SEPTURA BRASS
Salomon Series - October 30, 2022
2:00pm at town hall
We are delighted to present Septura Brass in their first appearance in New York. This acclaimed ensemble brings together London’s leading players to redefine brass chamber music through the uniquely expressive sound of the brass septet.
Program:
Finzi: God is Gone Up
Elgar: Serenade
Pete Walton: Time Out of Joint (NY premiere)
Gershwin: Three Preludes
Copland: Appalachian Spring
The Twentieth Century saw the development of a deep political partnership between the United Kingdom and the United States. But whilst our two nations share much common ground – not least an affinity for brass instruments – they also each possess very different cultural background, played out in their unique musical styles. Septura explore this contrast through the works of four early twentieth-century composers who defined Britain and America in music: Finzi, Elgar, Copland and Gershwin, all brought to life through transcriptions for brass septet.
- Septura Brass
Artists:
Trumpets: Aaron Akugbo, James Fountain, Simon Cox
Trombones: Matthew Gee, Matthew Knight, Simon Minshall
Tuba: Peter Smith
BIO:
Septura brings together London’s leading players to redefine brass chamber music through the uniquely expressive sound of the brass septet. By creating a canon of transcriptions, arrangements, and new commissions for this brand new classical configuration, Septura aims to re-cast the brass ensemble as a serious artistic medium.
Currently Ensemble in Residence at the Royal Academy of Music, London, the group is recording a series of 10 discs for Naxos Records, each focused on a particular period, genre and set of composers, creating a ‘counter-factual history’ of brass chamber music.
The first seven discs have received critical acclaim, described variously as “irresistible” (Fiona Maddocks, The Observer), “dazzlingly polished” (Anna Picard, BBC Music Magazine) and “brass playing at its most exalted” (Robert Markow, Fanfare). In addition, Christmas with Septura was released in 2016, and Septura’s unique version of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker narrated by Sir Derek Jacobi was released in 2019.
Weaving this ever-increasing repertoire into captivating live events, Septura is gaining a reputation for engaging audiences with innovative and imaginative programming. To date the group has performed in New Zealand, Japan, the USA and all over Europe. UK highlights have included performances at the Wigmore Hall.
Septura’s members are the leading players of the new generation of British brass musicians, holding principal positions in the London Symphony, Royal Philharmonic, London Philharmonic, BBC Symphony, Philharmonia, Basel Symphony and Aurora orchestras.