England's finest composer of the 20th century.”

There are no fewer than 12 world premieres, including a specially commissioned ‘Diversions after Benjamin Britten'Paul Hindmarsh

Exciting quartet of composers

Paul revealed that the quartet are British Composer Award winner Lucy Pankhurst, European Brass Band Composers' Competition winner Paul McGhee, the 2010 Scottish Open Championship composer Simon Dobson and Gavin Higgins, whose commission for the National Youth Wind Orchestra of Great Britain was one of the critical successes of this year’s BBC Proms season.

The first performance of ‘Diversions after Benjamin Britten’ will be given by All England International Masters Champions, Tredegar.

Tredegar delight

MD Ian Porthouse told 4BR: "I'm absolutely delighted that Tredegar will give the première of Diversions. These four British composers are in my view the brightest stars currently writing for brass band.

Their differing styles will undoubtedly bring an interesting and challenging new major work to the repertoire."

Further details of the 2013 Festival will be revealed at the end of the month.