The A4 Brass Quartet has told 4BR that following an exciting month of performances in Liverpool, Japan and Lithuania that they will just have time to relax before they embark on further concerts to celebrate their 10th anniversary.

At the end of June they also visited the Isle of Man to perform at the 2023 Mananan Festival, a prestigious chamber music festival held at the Erin Arts Centre which has been running since the mid-1970s.

Previous ensembles performing at the event include the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble and the King's Singers with the quartet making such an impression that a return to the Isle of Man is already being discussed.

Finland return

Later this month the quartet will return to the Lieksa Brass Week in Finland, the biggest festival of its kind in Scandinavia.

During the week, they will lead workshops and chamber music coaching sessions alongside members of Seraph Brass from the USA. They will also perform two evening concerts — '10 Years of A4 Brass' and 'Alone at the Opera' — as well as a morning children's concert.

They are also delighted to be able to announce a new commission from the multi award winning composer Gavin Higgins. Entitled 'Two Courtly Dances and a Rave', it will receive its world premiere during the '10 Years of A4 Brass' concert at the Lieksa Brass Week on Sunday 23rd July.

We are thrilled to have teamed up with Gavin, especially as he is a composer in worldwide demand, to produce a brand new work for brass quartetA4 Brass Quartet

Thrilled

Mike Cavanagh of A4 Brass told 4BR: "We are thrilled to have teamed up with Gavin, especially as he is a composer in worldwide demand, to produce a brand new work for brass quartet.

This is the second major piece we have commissioned this year, following Callum Au's 'Crown and Spectre' which we premiered at RNCM Brass Band Festival."