As initially revealed by 4BR, it has now been confirmed that due to major refurbishment to its Concert Hall, the Royal Northern College of Music ‘Festival of Brass’ will be moving for one year only to Manchester's Bridgewater Hall.

Single day

The Festival will be shortened to a single day of concerts, presentations and seminars on Sunday 26th January.

Broad appeal

Artistic Director Paul Hindmarsh told 4BR: "It's been quite a challenge to create programmes that will remain true to the Festival's artistic ambitions, while also broadening the appeal to attract a wider audience."

He added: "But being in such a wonderful space has presented me with the chance to look back to a century of the great classics of the brass band repertoire.

We have engaged four of the country's finest bands, who will perform alongside the RNCM's own performing groups and superb soloists.

I am particularly thrilled that Howard Snell will be returning to conduct Foden's and that all the bands, Black Dyke, Brighouse & Rastrick, RNCM and Fairey have agreed to programme works with which they or their conductors have a particular connection."

It's been quite a challenge to create programmes that will remain true to the Festival's artistic ambitions, while also broadening the appeal to attract a wider audiencePaul Hindmarsh

Star soloists

The Festival's guest soloists will include cornet virtuoso Roger Webster, who is set to perform Ernest Tomlinson’s fearsome ‘Cornet Concerto’ with Fairey, whilst David Thornton will provide the British premiere of the euphonium concerto ‘Kjeden’, by Paul McGhee, with the RNCM Brass Band under Russell Gray.

The evening's gala concert will include an appearance by David Childs and remaining items will be drawn from a century of creativity, including works by Edward Elgar, Eric Ball, Percy Fletcher, Elgar Howarth, John McCabe and Philip Sparke.

Question Time

In addition there will be the opportunity to hear Howard Snell in conversion, the RNCM Junior Brass Band, and special ‘Question Time’ panel discussion hosted by 4Barsrest.

Programme:
Sunday 26th January:

11.00am: Fairey
1.30pm: RNCM Brass Band
2.45pm: The Courtois Trombone Quartet
3.45pm: Brighouse & Rastrick
7.30pm: Black Dyke and Foden’s

Listings

Full festival listings can be found at www.rncm.ac.uk/festivalofbrass