New Conductor for Surrey Brass

Details: Category: Forthcoming Events

New Conductor for Surrey Brass

Surrey Brass is delighted to announce that Robin Smith will be returning as our conductor in Autumn 2019. Robin replaces Jonathan Spencer who after several years is moving abroad to become the Bandmaster of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment.

As the first Musical Director of Surrey Brass, Robin Smith was influential during its founding. He is the third generation of his family to be a brass player: his grandfather was a renowned cornetist with the Gloucester Salvation Army and his father, Malcolm ‘Smudge’ Smith was Principal Trumpet with the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House.

Robin studied the trumpet at the Royal College of Music and the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. Today, he is a professional trumpeter, conductor, and educator in London having performed or recorded with most of the major London symphony orchestras, including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Opera House Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra. Further afield he has worked with Guildford Philharmonic, The Ulster Orchestra and Orquesta Symphonica de Tenerife.

Recent conducting ventures have included performances at St. John’s Smith Square, Cadogan Hall, Southwark Cathedral and St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Robin’s main passion in music is education. He specialises in coaching brass ensembles currently having six under his baton, including the Dulwich Brass Collective. He is Head of Brass at Dulwich College. Living in South East London, Robin has taught the fourth and fifth generations of Smiths to play the trumpet, his sister Katie and children Erin & Toby.

Gibraltar Tour 2020

Details: Category: Forthcoming Events

Gibraltar Tour 2020

Surrey Brass intends to undertake a short tour to Gibraltar during the summer of 2020.

During this, our first tour abroad, Surrey Brass will renew our performing relationship with our conductor Jonathan Spencer who will by then have become Bandmaster of The Band and Corps of Drums of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment.

We plan to perform a concert within the famous St. Michael's Cave within the Rock of Gibraltar. Surrey Brass has performed in a number of unusual places but this will certainly be the first time Surrey Brass will have performed underground!

The cave in the Rock has been a popular concert hall for many years, with a long prior history of being used for many other purposes. The rock formations are fantastically beautiful and have a unique acoustic. It is set to be a busy weekend with a concert by Surrey Brass, Musical collaboration with The Band and Corps of Drums of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment together with an educational event for young local players and of course some social engagements.

We hope this tour will be supported by the Ministry of Culture and other arts promotion organisations on the Rock.

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Would your organisation be interested in sponsoring Surrey Brass for this tour? What should we play in the concert - Greig's In the Hall of the Mountain King? - Contact us!

Fundraising

Without doubt the tour to Gibraltar is is the most expensive project Surrey Brass has attempted since formation in 2001 and we need help with funding to make it happen.

Being in the audience for our concerts is always a great way to support Surrey Brass and we hope you can attend several before the tour begins. If your organisation could be interested in supporting us please Contact us.

You can help us raise funds by signing up to easyfundraising.org.uk and visiting there before going shopping online. Click through any banner on our website like the one below before you shop online! It won't cost you a penny.