The ABRSM have now recorded and released a selection of his unaccompanied trumpet studies from his tutor `Featuring Rhythm’ as a teaching aid. The CD’s (Grade 5 & Grade 6) are available from the ABRSM online shop, and the tutor `Featuring Rhythm’ is published by Brass Wind Publications.

To see all of Nigel Clarke’s iTunes go to read more

**Naxos CD – NIGEL CLARKE (8.570429) **

SAMURAI (Concert Band)
Band of HM Royal Marines, Plymouth, Lt Col Chris Davis (Conductor)
BLACK FIRE (for Violin and Wind Ensemble) **
Band of HM Royal Marines, Plymouth, Lt Col Chris Davis (Conductor)
Peter Sheppard Skaerved (Violin)
THE MIRACULOUS VIOLIN (Violin and Strings)
Ensemble Longbow (Leader: Philippa Mo), Peter Sheppard Skaerved (Violin)
PERNAMBUCO (For Solo Violin) – Peter Sheppard Skaerved (Violin)
LOULAN (for Solo Violin) – Peter Sheppard Skaerved (Violin)
PREMONITIONS (Solo Trumpet) – Ivan Hutchinson

** Metier CD – NIGEL CLARKE (MSV CD92024) **

LINDISFARNE STONE – (Violin & Piano)
Peter Sheppard Skaerved (Violin), Tamami Honma (Piano)
ECHO & NARCISSUS – (Solo Flute) – Janne Thomsen (Flute)
SPECTROSCOPE – (Cello) – Neil Heyde
SOLSTICE (Solo Piano) – Philip Mead
PREMONTIONS – (Solo Trumpet) – James Watson
PERNAMBUCO (Solo Violin) – Peter Sheppard Skaerved
CHINESE PUZZLES (Flute & Piano) – Janne Thomsen (Flute), Tamami Honma (Piano)

** Metier CD – BRITISH 20TH CENTURY PIANO (MSV CD92004) **

SOLSTICE (Solo Piano) – Graham Caskie

** INNOVA CD – ROAD TO THE STARS (INNOVA 651) **GAGARIN – (Concert Band)
University of St. Thomas Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Mathew George (Conductor)

** Prozonemusic CD HERITAGE (ECBCD002) **

HERITAGE SUITE (Concert Band)
Eynsford Concert Band, John Hutchins (Conductor)

** Audio Concept CD An English Trumpeter (TAC003) **

PREMONITIONS (Solo Trumpet) -Simon Cheney

** Naxos CD – BRITISH CLARINET QUINETES (9.70122) **EQUIANO (Clarinet Quintet) – Linda Merrick (Clarinet), Navarra Quartet

** Klavier CD – METROPOLIS (K 11152) **

SAMURAI (Concert Band)
Royal Northern College of Music Wind Orchestra, Timothy Reynish (Conductor)

- The are also a several film soundtracks available -

MTSU Wind Ensemble

Conducted by Dr Reed Thomas, The MTSU Wind Ensemble is the premier performing ensemble for wind, brass, and percussion students at the university. Members are selected through audition each semester and comprise the best musicians at MTSU. The ensemble explores the vast range of the wind repertoire by utilizing a flexible instrumentation approach where the repertoire dictates the number of players for each piece. The ensemble is dedicated to performing outstanding and challenging works of diverse musical styles while furthering wind music of artistic and historical significance. Performing three to five concerts each semester, they also tour extensively throughout the region. The Wind Ensemble is quickly becoming recognized as one of the outstanding university ensembles in the country and abroad. They have been invited to perform in Thailand, Korea, Japan, and several European countries. Membership is open to all MTSU students.

Dr Reed Thomas, Professor, Director of Bands

Dr. Reed Thomas is the Director of Bands and a full Professor of Music and conducting at Middle Tennessee State University. His responsibilities include conducting the Wind Ensemble and University Chamber Winds, teaching undergraduate courses in conducting and instrumental methods, graduate courses in conducting and wind and orchestral repertoire, and he guides all aspects of MTSU band program. He is the founding conductor of the Three Rivers Wind Symphony, a professional group of wind and percussion players from Northeast Indiana and was the Conductor of the Littleton Chamber Winds in Littleton, Colorado from 1997-99. Additionally, Thomas has been a guest conductor for the Littleton Symphony, the Ft. Wayne Community Orchestra, and several Youth Symphonies in Indiana, Colorado, and Utah.

Thomas is an active conductor and clinician who has received praise and critical acclaim for his artistic interpretations, thorough preparation, and innovative programming. His groups have been invited to perform at venues throughout the United States, China, and South Korea. Beginning in 2002, Thomas began his relationship with bands from Asia and has been invited as a guest conductor and lecturer by the Korean Band Association, the Macau Band Directors Association, the Hong Kong Band Directors Association and the Hong Kong Music Office. In the summer of 2005, the MTSU Wind Ensemble was invited and performed at the Jeju International Band Festival in South Korea and in several cities in South Korea. In 2007, this group has been invited and is scheduled to perform in Hong Kong, Macau, and China.

Thomas is an avid supporter of new music, commissioning over 10 compositions since 2003. He has received critical acclaim from composers such as Shafer Mahoney, Peter Fischer, Jamie Simmons, Robert Bradshaw, and from performers such as Steve Houghton and Eddie Daniels for his interpretive conducting.

A native of Colorado, Thomas received his Ph.D. in Music with an emphasis in conducting from the University of Minnesota and both his Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in Music Education from the University of Utah. He has studied with such noted conductors as Craig Kirchhoff, John Whitwell, Donald Schleicher, and Loel Hepworth and has studied in master classes with Frederick Fennell, Alan McMurray, Tim Salzman, and Mallory Thompson. He is also an active performer most recently playing clarinet and bass clarinet with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic. He is retired from the US Army National Guard where he served for over 20 years as a conductor, clarinet, and saxophone player. Prior to his appointment at MTSU, Thomas held positions as the Director of Instrumental Studies at Indiana-Purdue University Ft. Wayne in Indiana and as the Director of Bands at Adams State College in Colorado and taught at two public high schools in Utah. He is a member of the College Band Directors National Association, the National Band Association, the Conductors Guild, Music Educators National Conference, Middle Tennessee School Band and Orchestra Association, Pi Kappa Lambda, and Kappa Kappa Psi.

Dr Thomas also plans to record Nigel’s `Heritage Suite’ for the Naxos label in December 2010.

Nigel on `Premonitions’ and Simon’s recording

“I have always found writing for unaccompanied instruments a unique challenge, as you cannot hide behind fancy orchestrations and fistfuls of piano chords and flourishes. It has to be ‘pure’ music. Commissioned originally by the Leggett Awards for young brass players, ‘Premonitions’ was included as a set piece in their 1990 audition programme. It is thrilling that Simon Cheney’s recording marks the 20^th anniversary of this work! `Premonitions’ is written as three short prophetic fanfares with the trumpet taking on a proclamatory role similar to that found in Charles Ives’ `Unanswered Question’. In my view Simon’s CD `An English Trumpeter’ is trumpet playing at its very, very best!”

About Simon Cheney

Simon Cheney studied with International soloist James Watson and William Houghton at The Royal Academy of Music. Simon has taken part in many recitals and broadcasts notably those sponsored by Musical Opinion, performing in the UK and throughout Europe.  In Malmo, Sweden, he gave a  performance that was broadcast of ‘A Piece for Miles’ for solo trumpet by Simon Bainbridge at the invitation of the composer. In 1993 Simon was invited to play as soloist, performing John Stanley’s Trumpet Tune in D, at Viscount Linley’s and the Hon. Serena Stanthorp’s Royal Wedding at St Margaret’s Church Westminster in the presence of Her Majesty The Queen.

Simon has held principal trumpet positions with the Porto Sinfonia, Koenig Ensemble for whom he performed as a soloist throughout the UK and Europe. For the past ten years he has been principal trumpet in the Phantom of the Opera Orchestra which has allows him the time to work with London’s major orchestra’s, opera houses and ensembles . Famous Maestros with whom he has played include Carlos Klieber, Sir Georg Solti, Sir Colin Davis, Lorin Maazel,Thomas Ades, Sir Charles Mackerras, Bernard Haitink, John Barry, Antonio Pappano and Sir Simon Rattle. As a guest with Desford Colliery Band and world famous Black Dyke Band he played in winning performances at the Masters Open Championships and the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain at the Royal Albert Hall.

To find this download, just type in “Nigel Clarke” on iTunes.

Nigel’s commission will take the form of a short energetic overture entitled `Their Finest Hour’. The overture’s title is taken from  a speech  given by Winston Churchill on 18 June 1940. Allied pilots known as the `The Few’ numbered 2353 British and 574 from overseas. The battle saw 544 lives lost with a further 791 lost before the end of the war. The battle was fought over Britain between 10th July and 31th October. For more information go to the Battle of Britain History Site.

The premiere of `Their Finest Hour’ will be given by the Central Band of the Royal Air Force under the baton of Wing Commander Duncan Stubbs and will take place on 1<sup>st</sup> October 2010, RAF Northolt and will be broadcast on BBC Radio 2 as part of Friday Night Is Music Night tribute concert to `The Few’.

The Castle of Lavaux-Sainte-Anne

Eynsford Concert Band under the direction of John Hutchins are to perform Nigel’s `Heritage Suite’ (What Hope Saw) in the historic Castle of Lavaux-Sainte-Anne, Belgium on October 30th. Other composers to be featured are Adam Gorb, Martin Ellerby, Guy Woolfenden, Roger Cichy and Richard Wagner. Eynsford Concert Band member David Chapman (French Horn/Piano) wrote an article for `Winds Magazine’ (Winter 2009) about  the bands collaboration with Nigel on this work and how they saw `Heritage Suite’ grow over the weeks. The premiere recording of `Heritage Suite’ made by the band  will soon be available on ITunes.

To read David Chapman’s article,  go to: http://www.nigel-clarke.co.uk/?page_id=648

Tracks featured are: Spiriti and A Tale As Yet Untold (Cory Band); Concerto Grosso (Eikanger-Bjorsvik Musikklag); Earthrise (Brass Band Buizingen) with extracts from the Gala and Farewell Concerts.

Pre-order Highlights from the European Brass Band Championships 2010 on CD now!

Special price for pre-orders received before 1st July!

Price before 1st July; £15.95. (Price from 1st July; £17.95)

CD available August 2010. To order now, see link:

www.worldofbrass.com/acatalog/25047.html

In September the World of Brass will also be issue a DVD of highlights from the 2010 European Brass Band Championships with Tricks to include:

Spiriti and A Tale As Yet Untold (Cory Band); Concerto Grosso (Eikanger-Bjorsvik Musikklag); Earthrise (Brass Band Buizingen) with extracts from the Gala and Farewell Concerts.

Pre-order Highlights from the European Brass Band Championships 2010 on DVD now!

Special price for pre-orders received before 1st July!

Price before 1st July; £17.95. (Price from 1st July; £19.95)

DVD available September 2010 To order now, see link:

www.worldofbrass.com/acatalog/26088.html

This DVD is produced in PAL format only. Customers in North America should check their equipment for compatability before purchasing. The DVD will play on all PCs, lap-tops and DVD players which have ‘all region’ capability.

Presentation photograph by Lut Mois

Conductor Luc Vertommen and Brass Band Buizingen presented Nigel Clarke with a specially deigned photograph to thank him for composing `Earthrise’. The presentation took place before the Euro Brass Championships. The collage was designed by Lut Mols the wife of a previous member of  Brass Band Buizingen. After the presentation the Band gave yet another stunning performance of `Earthrise’ in the Euro Brass Championships, Drachten, Netherlands.

British Clarinet Quintets

Contemporary Excellence

The clarinet quintet format has inspired many composers, which encouraged top player, Linda Merrick, to record works by four contemporary British names: Edwin Roxburgh, Kit Turnbull, Nigel Clarke and Martin Ellerby. This release displays them in absorbing light, with contrasting styles adding to the overall effect of groundbreaking writing and intense performance. The Navarra Quartet are an ideal foil, with Clarke’s Equiano capturing the imagination in particular.

Review: The Musician, Summer 2010

Naxos CD – BRITISH CLARINET QUINTETS (9.70122)