ONYX BRASS

Blog Archives

Festmusik: A Legacy Released

We are pleased to announce that our latest recording, Festmusik: A Legacy is now available to the general public. Recorded by Chandos Records, it’s available in multiple formats across all the major streaming services, it’s another collaboration with the award winning conductor John Wilson, the acclaimed British brass chamber group, Septura and other talented friends that is guaranteed to raise the roof. For more information about the genesis of the whole project, take a look at the full promotional release video including an interview with David Gordon Shute that gives an idea of the decades of planning that has gone into the project.

To purchase a copy or stream and to find out more information on the music we have recorded on the release, click here.

Imperial College Concert YouTube Premiere Link

Onyx Brass at Imperial College Lunchtime Series

January 28th at 12.45pm sees the release of our pre-recorded concert that we made back in December for the Imperial College Lunchtime Series. Use the YouTube window above to view it via the IC Channel. It includes a 15 minute “Live Notes” chat by Dr Bruno Bower beforehand.

Guest Trumpets – Phil Cobb, Ryan Linham

Kenny Wheeler One for Five video released on YouTube

Onyx Brass perform One for Five at JAM on the Marsh:Virtual

Six months ago in July 2020 we recorded a virtual concert for JAM on the Marsh:Virtual in Hythe. Included in the programme was the first movement of Kenny Wheeler’s One for Five and we are pleased to have uploaded the full version to YouTube for for everyone to watch.

This piece was the whole genesis of the Onyx Noir jazz disc, produced by NMC Recordings, it served as inspiration for the other eleven composers featured to contribute. Should you be interested in hearing the second movement or indeed the whole disc, click here.

A huge thank you goes to Ed Armitage and all the team at JAM for allowing us to use this recording on our YouTube Channel.

New Shostakovich Fugue Video

To go with the December sale on at Onyx Brass Publishing, we’ve created a two and a half minute video of all the Shostakovich fugues mashed together! It’s an attempt to highlight some of the best bits of all ten that we recorded on Fugue. See what you think!

Purchase a copy of the CD

For those interested in the order:
1, G major 2, B minor 3, D major 4, A flat major 5, E minor 6, C major 7, G minor 8, G sharp minor 9, D flat major 10, D minor

New #1Minuteof Video Released to go with Sheet Music Publication

Recorded back in July 2020 for JAM on the Marsh Virtual, this short #1Minuteof clip features Inevitable Outcome by Jason Rebello. We’ve released it to coincide with the publication of the sheet music at Onyx Brass Publishing and it joins For Rosie by Mark Nightingale from Onyx Noir in being available for purchase from the OBP website.

It also joins the ever-growing set of pieces on our 1 Minute of playlist over at our YouTube Channel. Purchase your hard copy or download by clicking here.

Onyx Perform Malcolm Arnold Quintet at 2020 Malcolm Arnold Festival

Saturday 17th October sees us performing Malcolm Arnold’s Brass Quintet no.1 for the 2020 Malcolm Arnold Festival.

Due to the current COVID restrictions, we recorded the piece a few weeks ago so you can catch it online from the comfort of your own home at 730pm as part of the evening concert. The festival itself is run by the Malcolm Arnold Society and sees a large number of events from 16th-18th Oct.

Huge thanks goes to Ryan Linham for stepping in at the last moment when Alan was ill.

As a taster, here’s a #1minuteof clip of the 3rd movement.

Onyx Brass record Festmusik by Richard Strauss with John Wilson

Festmusik der Stadt Wien, Onyx Brass, John Wilson

Over the weekend of 4/5 October, we got together along with a few friends to record a new disc for Chandos Records. Revisiting our collaboration with John Wilson from Fanfares, the recording has Festmusik der Stadt Wien by Richard Strauss as its centrepiece and brought together the finest brass-playing talent from across Britain.

Also included on the disc will be new arrangements of vocal motets, again by Strauss and smaller scale transcriptions for the quintet of music by Brahms, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Rubinstein and Franz.

We will keep you posted with the release date.

Here is the line up:

Trumpets – Alan Thomas, Niall Keatley, Philip Cobb, James Fountain, Christian Barraclough, Simon Cox, Ryan Linham, Catherine Knight, Richard Blake, Matthew Williams
Trombones – Amos Miller, Peter Moore, Matthew Gee, Matthew Knight, Richard Watkin
Bass Trombones – Dan West, Paul Lambert
Tubas – David Gordon Shute Sasha Koushk-Jalali
Horns – Andrew Sutton, David Pyatt
Timpani – Scott Bywater