College prize for student quartet
INDIGO Brass, a brass quartet who are studying music at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, recently took part in the Philip Jones Ensemble Competition which is held annually at the College.
The competition involves eight to 10 brass chamber groups formed by students at the college to compete against each other in order to win the title, which is adjudicated and generously funded by Ursula Jones.
This year Indigo Brass, comprised of Gareth Johnson, Emily Humphries, Emily Evans and Matt Rowe, won the competition with a new composition called Vivide Et Impera written by Daniel Hall, a student at the college. Daniel took his inspiration from Bartók and Messiaen which resulted in a Balkan funk style of music.
The competition was of a very high standard and Indigo Brass competing against seven other ensembles were declared the winners by impressing the judging panel of Ursula Jones, Chris Mowatt and Kevin Price.
In addition to receiving prize money there was also the opportunity to perform in a concert in London later this year, date to be advised..
All four members – Emily Humphries, Matthew Rowe, Gareth Johnson and Emily Evans – have played with National Youth bands of England or Wales.
Matthew, from Camborne, plays Solo Euphonium with Tongwynlais Temperance and also conducts Markham and District Colliery Band and hopes to take his talent as a musical director to the highest level.
Emily Humphries, from Pontypool, intends to teach music after graduating from Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. She currently plays with Tredegar Town band.
Gareth, from Durham, currently playing with Cory, intends pursuing a post graduate course in music and plans to continue playing at the highest level.
Emily Evans, from Camborne, is the Solo Horn with Tongwynlais Temperance and is considering a career in education.
Fresh from his success in writing Smoke Sketches for the National Youth Championships of Great Britain, Daniel Hall has composed a new concerto based on the darker side of the story of Pinochio for his friend Matthew Rowe, of Indigo Brass.
He will be playing it as part of his final RWCM&D degree recital which takes place at the college on Thursday, May 25.