Hello everyone. Over the next week I'll be posting a regular blog about the Royal Northern College of Music's contribution to the conference.
As I write this, we are just about to start the dress rehearsal for our performance tonight in Manchester of the programme we will play in Cincinnati. We've chosen to feature British composers with whom (in most cases) we have personal connections. Three of them are faculty members here: Adam Gorb, Gary Carpenter&David Horne. Edward Gregson is a former Principal of the college. Eddie Roxburgh is a great friend of the college and a mentor to Paul Goodey, Head of the School of Wind Brass & Percussion. It was Paul who introduced us to the music of Michael Oliva last year. I don't think any of us can claim a personal connection to Vaughan Williams (although Tim is definitely old enough!).
From a personal point of view, I'm looking forward to conducting at a WASBE conference for the first time. My first experience of WASBE was 1991 in Manchester when I played in the RNCM Wind Orchestra as a first year tuba student, under the batons of Tim Reynish and Clark Rundell. So it's a privilege to be sharing the podium with them on our trip to Cincinnati.
thanks,
Mark Heron
