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Category: Projects

Cecil Hepworth and the Silent Film Industry

Surrey Brass spent several years commissioning and performing music for the silent films of Cecil Hepworth was a pioneering film maker who lived and worked in Walton on Thames at the turn of the 20th Century.

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The Energy Suite by Barry Forgie

Commissioned in 2012 by Surrey Brass, with the support of the RC Sherriff Trust, The "Brass Energy" Suite reflects the relationship between Man and Energy over the years. There is plenty of contrast between the five movements - entitled "Animal", "Steam", "Oil", "Nuclear" and "Recycle" - and mixes classical, jazz, and original styles to produce a very playable and listenable 25 minutes of music.

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First Performance of new Suite for Bass Trumpet by Gordon Carr

On Sunday 18th May 2014, conducted by Les Lake, Surrey Brass featured the First Performance of Gordon Carr’s "Modest Suite for Bass Trumpet" by Gordon Carr, with Bass Trumpet Soloist John Shaddock. This is probably the first piece ever written for Solo Bass Trumpet, and unlike so many new pieces of classical music, is highly approachable with a huge array of beautiful tunes.

John pre-recorded the suite, with piano reduction accompaniment, on YouTube here.

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Surrey Brass commissioned and performed "Concorde" by Rob Davies on Friday 4th May 2007 at  The Wellington Hangar,  Brooklands Aviation and Motorsport Museum, Brooklands Road, Weybridge, Surrey KT13 0QN.

The fantastic 22-minute long piece commemorated every aspect of the recently-retired airliner, further illustrated by a live image show by Ashley Collins. Performers and audience were surrounded by aircraft in the hanger during the performance. During the interval, guests had the opportunity to tour Concorde "Delta Golf", the first production Concorde built in Britain, thanks to the generosity of the Director of Brooklands Aviation and Motorsport Museum. 

Brilliantly combining flavours of John Adams' "Short Ride in a Fast Machine", Big Band Jazz, Steve Reich's music, and much more, Rob Davies creates a sound picture a day in the life of the great aeroplane.

Surrey Brass recorded the piece the same weekend at Studio 1 at the University of Surrey in collaboration with students from the Tonmeister course, and released the music and image show on DVD. This innovative DVD contains a slideshow of hundreds of Concorde images compiled by Ashley Collins, a volunteer at Brooklands Museum which has Concorde "Delta Golf" as its prize exhibit. These are synchronised to the music to present powerful and evocative story of the iconic aeroplane. The DVD is available here.