Musical Summer Fun and Frolics, featuring Surrey Brass. 

Surrey Brass is delighted to feature Guest Conductor Denis Wick. Denis Wick has had for many years an international reputation as trombonist, brass teacher and conductor.  He became principal trombonist  of the London Symphony Orchestra in 1957 and remained there until his retirement in 1988. During his time with the London Symphony, which eventually became the longest tenure of a principal chair in the history of the orchestra, he played under many of the world’s greatest conductors. Despite the demanding schedule of the LSO, Denis has also been a member of the London Sinfonietta and, for a short period, the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble.

Denis Wick: Surrey Brass President

This is Surrey Brass' first venture to Cranleigh!! We look forward to presenting an innovative and entertaining, popular family-oriented show.  

If you are aged 10-15 why not have a BLAST WITH THE BBC? Win a prize!

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Programme

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Surrey Brass is grateful to Denis Wick for loan from his published range of music

Note: Although we anticipate to play the listed music, the musical programme may be subject to change. 
Expect unprogrammed additions for your enjoyment!

Venue Information

	Cranleigh Village Hall seats 280 people. The venue has excellent facilities for everyone including the disabled, including easy wheelchair access, toilet and parking facilities.
Free parking is available on the surrounding streets.	Obtain a map and directions to the  venue by clicking the button.
	Click the button for Train information.    Click the button for Bus information.

Reviews

Saturday 26th June 2004 : SUMMER BLAST! - Surrey Brass - Cranleigh Village Hall

Surrey Brass presented "Summer Blast!" - a selection of brass ensemble music under their guest conductor Denis Wick at Cranleigh village hall on Saturday 26th June. This highly talented group present themselves under the banner "The Innovative and Entertaining Brass Ensemble" and Saturdays programme reinforced the claim.

Previous Surrey Brass concerts this year have focused on programmes as diverse as original music for turn-of-the-century silent movies to Prokofiev's ballet music for Romeo and Juliet, but this programme largely featured original music from the symphonic brass or brass band repertoire, somewhat of an historic personal journey for Denis Wick, featuring composers and arrangers with whom he had formed close associations during his long and illustrious professional career.

A wealth of experience from both brass band conducting and over 30 years as principal trombone with The London Symphony Orchestra encouraged a rich sound from Surrey Brass right from the first piece, Gordon Jacob's "Interludes" - music written for the Festival of Britain in 1951. The same composer wrote a trombone concerto for Denis Wick three years later in 1954, when tonight's conductor was a rising talent as principal trombone of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.

J.S.Bach's "Brandenburg Concerto No.3", arranged for the Philip Jones Brass ensemble by Chris Mowat, extracted the best of Surrey Brass technical skills. Baroque string music arranged for brass demands the finest in legato style over sustained passages but the challenge was met with style. John Goodwin then played a fine arrangement of Sondheim's "Send in the Clowns" for solo flugelhorn - a fine contrast to the relentless intensity of the Bach.

Denis Wicks skill as an arranger was demonstrated in Gustav Holst's "Moorside Suite", adapted for smaller brass ensemble with no loss of tonal interest or variation and a formidable final climax that demonstrated the power on offer from Surrey Brass. Lighter relief came through Chris Hazell's "Cats" - pieces written for the Philip Jones ensemble (by his recording engineer, of all people!) to illustrate the individual character of the composer's pet cats, Borage, Mr Jums and Kraken.

After a short interval, the audience was treated to Handel's "Arrival of the Queen of Sheba" followed by a solo performance of "The Londonderry Air" tastefully executed by the ensembles principal trombone, Diane Prince. Hoagy Carmichaels "Stardust" on solo horn (Nathan Thomas) was followed by Ray Premru's "Divertimento", finishing with the famous "Blues March" and its ear-splitting high trumpet riff - perhaps the most popular number of the night judging from the audience applause.

The next Surrey Brass concert will be completely different, featuring a multimedia programme of film music, on 16th October at St. Saviours Church in Guildford, with a programme containing music from many recent blockbuster movies. Full details and tickets from https://surreybrass.co.uk/

Steven Bishop

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