Online shop, YouTube, RNCM and some highlights from 2024

I can't believe it's almost a month since Christmas, flying into all kinds of projects including the exciting upcoming RNCM International Brass Band Festival this weekend (26 January). I'm privileged that I usually have a piece played and this year it's Silver Rose, actually one of the first brass band pieces I wrote (2014), performed by none other than the mighty Brighouse and Rastrick Band. The conductor is David Bremner, all the way from New Zealand, and narrator Micha Lazarus, a descendant of WW1 poet Isaac Rosenberg.

I'm hugely looking forward to the whole weekend including Athena Brass Band on the Saturday morning. Their principal cornet Jen Oliverio recently played my 'The Eagle' - there's a great recording on my (relatively new) YouTube channel. Thanks Jen for programming this.

I also have a new online shop - and am adding new titles regularly. Please do take a look! Thanks to my good friend and fellow musician Nigel Howard for sorting this for me.

2024 was another busy year, including my 'Rhythm of Light' being chosen for the Brass Band Conductors' Association Conducting Competition. The fantastic Regent Brass with their conductor Alan Duguid went on to perform this as a test piece at the Scottish Challenge in Perth, where I joined them and also got to know another part of the UK. I so love the travelling I get to do!

I also wrote an anthem, A Greater Love, for the Royal School of Church Music summer course - 80+ super talented young singers co-created the middle section and learnt it on the day of the concert; it was also performed at Bath Abbey Evensong.

I had a fabulous time working with Shepherd Brass, all five bands of all ages, writing Modular 20 to celebrate 20 years of their partnership with the Shepherd Group. Several trips to lovely York and even a visit to the factory to curate industrial sounds!

And I had a wonderful time working with the National Youth Harp Orchestra, writing them a new piece called Emerald Waltz. What a sound all those harps made at the concert and I can't wait to hear the recording.

Coming up this year? A choral commission for a golden wedding anniversary, music for a youth band theatre production, and something a little different for soloist and brass band. More on that later.

Thank you to everyone who continues to commission, support and champion my music - and all the connections and friendships that involves. I appreciate it so much.