Members of the West Bridgford-based Nottingham
Concert Band (Robert Parker) mingled with symphonic wind ensembles from
around the UK to stage the world premiere of Cedar, a new two-movement piece by
Mark Francis.
Performed by some 120 musicians, the premiere was the opening
event in the first Wind Band Festival run at the Royal Northern College of Music
(RNCM) in Manchester by BASBWE (the British Association of Symphonic Bands &
Wind Ensembles). Later in the day, the Nottingham Concert Band was invited to
present a programme of five pieces from its own repertoire, which was followed
by a workshop with the RNCM’s Director of
Contemporary Music and Head of Conducting Clark Rundell.
Afterwards,
Robert Parker expressed the band"s thanks to Nottinghamshire County
Councillors Barrie Cooper and Gordon Wheeler, who had approved funding to enable
the band to travel to the event. "As a self-financing organisation, we rely on
support like this to extend the range of playing opportunities we offer to our
members," Parker explained. "We were proud and delighted to represent the
county at this prestigious event."
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