One of England’s most respected ensembles, the Allegri String Quartet, will be giving a first airing of a new work for tenor horn and strings composed by Durham University student Chris Evans.

Owen Farr’s performance of the Strauss Horn Concerto last year with the Northern Sinfonia that I conducted, caused a sensation and this new work could foster more interest in Adolphe Sax’s other creation and brass bands in generalRay Farr

Impressive portfolio

Chris is studying with Ray Farr for a Masters degree and his impressive portfolio of brass pieces includes the new composition, ‘Reach Out Your Hands to the Screen’ which he wrote for the tenor horn player Faye Watson.

The combination of brass and strings has, of course, been used before but the marriage of orchestral strings with brass band instruments is still regarded as something new.

Highly controversial

Recent performances, in Durham, of ‘Flight’ by Philip Wilby arranged for solo violectra and band and also the highly controversial ‘Thug’s Mansion’ for string quartet and band, have provoked much discussion and interest. It hoped that brass band instruments, like the tenor horn, will gain appreciation and elevation in the mainstream of music making.

Sensation

Ray Farr told 4BR: "Owen Farr’s performance of the Strauss Horn Concerto last year with the Northern Sinfonia that I conducted, caused a sensation and this new work could foster more interest in Adolphe Sax’s other creation and brass bands in general."