Coming up...
On Tuesday, February 28, at 1.15pm, Tine Thing Helseth, a young Norwegian lady who is considered to be one of today’s leading trumpet soloists, will be giving a lunchtime concert from 1.30pm, at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Cardiff.
You can hear her playing via Facebook and Youtube.
She really is a tremendous talent. There will also be a pre-performance talk at 12.30pm. Joining her on piano is Gunnar Flagstad.
For tickets or more information call 029 2039 1391 or www.rwcmd.ac.uk
The University Brass Band Championships of Great Britain and Northern Ireland are gaining support year on year and from 12 universities being involved in 2011 there were 19 taking part at last year’s event at Warwick University and now 22 universities are competing this year at the International Centre, Harrogate on February 18.
Perhaps we can now say that the old image of the brass band with the “cloth cap and muffler” has gone for ever!
More and more players in brass bands are coming from the professional ranks like teachers, doctors, engineers, scientists and researchers – and the general standard of music presented is rising all the time.
When you hear CDs of our best brass bands, like Cory, Black Dyke, Brighouse and Rastrick, Tredegar and Grimethorpe you can barely believe that you are listening to amateur musicians who are producing such professional performances.
The West Wales Solo & Ensemble Day 2017 takes place on Saturday, January 28, at the Memorial Hall, Burry Port, starting at 10am.
The closing date for entries is Thursday, January 19, and to date entries have been received from Aberystwyth Silver Band, Ammanford Town Silver Band, Crwbin Silver Band, Ebbw Valley Band, Gwaun Cae Gurwen Silver Band, Milford Haven Town Band, Parc & Dare Band and Pontarddulais Town Band.
Sean O’Neal ARCM (Hons) has been appointed the new Musical Director of Abergavenny Borough Band after being their guest conductor at the last contest of the Welsh League Championships in November and guiding them to second place behind the First Section Sean O’Neal Welsh Champions.
Sean is from Selkirk, a small town in the Scottish borders, and started his playing career at school and joined Selkirk Town Band.
He became an outstanding tuba player, twice becoming Junior Solo Tuba Champion of Great Britain and later Senior Champion.
He attended the Royal Northern College of Music and while there had the opportunity to play with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, The London Festival Ballet and the Halle Orchestra.
He also played with the Fairey Aviation Band and Hammond Sauce Works Band, two of the premier brass bands in Britain.
He became Principal Tuba with the Orchestra of Welsh National Opera in 1977 when he was just 20 years of age, a position he held for 25 years.
Sean has conducted Cardiff County and Vale of Glamorgan Youth Band and directed Gwent Youth Orchestra. He is an experienced adjudicator and examiner and is in demand throughout the UK.
He was an adjudicator at The National Eisteddfod last year at Abergavenny. Sean is presently Head of Brass and Winds with Gwent Music. ■