Brass tuition now available Email for details.
Concert/Brass Band, Ensemble
& Solo Performance Dates for 2008;
Saturday, May 17th.
Euphonium Recital no.30, St. Mary's Slough, 12 noon, admission free
With guest Matthew J. Ingram, Euphonium, Croydon Citadel
Monday, June 23rd.
Opening Concert, Borehamwood Festival, BBC Winds 7.30pm
Saturday, June 24th. - 28th.
ITEC 2008, Cincinnati Ohio, USA
Saturday, July 5th.
1000th. Lunchtime Celebration Concert, St. Mary's Slough, 12 noon
Saturday, August 2nd.
Euphonium Recital no.31, St. Mary's Slough, 12 noon admission free
With guest Garry Hedley, Euphonium
Saturday, November 8th. 
BBC Winds Concert, St. James Piccadilly London, 7.45pm
Saturday, November 22nd.
Euphonium Recital no.32, St. Mary's Slough, 12 noon admission free
Friday, December 5th.
Brass Quintet Xmas Carols, fund raising, Marylebone Station 4pm
Monday, December 8th.
BBC Winds Christmas Concert, New Allum Hall Borehamwood 7.30pm
Thursday, December 11th.
Xmas Carols, Butler's Court Beaconsfield 7pm
Friday, December 12th.
Brass Quintet Xmas Carols, fund raising, Marylebone Station 4pm
Saturday, December 13th.
Guest soloist, Xmas Concert, Woking, 3pm & 7pm
2009 Dates;
Saturday, February 21st.
Euphonium Recital no.33, St. Mary's Slough, 12 noon admission free
Saturday, May 2nd.
Euphonium Recital no.34, St. Mary's Slough, 12 noon admission free
Saturday, June 6th.
Brass Soloists Day, St. Mary's Slough, 12 noon admission free
Saturday, August 8th.
Euphonium Recital no.35, St. Mary's Slough, 12 noon admission free
Saturday, September 5th.
Brass Soloists Day, St. Mary's Slough, 12 noon admission free
Saturday, November 21st.
Euphonium Recital no.36, St. Mary's Slough, 12 noon admission free
Meet The Composers
ITEC 08, Coming to the USA!
Just to update you all on my plans for performing at ITEC 08 in Cincinnati in June. I have had to submit a programme (max 14 mins) early,
so I have chosen Anthony Wakefield's Prelude & Blues with piano and Tony Osborne's
2 Variations on Londonderry Air for unaccompanied Euphonium.
Both written for me and premiered at St. Mary's. Details of both are below, and the two 'Tonys' are pleased to be included in the event.
I'll be arriving at CVG on June 22nd. and departing 29th. I don't know what day or time my solo slot will be yet,
I'll get back to you on that as soon as I know. I'm just waiting to confirm the hotel where I'll be staying too.
I hope to meet up with as many people as possible, as this is going to be quite some event I believe!
Anthony Wakefield
Born in Lancashire in north-west England and taking up the piano & clarinet, he gained performing and teaching diplomas at the Royal and London Colleges of Music. He also studied composition and orchestration with Gordon Reynolds of the Chapel Royal, Hampton Court and Leon Young of London’s 'Tin Pan Alley'!
His compositions have brought awards in 1996 and 1997 from the Clarinet and Saxophone Society of Great Britain. 2005 saw Ben Redwine, a US Navy Band’s principal clarinettist; commission `Praying Mantis` for his performance at that year’s International Clarinet Association’s Convention in Atlanta City. Awards from the BBC & Musicians Union competitions for the BBC Concert Orchestra.
He has acted as assistant to John Williams in preparing and adapting arrangements for the ‘Film-harmonic’ series of concerts with the London Symphony Orchestra.
His arrangements of carols, recorded by the world famous Brighouse and Rastrick Band is a favourite during each Christmas season.
Incidental music for TV drama and media music for the Carlin Recorded Music Library brought one of the first identity logo 'jingles' for Channel Four, (UK) it’s duration being all of 4 seconds!
'Task Force - The Battle for the Falklands`, a symphonic concert band march, was used as the opening and closing titles to the ITN/Granada TV Video Newsreel Production of the Falklands War. `Hauntings', for clarinet and piano, was one of three test pieces performed for an international internet clarinet competition, and has been recorded in 2008 by Leslie Craven, principal clarinet of Welsh National Opera, in Cardiff.
From Lancashire’s tall, industrial, smokey chimneys, and London’s stressful music business era at EMI, preparing Queen, Adam Ant, Kate Bush and even the Sex Pistols scores for print, he continues to compose and arrange, also now enjoying the Surrey foliage, tits and wagtails, who insist on interrupting his woodwind teaching from time to time.
From North America to North Korea, via Germany, France, Spain and Australia, Anthony Wakefield’s music seems indeed to be of some use, whereby hopefully bringing some pleasure also to those who play and listen to it.
Prelude & Blues
The photograph of Musical Director Rob Wiffin, myself and composer Anthony Wakefield, taken following the rehearsal for the premier performance of Prelude & Blues, with the Buckinghamshire Symphonic Winds, Marlow, April 9th. 2005.
The composer and performer first met in the Hanwell Band in West London. Philip Sparke was rehearsing some of Anthony’s scores with the band back in the 1980’s. In 2002 they made contact again and Charley asked that he write a `solo with a difference’ for the Euphonium.
And so Prelude & Blues was written the following year and premiered by Charley (in the presence of the composer and his wife) at St. Mary’s, Slough with Malcolm Stowell at the piano.
The wind band version was premiered in the summer of 2003 with the Buckinghamshire Symphonic Wind Ensemble, conducted by Rob Wiffin, Director of Music of the RAF Central Band.
The work opens with a bold, modern style of Prelude, the shorter of the 2 movements, marked Allegro Moderato Triumphale. The Euphonium weaves through contrasting sections and dynamics, before the opening statement returns, this time naturally giving way to the final blues statement and coda.
The12 bar blues idea is to treat the band (or piano accompaniment) as a 1920`s rhythm section, with the euphonium comfortably soloing above. There’s a pause for a cadenza, and the blues returns, eventually soaring through the whole euphonium’s range - top to bottom, ever twisting its intricate and haunting theme, without ever needing to swing at all.
Tony Osborne
Composers Terry Treherne (left) and Tony Osborne (front) with me and accompanist Malcolm Stowell following premieres of their works at my 22nd. Euphonium Recital, May 6th. 2006 St. Mary's Slough.
Tony Osborne was born 1947 in Slough, Berkshire, UK, into a musical family. His father was a violinist and his brother played double bass. Tony was introduced to a mix of classical and jazz music from an early age, and studied composition with Richard Stoker and double bass with John Walton at the Royal Academy of Music.
Since then, he has enjoyed a busy and varied career as composer, bassist and teacher. He has performed with the BBC Symphony and Concert Orchestras, the Royal Ballet, in cabaret with the late Sir Harry Secombe, Frankie Vaughan and Faith Brown, at The Ritz, Dorchester, Savoy, and other London venues, Henley Regatta, Theatre Royal Windsor, and even on the Orient Express!
Tony is well known as a leading composer for double bass and his music is included in the leading UK and Australian graded examinations syllabi.
He was elected Associate of the Royal Academy of Music in 2000, and is a member of the British Academy of Composers & Songwriters. He was juror for the British Composer Awards in 2003 and 2006.
Tony is currently Visiting Lecturer in Composition at Bulmershe College, University of Reading.
Variations on Danny Boy (Londonderry Air) for Unaccompanied Euphonium
These variations are from a suite of four entitled 'Danny O'Boy', originally commissioned by US bass soloist, teacher and author, Barry Green to play as a double bass solo for a wedding near to his California home!
Coincidentally, Barry was for many years Principal Bass of the Cincinnati Symphony. He is author of the ever popular books: The Inner Game of Music and The Mastery of Music and teaches extensively in San Francisco.
They were later arranged both for solo flute, and also for traditional Irish Ceilidh band and then these two movements, for the splendid and devoted Euphonium virtuoso, Charley Brighton to perform at St. Mary’s Slough.
Composer Joe Miserendino, after the premiere of his Willson Concertante, with the City of London Winds at Covent Garden.
Composer Joe Miserendino, me and conductor John Andrews after the City of London Winds concert at Covent Garden.
After some 15 years, I met up with Terry Treherne, who I had previously played under when he was Musical Director to the
Alder Valley (Aldershot) Brass Band. Our last performance together was as runners-up in the London regional qualifying rounds of the National Brass Band Championships at Watford Town Hall in 1990, playing Eric Ball's Journey Into Freedom.
The photograph was taken at Maida Vale Studio 1 after a concert recording of his new euphonium solo 'Recollections' with the B.B.C. Elstree Concert Band.
From America, a great selection of solos for Euphonium / Tuba and music for 10 piece brass and full brass band;
Amazing works for low brass from the U.S.A., featuring Euphonium / Tuba and Quartet music;
The most lyrical of works for Euphonium & Tuba from North of the border;
On November 3rd. 2004, I signed a contract with Willi Kurath, Director of Willson Band Instruments in Flums, Switzerland,
to promote their Euphoniums, and as a result, I now have a new top-of-the-range 2900 model to use in my performances!
In addition, Joe Miserendino from the U.S.A. composed"A Willson Concertante" to celebrate the new partnership.
It is in 3 movements, Con Bravura, Nocturne & Con Brio, listen to them here.
Now available, the Wind Band & Orchestra version
Listen to the premiere here.
The Piano version (catalogue number 50103).
Euphoniums Wanted !
I am interested in purchasing old euphoniums,
particularly Highams, Gisborne and other lesser known brands.
Preferably in playing condition, but not essential.
Email us here 
Telephone contact numbers; 01753 575766, Mobile 07905 169850.
