British Brass Band perform "Composer Program" as part of Spotlight

Under direction of Phil Smith, The UGA British Brass Band will be featuring music by outstanding composer, James Curnow on Friday, November 5th at 7:30 in Hodgson Hall. Having been commissioned to write over 400 works for concert band, brass band, orchestra, choir and various vocal and instrumental ensembles, his total published works now number well over 800! He has taught all areas and levels of instrumental music, and has received numerous awards for teaching and composition, including the Outstanding Educator of America, the Citation of Excellence from the National Bandmasters Association, the North American Brass Band President's Award, the Volkwein Composition Award (twice), the American Bandmasters Association Ostwald Award (twice), the International Competition for Original Compositions for Band, and the Coup de Vents Composition Competition of Le Havre, France.

This "composer" oriented program will also feature world premiere compositions by our own Dr. James Naigus, and Cameron Gwynn, a former HHSOM composition grad, now working on his MM at Miami’s Frost School of Music.

Dr. Naigus will also be featured as soloist on a couple of short works by his teacher, Dr. Paul Basler from University of Florida.

Another young composer and former Solo Euphonium player of the James Madison University Brass Band, Dr. Joel Collier, will have his composition “Annie Laurie” performed.

This concert is presented admission-free and is part of the Spotlight on the Arts Festival happening throughout November.