PROFESSOR DAVID KING

Australian by birth, David King is regarded as one of the most dynamic figures in the world of brass today. As a conductor Professor David King holds a prominent position in Europe and is revered as one of the most successful present day conductors on the concert and contest platform.

Regarded by his peers as a leading interpreter of wind music, Professor David King has commissioned, choreographed, directed and premiered award winning thematic projects for the concert platform working in collaboration with numerous internationally acclaimed composers for the genre.

Premiered and choreographed concert projects include –
Voice of the Vikings (Aaggard Nilsen) Grieg Hall, Bergen.
Cry of the Celts (Peter Graham) Barbican Theatre, London.
Windows of the World (Peter Graham) Symphony Hall, Birmingham.
Hymn of the Highlands (Philip Sparke) Palais des Beaux Arts, Brussels.
Celtic Fusions (Robin Dewhurst) Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow.

David King has a discography which includes 22 award winning commercial recordings of wind music including the ‘Essays in Brass’ series and triple CD compilation – ‘Kings of Europe’.

David King has represented England in the European Brass Band Championships on eleven occasions as a conductor and has won the title ten times, twice with Black Dyke Mills Band (1990 & 91) and eight times with the Yorkshire Building Society Band (1996/97/99/2000/2001/2002/2003 & 2004.)

Professor King has also been awarded the Mortimer Prize as winning conductor at the British Open Brass Band Championships on four occasions (1997/1999/2001/2003) as conductor of the Yorkshire Building Society Band. He has also won the Norwegian National Championships on six occasions (1994/95/96/97 & 03/04).

I n 2002 David King was appointed Musical Director of the 'Massed Bands of the North West of England' to perform in the closing ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in Manchester. He was also guest conductor at the World Expo, Switzerland 2002.

In 2006 Professor David King was appointed Conductor Laureate to HM Coldstream Guards Band, the first civilian musician to be linked with the Ministry of Defence in this capacity. He has since been guest conductor of HM Royal Marines Band.

David King is Director of National Australia Brass and Advisory Consultant to the Federation of Australasian Brass Bands. He is also an advisory consultant and artist for Yamaha Music.

He has previously adjudicated the EBBA European Brass Band Championships, the National Championships in Holland, Sweden, Switzerland, Australia and New Zealand and at the Royal Albert Hall - National Championships of Great Britain in 2007 & 8 where he will be adjudicating the world premiere of the Kapitol / FABB joint commission – The Torchbearers on October 17th 2009.

PROFESSOR PETER GRAHAM

Whether as arranger (“Cry of the Celts..an extraordinary arrangement, exuberant, extrovert” The Times) or composer (“Harrison’s Dream is an absolute knockout” American Record Guide), Peter Graham’s work has been celebrated by performers and audiences alike.

Born in Scotland (a native Lallans speaker) he read music at Edinburgh and London Universities (Goldsmiths’ College) and following spells in publishing in New York and London he is currently Professor of Composition at the University of Salford in Greater Manchester, England.

His music is performed across the globe, from China, Japan, Korea and Singapore in the Far East to every major European country. Performers have included the Royal Philharmonic, New Zealand Symphony and the White House Orchestras, the Royal Concertgebouw and Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra Brass, the Osaka Municipal Symphonic and United States Air Force Bands and the Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra. As a former composer in residence to the Coldstream Guards Band he was presented to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh and his music represented at a private Royal Command Performance in Windsor Castle.

Described by British Bandsman Magazine as “a spectacularly imaginative and innovative talent”, he attributes his interest in brass to lessons from his father at the local Salvation Army band in Ayr, on the west coast of Scotland. He has written for all levels of brass band, from educational concert music to the most demanding test-piece and is in the unique position of having had his music performed in every major brass band competition worldwide.

His music for brass has also been arranged for various ensembles, from fanfare bands of the Benelux countries to marching bands in the USA. The famous Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps’ most successful show to date (Colors of Brass and Percussion) was built entirely around his compositions The Essence of Time and Montage.

Peter Graham’s music has won many prizes, and in 2002 he became the first composer outside of the USA to win the American Bandmasters Association/Ostwald Award for Original Composition for Symphonic Winds.

His arrangements and orchestrations have been performed on most British TV and Radio stations and frequently on BBC TV’s Songs of Praise. He has written for and collaborated with some of the world’s leading performers including Karl Jenkins (as co-arranger and orchestrator on the EMI album This Land of Ours), Evelyn Glennie (as composer and orchestrator on the Grammy nominated BMG Classics/RCA album Reflected in Brass), The Beautiful South (brass orchestrator on the Universal/Mercury album Painting it Red) and Peter Gabriel. He was brass orchestrator on the Universal album Together, featuring the ISB and Lesley Garrett (nominated as Album of the Year at the 2009 Classical Brit Awards).

Peter Graham lives in Cheshire (and occasionally Scotland!) with his wife Janey, son Ryan and daughter Megan.

STEVE BASTABLE

Steve Bastable has a wealth of brass band experience, as a cornet player with bands such as Black Dyke & Fairey’s and also, as a conductor with many of the leading bands throughout the UK.

Born in Birmingham, Steve studied at the University of Salford with David King, graduating with a BA (Hons) and gaining distinction as a conductor in his final year.

Having played cornet since the age of twelve, Steve progressed through the ranks of various local bands to become a Solo Cornet player with Black Dyke & Fairey’s. As a player, he has won all the major contests, including the British Open, Nationals, European & the All England Masters.

He has performed all over the world with various bands and has played on many recordings. Steve finished playing the cornet after accepting an offer to work in Hong Kong.

Upon moving back to the UK, Steve returned to brass bands as conductor of the Tredegar Band. He led them with much success, including numerous appearances at the British Open, National & European Championships. Achievements included becoming Welsh Champions & runners up at the National Championships at the Royal Albert Hall.

Following his time with Tredegar, Steve was given the opportunity to work with many of the UK’s leading bands such as Fairey’s, Fodens & Grimethorpe, both in concert & contest performances. During this period, he also conducted the Stavanger and Sola Bands in Norway, leading both to the National Championships in Bergen, with Sola winning the First Section National title.

As a conductor, Steve has directed prize-winning performances at all of the major British competitions. His final three years based in the UK involved working on a regular basis with the Kirkintilloch & Staffordshire Bands. Highlights included an unprecedented 4th place for Kirkie at the British Open & numerous contest wins for Staffs, which resulted in a very significant rise for them into the top 20 rankings.

Steve, an adjudicator at the 2008 inaugural Australasian Open, left the UK at the beginning of 2007 and currently lives & works in Melbourne, Australia.