Peebles’ music season continues on Tuesday, November 6, as Pure Brass promises to delight fans of brass instruments as much as the Brodsky Quartet delighted lovers of strings in October.
“This exciting and versatile young quintet brings astonishing virtuosity to music spanning six centuries,” writes the musicians’ publicist. “Pure Brass have been thrilling audiences since 2006, in venues as diverse as St Magnus Cathedral and T in the Park, collecting many prizes along the way.”
The group has won a variety of competitions, including the RSAMD Governors’ Prize for Chamber Music – which was subsequently made into a recording for BBC Radio Scotland – the Mary D Adams Award and the Norman Cooper Prize at the Aberdeen International Youth Festival.
“Pure Brass is an exciting young Scottish brass quintet who have quickly made a name for themselves, not only as brilliant musicians but also as great entertainers,” said John Fox, president of Music in Peebles. “Their concert in Peebles showcases their great virtuosity and also the breadth of their musical interests, spanning from the Renaissance to the present. On the programme are Gabrieli and jazz, Bach and the Beatles – something for everyone!”
The brass quintet is composed of five graduates of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland: Andrew Connell-Smith and Ian Archibald on trumpet, Martin Murphy on horn, Gordon Seith on trombone and Fraser Russell on tuba. Their programme ranges from Gabrieli, through Bach and Mussorgsky to Peter Maxwell Davies and Steve Reich – and there will even be some jazz, blues and the Beatles.
“Central to Pure Brass’s ethos is providing concerts which are musically challenging but accessible to all,” their publicist continues: “Presented in their own individual style, spoken programme notes are a must alongside demonstrations, and even the occasional bit of audience participation. Introduced and delivered with their own unique panache, this concert has something for everyone.”
They have a passion for new music and have performed premieres at the Scottish Music Centre’s 2012 Composers Marathon, the Sounds New Festival in Canterbury, Scotland’s premier contemporary music festival Plug, and a sell-out recital of contemporary music at the RSAMD.
The quintet has performed in solo recitals in some of the UK’s leading venues including the Wigmore Hall, the Usher Hall, and Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. In 2012 they closed the Sommernachtspiele festival in Nuremburg, and have performed at festivals such as the Sauerland-Herbst Festival Germany, and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Pure Brass will also be presenting workshops in local schools in the lead-up to the concert, funded by Enterprise Music Scotland. John Fox welcomed this, saying: “As well as promoting high-quality chamber music concerts, Music in Peebles is also committed to making live music available to young people. As Pure Brass are also passionate about music education, we are delighted that they will be spending two days in Peebles, during which time they will present workshops in three local schools.”
The Pure Brass’ concert, which is open to all, is in the Eastgate Theatre, Peebles on Tuesday 6 November, starting at 7.30 pm. Tickets cost £13 from the Eastgate Box Office (tel.01721 725777). Entry is free for school students and members of Music in Peebles. For more info, visit www.eastgatearts.com