The 2024 National Champions of Great Britain, Flowers Band returns to Newbury Spring Festiva
Flowers Band
Flowers Band

The 2024 National Champions of Great Britain, Flowers Band returns to Newbury Spring Festival with a programme that really does have something for everyone, including Orbital by Ivor Novello award-winning composer, Richard Blackford.

This exciting work is Richard’s first work for Brass Band and Flowers Band are delighted to be part of the consortium that have commissioned this major piece, with support from BBC Radio 3 and The Radcliffe Trust.

Other programme highlights include a world premiere of a new major work for euphonium from the pen of Lucy Pankhurst.

The piece will be performed by Dan Thomas, the band’s Solo Euphonium player, one of the world’s most in demand euphonium soloists.

The band will also perform a world premiere of a new concert opener by Kelly-Marie Murphy, a renowned Canada-based composer who has written for ensembles such as the Vancouver, Winnipeg, and Toronto Symphony Orchestras.

The rest of the programme will feature the band’s stellar soloists, and will include music from well-known film, and more original music for brass band.

Performers
Paul Holland conductor
Dan Thomas euphonium
Flowers Band

Programme to include:
Kelly-Marie Murphy new work
Richard Blackford Orbital
Lucy Pankhurst
new work for euphonium

Sponsored by Greenham Trust

The Newbury Spring Festival

Newbury Spring Festival is one of the most popular and successful music festivals in the South of England.

Over the last years the Festival has grown hugely in size and quality building up a reputation of international status.

The very best young musical stars appear alongside some of the world’s most distinguished and famous names.

Newbury Spring Festival is a glorious fortnight of world class music in Newbury and its beautiful neighbouring villages, with up to 45 events in 18 venues, and where international symphony orchestras, ensembles and soloists rub shoulders with jazz legends, world music artists and the stars of tomorrow.

The Festival was founded in 1979 to provide the opportunity to promote culture in the region by creating an annual festival accessible to all.

It aims to bring excellent, new and innovative work from around the world to a variety of local venues adding to the economic and cultural wellbeing of the area, and to continue to create opportunities for young people, existing and new audiences to enjoy the arts.

Newbury Spring Festival is funded entirely by private donation, charitable giving and corporate sponsorship and enjoys its reputation as one of the most important cultural events in the region, attracting audiences of several thousand each year from the immediate area and beyond.

Over the past few years, highlights have included the Soweto Gospel Choir at Douai Abbey which has become one of the Festival’s major venues and established a tradition of world class choirs.

Also in 2006, the Victoria Mullova Ensemble performed an unforgettable concert at Englefield House.

In 2008 John Williams and Emanuel Ax both performed in the Corn Exchange, developing a pattern of an International Celebrity Recital Series in this venue.

In 2004 the Tibetan Monks from Tashi Lhunpo Monastry took part in an exciting week long Festival residency.

Discover more from West Berkshire Villagers

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading