World of Brass in Concert gala teases programme highlights | Brass Bands England

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World of Brass in Concert gala teases programme highlights

Award-winning trombonist Isobel Daws poses for the camera. She has mid-length blonde hair and wears a hot pink suit.
Wednesday, 25 October, 2023

With just a matter of weeks to go until Brass in Concert, taking place 17-18 November at the Glasshouse International Centre for Music (formerly Sage Gateshead), organisers have revealed musical highlights for the Festival’s Friday night gala concert.

Following an Aspire youth day and final concert in the afternoon, World of Brass in Concert will feature Fountain City Brass Band (Dr. Joseph Parisi) from Kansas City in the USA, acclaimed trombone soloist Isobel Daws and the award-winning BONE-AFIDE trombone quartet, in a wide-ranging programme designed to offer a lively evening’s entertainment in this special one-off musical collaboration.

A programme to remember

A collection of exciting new pieces for brass will be balanced with an energetic programme of favourites including Langford's Rhapsody for Trombone and Duke Ellington's Caravan, along with lively arrangements of music from Bach through to Coldplay. Collaborative performances combining both Fountain City Brass and BONE-AFIDE will ensure a truly unique and thrilling experience for brass music lovers.

Brass in Concert CEO, Nigel Stevens, commented: “This promises to be a memorable event, with no less than five world premières on the programme of original works and fantastic arrangements by Callum Au, Chris King and Adam Taylor. BONE-AFIDE is a tremendously versatile chamber group comprising some of Europe’s leading young trombonists, and between them and Fountain City Brass, making its first appearance at Gateshead since 2018, we can expect a vibrant occasion that will really get Brass in Concert in the swing for the contest on the Saturday.”

Speaking about her appearance at the event, Isobel Daws said: "I have great memories of playing at Brass in Concert with Friary Brass and I am really excited to be returning this year as the guest soloist to play alongside both BONE-AFIDE and Fountain City. It's always a joy to play in this unique auditorium to an enthusiastic brass-loving audience, but this time I’m especially looking forward to performing Gordon Langford's Rhapsody for Trombone, the piece I played in winning BBC Radio 2's Young Brass Award  in 2017."

Masters of an eclectic concert set, Fountain City are committed to expanding the brass band art form. The band’s musical director, Dr Joseph Parisi, recently spoke with 4barsrest about their plans for the performance, which will also feature music by John Mackey, Mark Taylor and Chick Corea among others, and will be presented by Brass in Concert’s legendary Frank Renton.

Secure your tickets

The concert starts at 7.45pm on Friday 17 November at the Glasshouse, Gateshead. Tickets are priced at £25 + booking fee and can be purchased from the Glasshouse website. A 15% discount will be applied for all events when additionally purchasing tickets for the Brass in Concert Championship and Aspire concert.

World of Brass In Concert is supported by World of Brass.