Over the past 12 months, the A4 Brass Quartet has embarked on a new music venture; teaming up with World of Sound Recordings to work alongside composers such as Thomas Doss, Oliver Waespi, Edward Gregson, Martin Ellerby and Nigel Clarke to provide new repertoire for their debut CD release.
Personnel
The group consists of Grimethorpe's co-principal cornet Jamie Smith and solo baritone, Michael Cavanagh, Black Dyke solo horn Jonathan Bates and Chris Robertson, principal euphonium of Wingates Band.
A4 was the first brass ensemble to win the RNCM's overall Ensemble Award, as well as the Christopher Rowland Ensemble of the Year and the Philip Jones Brass Chamber Music Award.
New works
The project has already seen Thomas Doss compose 'Moskito' for the group, whilst Oliver Waespi revisited his 'South Uist Variations', the set-work for the 2004 Swiss Quartet Championships, in a reworking especially for the recording.
Meanwhile, Martin Ellerby, has expertly adapted his 2012 British Open test-piece 'Electra' as 'Electra Dances', Edward Gregson has reworked his 'Second Quartet' originally written in 1969, to provide A4 with 'Brass Quartet No.2', whilst Nigel Clarke's tongue-in-cheek 'A Musical Murder Mystery', combines the infamous shower scene from 'Psycho' with Rimsky-Korsakov's 'Flight of the Bumble-bee'!
Nigel Clarke's tongue-in-cheek 'A Musical Murder Mystery', combines the infamous shower scene from 'Psycho' with Rimsky-Korsakov's 'Flight of the Bumble-bee'!4BR
Student work
As the recipients of the Ensemble of the Year Award, the group received and premiered a number of works from RNCM composition students. The winner, Tom Harrold's energetic 'Craze', is featured alongside, '...and has forgotten the gift' by Rob Bushnell.
Mists of the Mountains
A4 will be releasing 'Mists of the Mountains' at their appearance as part of the 2016 RNCM Festival of Brass Bands later this month, showcasing a number of the new works from the CD, and a world premiere of 'Insomniac' by Paul McGhee.
