The International Brass Band Summer School in 2022 was genuinely Sun, Sea and Brass, held at the University of Wales, Swansea in the beautiful surroundings on the Gower peninsular. The delegates came together from around the world. The course was directed by Black Dyke’s Professor Nicholas Childs.
The course was a mixture of musical education with a holiday atmosphere with like-minded musicians.
The course fee included individual en-suite accommodation, Breakfast, evening meal and all your tutorials. This was the first time for IBBSS to hold its course at the Bay Campus and from the reaction of the delegates they thought the facilities were outstanding.
The new facilities are fantastic. Benjamin Koch, Eglisau, Switzerland
Loved the new campus! Good food, tutor room and band rehearsals all close. Barbara Stockli, Zurich, Switzerland
Love the new facilities here on the campus, can’t think of anything how to improve. Doug Ruby, USA
The IBBSS tutors included
Cornets Richard Marshall, Black Dyke – Tom Hutchinson - Cory and Chris Turner. Horns Owen Farr, Euphoniums and Baritones Gary Curtin, Fodens and Dan Thomas Black Dyke. Trombones Brett Baker Black Dyke, Tubas Matt Routley Black Dyke, Percussion Neil Edwards and Mark Thackrah Black Dyke.
Our composer in residence was Norwegian Fredrick Schjelderup where we enjoyed gaining a special insight through the composer himself. “Thank you so much for some amazing days at IBBSS.I really understand why people travel from all over to visit this course. This has been one of the greatest weeks for a long time, great staff and wonderful delegates.”
Fredrick Schjelderup
IBBSS has two single bands, Cardinal and Symphony, all joining together for a special massed bands. Tuition included Individual lessons, full band rehearsals, Sectional practices, Ensemble tuition, Conducting. This year’s Sight Reading sessions included Eric Ball’s Resurgam and Edward Gregson’s Of Distant Memories.
Delegates had the opportunity to prepare solos with our resident accompanist, Chris Williams, (Official Accompanist at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama) and some performed in the Delegates Concert at the end of the week.
Each night there was wonderful solo recitals from the IBBSS World class tutors.
There was a fantastic Quiz night with our very own Quiz master, Matthew Routley. On Wednesday evening IBBSS created 3 bands where we enjoyed our own Brass in Contest, with a format including a march, a hymn setting and a set test piece, this year’s piece was the Heroic March from Percy Fletcher’s An Epic Symphony.
On 1st August we even had our own celebrations to commemorate Swiss National Day and not forgetting Yorkshire Day too!
Thursday night represented an ensembles concert. This gave the trombones and horn sections a chance to perform in a concert environment. The evening closed with our own all ladies ensemble ‘Girls Alone’ This featured Siobhan Bates in Upon Green Vales, before the ensemble’s finale ‘For Your Eyes Only.
One of the highlights was having the Gala Concert in the magnificent Great Hall.
“The concert was amazing. I think the acoustic was simply outstanding. I sat in the centre of the audience, the sound was exceptional. You could hear the percussion easily without it overloading. The best live brass band concert I have heard for a long time”. Christopher Jones, Swansea
The End of course concert featured the Symphony and Cardinal Bands who performed music including Fredrick’s New Beginnings and Fantasy of Joy. There was music from the movies Star Wars and West Side Story, with Paul Lovatt-Cooper’s Fire in the Blood as one of the finales. Guest Soloists within the concert included Richard Marshall, Gary Curtin and Dan Thomas playing Charavari, Neath Dublin Skies and Bravura respectively.
The IBBSS massed bands is always special and this year didn’t disappoint. Including R. B. Hall’s New Colonial and the March of the Appian Way from Pines of Rome.
A poignant moment was when the massed dedicated their encore I’ll Walk with God, to past delegates who have sadly passed away during the pandemic, including Morfydd Childs, Frank Matley and Bryan Warrington.
The course proved even more memorable when the flugel and tenor horns were announced as “Section of the Week”. After a great concert we had Karaoke and the legendary end of course party, which finished on a different day to when it started!!
