BBSS 2020 Repertoire Revealed

This year’s Brass Band Summer School (BBSS) will be packed with content, delivered by a phenomenal line-up, accessible by delegates at any time, from any time-zone during a three-week period from 10 August – 1 September 2020.

SELF-PACED LEARNING AND ENJOYMENT

The real-time course will take place over five days from August 10 – 14, but has been designed with an all-important recorded element, allowing delegates to tailor their individual schedule as they wish. All activities, including sectionals, masterclasses, lectures, recitals and concerts, will be recorded and archived at the conclusion of each session for delegates to enjoy (and take part in) from any time-zone at their own convenience until 1 September 2020, allowing for self-paced learning and enjoyment.

The Summer School has recently released the repertoire its tutors will be working on during the course, selected by Musical Director, Richard Evans, who enthused: “During each day our tutorial staff will be working with delegates on a variety of repertoire, before joining me for virtual rehearsal performances. They will have the opportunity to play five beautiful hymn settings, and five marches, including Punchinello, Under the Double Eagle and Stars and Stripes.”

SWAGGER!

Revealing more of his selections, Richard commented: “All the hymn tunes and marches are favourites of mine. As we progress through the course it will become clear that there is more to playing a hymn tune than simply playing the notes, and although we won’t be expecting band members to march around their homes, we will be attempting to capture the true style of the marches. On the Quarter Deck and The New Colonial are in 6/8 rhythm for example, so lend themselves well to more of a ‘swagger’ – something I look forward to introducing to the players.”

STRESS-FREE CHALLENGE

It won’t just be marches and hymn tunes however, Richard has also selected five excellent extended works for BBSS delegates to enjoy working on. They are: Dean Goffin’s Rhapsody in Brass, Stephen Roberts’ arrangement of Holst’s Jupiter from The Planets, Gilbert Vinter’s Triumhant Rhapsody, Ex Terra Lucem by Jonathan Bates, and in his 70th birthday year – Edward Gregson’s Dances and Arias!

Richard concluded: “The repertoire I’ve selected is very mixed in its style and difficulty. The extended pieces will test every player, me included, but the nature of this year’s unique course should make it a rewarding experience for all. These are wonderful pieces of music that can be enjoyed in the privacy of our own homes, at our own pace, without the stress of a public performance to worry about.”

Prior to the course, those registered will also have the opportunity, should they wish, to take part in a number of socially distanced BBSS video recording projects, providing content for the BBSS Grand Finale Gala Concert on 14 August, including the premiere of a new work composed by Jonathan Bates in memory of former BBSS Administrator, Philip Biggs.

The BBSS tutors have already been busy having some fun with their own socially distanced performance, which can be viewed here:

Shareable YouTube link: https://youtu.be/Hm8w_SdPsVw

For more information email admin@brassbandsummerschool.com