Award winning composer Nigel Clarke has told 4BR that due to increasing demands on his compositional time and new musical challenges that he is helping to develop, he has reluctantly brought to an end his role as Associate Composer with Brass Band Buizingen in Belgium.
Huge privilege
He told 4BR: “I have had the huge privilege of being associated with Brass Band Buizingen since 2009, when I wrote `Swift Severn’s Flood’ for the band to perform at the World Music Contest in Kerkrade.
I will always be indebted to conductor Luc Vertommen for persuading me to get involved in brass band composition again.
After the heady days of working with James Watson and Black Dyke I had thought that it was time to move on and develop other musical challenges and interests, but my association with BBU renewed my motivation to write for the genre.”
Critically acclaimed
During his association, Nigel composed a number critically acclaimed major works, including, 'Earthrise’, which Buizingen subsequently performed at the European Championships, the British Composer award winning cornet concerto `Mysteries of the Horizon’, written for Harmen Vanhoorne, and the amazing science fiction film inspired `When Worlds Collide’ — which formed part of Buizingen’s 2013 4BR CD of the Year release of the same name.
The Scarlet Flower
Recently he wrote the evocative flugel concerto, ‘The Scarlet Flower’, which pays tribute to First World War heroine, Edith Cavell, and which has been released to critical acclaim by flugel soloist Sebastien Rousseau on his debut CD, ‘Flight’ accompanied by the Longbow string ensemble.
My heartfelt thanks go to everyone I have been associated with during my time with Buizingen. I thank Luc in particular for his musical support and encouragement with my associationNigel Clarke
Heartfelt thanks
Nigel added: “My heartfelt thanks go to everyone I have been associated with during my time with Buizingen. I thank Luc in particular for his musical support and encouragement with my association.
I now believe that it is time to finish as Associate Composer and look forward to new challenges, but I remain immensely proud of my connection and I will carry on being their number one supporter and friend.”
