29 March 2025 / On the Shoulders of Giants

1] Awayday: Adam Gorb

Commissioned by the Royal Northern College of Music and premiered at Bridgewater Hall, Manchester in 1996, Awayday remains as one of the composer’s most popular works.

“In this six-minute curtain raiser, my inspiration has come from the great days of the American musical comedy. I have tried to express in a brief sonata form movement the exhilaration of “getting away from it all” for a few short hours on a festive bank holiday.

Musically the piece is a homage to the great days of the Broadway musical with its irresistible brashness and irrepressible high spirits. If you can envisage George Gershwin, Leonard Bernstein, Igor Stravinsky, and James Bond traveling together at 100 miles per hour in an open-top sports car, I think you’ll get the idea.” AG

2] On the Shoulders of Giants: Peter Graham

Commissioned by Nigel Bodice for the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Wind Orchestra in 2010 from the brass band championship competition set piece.

The opening movement, Fanfares, reflects the legendary Chicago Symphony Orchestra brass section. The much admired and distinctive style of the CSO Brass was initially driven by the Germanic repertoire favoured by the early Musical Directors. Here, the opening bars from the Finale of Bruckner’s 8th Symphony are unmistakeable.

The 2nd movement continues through different styles with an Elegy. America’s role as the birthplace of jazz and two famous jazz players are the inspiration point here – innovative trumpeter, Miles Davis, and the father of lyrical trombone playing, Tommy Dorsey. In acknowledgement that jazz owes its origins to African American spirituals, the gospel song Steal Away, underpins the movement.

The finale is a Fantasie Brillante, and pays homage to the turn of the century brass virtuosi of Sousa Band fame. The centrepiece of the movement includes references to the greatest solos of Herbert L. Clarke, Arthur Pryor and Simone Mantia.

Moments of individual virtuosity are reflected in quotations from the “Bluebells of Scotland” on trombone and “The Debutante” for trumpet. These solos lead to a series of ensemble power chords - giant footsteps in musical imagery - which brings the work to a dramatic conclusion.

3] Escapades for Alto Saxophone: John Williams

Steven Spielberg's 2002 film Catch Me if You Can, is set in the 1960s, and tells the story of Frank Abagnale, the teen-aged imposer who baffled FBI agents with his incredible exploits. Soloists on alto saxophone, with vibraphone and string bass are featured in this suite of three contrasting movements.

“The film is set in the now nostalgically tinged 1960s, and so it seemed to me that I might evoke the atmosphere of that time by writing a sort of impressionistic memoir of the progressive jazz movement that was then so popular. The alto saxophone seemed the ideal vehicle for this expression and the three movements of this suite are the result.” JW.

With Closing In, the music relates to the often humorous sleuthing which took place in the story, followed by Reflections, which refers to the fragile relationships in Abagnale’s broken family. Finally, in Joy Ride we hear the music that accompanied Frank’s wild flights of fantasy that took him all around the world before the law finally reigned him in.

The premiere performance of Escapades for concert band was conducted by John Williams himself as part of the 205th anniversary concert of the United States Marine Band.

INTERVAL 20 minutes

1] Rocky Point Holiday: Ron Nelson

Conductor Leonard Slatkin described Ron Nelson (1929-2023)

“Nelson is the quintessential American composer. He has the ability to move between conservative and newer styles with ease. The fact that he’s a little hard to categorize is what makes him interesting.”

This quality helped Nelson gain wide recognition as a composer. Nowhere are his works embraced more than in the band world, where he won the “triple crown” of composition prizes in 1993 for his Passacaglia (Homage on B-A-C-H).

Nelson wrote Rocky Point Holiday in 1969 on a commission from the University of Minnesota Band for its Russian tour. Its title comes from the place of its composition: Rocky Point, Rhode Island, where the composer was on vacation. It was his first major wind band piece, and the first of his series of “holiday” themed compositions for band, all of which are popular and dramatic showpieces.

Rocky Point Holiday is notable for its transparent and colourful orchestration, a hallmark of Nelson’s style.

2] Motu: Christopher Buchanan (European premiere)

Motu was written for the Midwest Clinic at the request of Capt. Kenneth Collins, with the world premiere performance of this exciting addition to the wind band repertoire in December 2022.

Glasgow Wind Band now follows with the European premiere performance tonight. The title comes from the Latin term meaning "of motion" and was inspired by Buchanan's interests in running and pop music.

“The only time I can think is when I'm moving. To this end, I've also been influenced by the process and pulse-based music of Steve Reich and Terry Riley, as well as Zack Browning, one of my professors at the University of Illinois, who encouraged me to embrace my first love, popular music, in more classical forms of composition.

“I also endeavoured to explore the nature of motion, at least in my own experience. In some sections, the motion itself acts as the primary force driving the work forward. During others, overlapping, independent lines written in phase impart a sense of stillness to the work, the goal of which being to completely obscure the pulse. Given all the factors above stated, not only do I find myself most able to concentrate while I'm in motion, but it's frequently the time I feel most at peace”.

3] Mary Shelley meets Frankenstein: A Modern Promethean Tango

Erika Svanoe

Knowledge is knowing that Frankenstein is not the monster.

Wisdom is knowing that the monster is Frankenstein…..

Mary Shelley meets Frankenstein imagines a scenario where the young author meets her own creation, the monster brought to life. In the novel, the creature is quite sympathetic, learning from the world around him and craves to find a human connection. Victor Frankenstein is horrified and rejects him, forcing the creature to tend for himself with dire consequences.

We imagine that Shelley, in meeting her monster, would be quite conflicted. She would view him with some sympathy in his craving to achieve humanity, but at the same time feeling revolted by his sheer repugnance.

Mary is depicted primarily by the clarinet with Frankenstein’s theme represented by the baritone saxophone, a half-woodwind, half-brass behemoth of the wind band. Mary is initially curious and sympathetic, while the creature pleads for compassion. The two eventually join (literally on a unison middle C).At this point Mary’s sympathy is overwhelmed by horror and she begins to panic, while the creature becomes furious with her rejection of him.

With the final notes, we are left wondering again - who is the real monster?

4] One Life Beautiful: Julie Giroux

“Shakespeare’s sweet sorrow, the frailty and strength of life, the meaning of what it is to truly live “One Life Beautiful.”

The title is a double-entendre which in one sense makes reference to the person for whom this work was dedicated as having had “one life” that was beautifully lived. The other sense is an observation that having only one life is what makes life so sacred, tragic and precious in the first place. This is an impressionistic work. The main theme, beautiful yet sad, ebbs and flows throughout. Giroux encouraged that performers should play the work with their “own heart, mind and musicality at the helm.”

5] Havana Nights: Randall Standridge

“My musical tastes are wildly eclectic. I value and love the entire array of sounds, rhythms and textures that the world of music in all its forms, has to offer.

One genre I have a particular affection for is the mambo. I’m enchanted by the melodies, rhythms and excitement that it generates.

Havana Nights was conceived as a short ballet. The action takes place in the mambo clubs of Havana, as our heroine (Havana) dances her way through the night life. She encounters another young dancer and the two begin a flirtatious, seductive conversation through the art of movement. As the ballet comes to a close, Havana casts one final, gleeful look at her would-be suitor before escaping into the night.”

6] Tam o’Shanter: Malcolm Arnold

Tam o’Shanter (not to be confused with the Scottish woollen cap!) is the title and hero of a poem by the Scottish poet, Robert Burns and our final performance of the evening.

Tam is a drunken farmer (listen for the bassoon) who, whilst riding home late from Ayr on a stormy night, disturbs a witch’s party in the haunted church of Alloway. The hags pursue him to the keystone of the bridge over the river Doon, but have to halt there as they cannot cross running water.

One witch, nearly capturing him, can only pluck the tail in frustration from his mare, Maggie.

The poem concludes with the following admonition:

“Now, wha’ this tale o’ truth shall read,

Ilk man, and mother’s son, take heed.

Whene’er to drink you are inclin’d,

Or cutty-sarks run in your mind,

Think, ye may buy the joys o’er dear,

Remember Tam o’Shanter’s mare.”

Euan Kemp

Euan Kemp is a saxophonist and conductor in his first year reading music at New College, Oxford.

Awarded the title of Scottish Young Musician’s Solo Performer of the Year in 2024 as well as a DipABRSM (Distinction) in 2022, he has performed with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland, the Oxford University Orchestra, Edinburgh Youth Orchestra and was an NYO Associate (Outreach) in 2023, performing at the BBC Proms and throughout the UK.

In 2023, as a winner of the Douglas Academy Concerto Competition, he performed John Williams’ Escapades for Saxophone with a mentored orchestra of students and professional musicians.

In 2024, he reached the final of Edinburgh Competition Festival’s Concerto Competition, performing Glazunov’s Concerto for Saxophone and String Orchestra.

May Halyburton

May Halyburton is a Scottish Double Bassist & Bass Guitarist. She has freelanced extensively as an orchestral, chamber and session musician, both nationally and internationally, May is a passionate music educator, teaching double bass and bass guitar to players of all ages and stages.

She regularly coaches youth orchestras from school to national level and is a tutor with the Benedetti Foundation.

May is a published author and created her project, Bessy Bass, to help promote music and the double bass to children.

May sits on the Board of the Edinburgh Youth Orchestra and is a Trustee of the Scottish Bass Trust.

Stuart Rynn

Stuart Rynn studied music at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. He won their concerto competition in 2014, later performing Paul Creston’s Marimba Concertino with the Sydney Youth Orchestra in 2016. Stuart then moved to Scotland to study a master's in composition at the Royal Conservatoire.

As a composer, he has written for several established groups including the RSNO Alchemy ensemble, the Scottish Clarinet Choir, and recently the Strathclyde University Concert Band.

He performs regularly in Scotland but primarily with the Cooperation Band, one of the UK’s top Brass bands, and is principal percussionist with Glasgow Wind Band.

Kevin Price

Born in Bristol in 1954, Kevin studied the trumpet at the Guildhall School of Music in London. His tutors were the late Bernard Brown (Royal Opera House, Covent Garden) and Howard Snell (London Symphony Orchestra). Whilst at Guildhall he won the coveted Brass Prize and a scholarship in Advanced Orchestral training.

Kevin’s subsequent freelance work while based in London included the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Welsh Opera and various West End Shows. In 1980 he was appointed Principal Trumpet of Scottish Opera by Sir Alexander Gibson, a post he relinquished some eight years later to broaden his musical career.

For many years after leaving Scottish Opera, Kevin has been the principal guest trumpeter with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra under the batons of Stephane Deneuve, Neemi Järvi, Simon Rattle, Alexander Lazarev, Walter Weller and Sir Alexander Gibson amongst others. He has also played with all the major musical organisations in Scotland including the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Scottish Ballet.

His involvement in chamber music has included work with the Paragon Ensemble, Brass Ecosse, BBC Scottish Brass Ensemble, Scottish Chamber Orchestra Brass Ensemble and the RSNO Brass Ensemble. Forays into the solo repertoire have included concertos with the Washington Ensemble and Scottish Opera Orchestra including obligato trumpet with Dame Kiri te Kanawa.

Kevin’s recording experiences in Scotland have mainly been with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra but have also included BBC Scottish Television and Radio, STV, Scottish Opera, the Paragon Ensemble, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and the Glasgow Philharmonic Orchestra.

Since 1988 he has expanded his teaching and conducting commitments, has acted as a lecturer for SAME, as a frequent external examiner for the RCS and as an adjudicator for the Scottish Concert Band Festival. His conducting experiences have included the Musical Directorships of the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland Wind Band and Brass Ensemble, the WOSIS Concert Band, the Dunbartonshire Wind Ensemble, the Strathclyde Arts Centre Wind Band, the Renfrewshire Senior Concert Band, East Renfrewshire Senior Concert Band and Junior Symphony Orchestra, North Ayrshire Senior Concert Band, the National Youth Wind Ensemble, the Scottish Borders Wind and Chamber Orchestras, the Kelvin Ensemble and, of course, the UK and Scottish Open Section Champions, the Glasgow Wind Band.

GWB Performers

Clarinet
Ann Cameron
Karen Gillespie
Claire Hinchliffe
Calum Mooney
Andrew Russell *
Oona Tanner
Katrina Walker

E flat Clarinet
Linzi Cowan

Bass Clarinet
Will Peveler

Flute
Linda Bryce *
Anya Galloway
Sarah Horne
Nick Joint
Nicky Maynes
Karen McKay

Piccolo
Graeme Smith

Oboe and Cor Anglais
Charmaine Murdoch *
Hans Martin Senn (Cor Anglais)

Bassoon
Ashley Brandon *
Jennifer Kelly

Alto Saxophone
John Paul Berrie
Kirsty Gordon
Karyn McWilliam
Lorraine Melone *

Tenor Saxophone
Gordon Paton

Baritone Saxophone
Ian Alexander

French Horn
Julian Gonzales
Claire Griffiths
Pauline Sim *
Gemma Swan
Gordon Thomson

Trumpet
Colin Forbes
Mark Forbes
Sharon Kretschmer
Oliver Searle
Jack Walker *

Trombone
Gavin Bryce *
Hazel Douglas

Bass Trombone
John Waller *

Euphonium
Anna Bassett *
John Stark

Tuba
Martin Thomson *
Bob Whitney

Percussion
Ruari Campbell
Lauren Jackson
Caroline Masson
Eilidh Nevin
Joey O’Neill
Stuart Rynn * Escapades Vibraphone Solo

String Bass
May Halyburton - Escapades Bass Solo

* Section Principle