Dr Robert Childs will lead Oslo Brass at the Norwegian National Championships in Bergen next year.

Spokesperson and euphonium player Henrik Dalhaug told 4BR that the band is thrilled that they are able to team up with the former Cory MD.

"We are over the moon, and very excited. We feel very privileged that we will be able to work with Dr Childs for such an important contest."

International travel

The appointment will be another international date on the conductor’s increasingly busy freelance diary, following recent trips to Australia to conduct the RASWA Band in Perth, the award of a prestigious guest professorship at the Senzuku Gakuen College of Music in Japan and his forthcoming role in leading the new National Youth Brass Band of Germany.

"I delighted to be able to work with Oslo and to conduct once more at the Norwegian National Championships," Bob told 4BR.

"They are an ambitious, well led band that has made great strides in recent years, coming third at the Nationals last year. I hope I will be able to carry on that exciting musical development."

Grateful

According to Henrik Dalhaug, the band is very grateful to MD Frode Amundsen who has been instrumental in developing Oslo into a leading top flight contender, with the band now engaging ‘project conductors’ for future contests.

"Frode has been an amazing conductor and has taken us to a new level," he said. "We are very grateful to him for all his work, especially with his busy schedule as the tuba player of the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra.

In future we will be using different conductors for individual projects such as the National Championships, and we couldn’t think of a better person to work with in 2014 than Dr Childs."

We are over the moon, and very excited. We feel very privileged that we will be able to work with Dr Childs for such an important contestOslo Brass

Concert and contest visits

Bob will be visiting Oslo later this year both to start work on preparations for the National Championship and to play in some concerts with his son David.

"That’s an added bonus," he said. "David and Henrik were students together and I was his euphonium tutor at the RNCM in Manchester, so it will be great to renew old friendships once more."