David Childs
www.davechilds.com
David Childs is regarded as one of the finest brass musicians of his generation. He has appeared as soloist with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Royal Philharmonic, BBC Concert Orchestra, Sinfonia Cymru, DCINY Symphony and BBC Philharmonic; made solo appearances at the Singapore International Festival, Welsh Proms, Harrogate International Festival, Cheltenham Festival, Melbourne International Festival, BBC Proms and New York Festival; performed solo recitals at the Wigmore Hall, Purcell Room and Bridgewater Hall; given Concerto performances at the Concertgebouw, Carnegie Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Symphony Hall, New York’s Lincoln Center and London’s Royal Albert Hall; and regularly records as a solo artist for radio, television and commercial disc.
David tours extensively performing in Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East, Japan, Hong Kong, Europe and the U.S.A. He is a keen advocate of new music and has premièred ten concerti for euphonium including a Royal Albert Hall BBC Proms broadcast of Alun Hoddinott's, 'Sunne Rising - The King Will Ride’, a Carnegie Hall US première of Karl Jenkins’ Concerto for Euphonium & Orchestra, a televised première of Philip Wilby’s Concerto for Euphonium & Orchestra, and a UK première of Christian Lindberg’s Concerto for Euphonium & Orchestra directed by the composer.
David is an Associate of the Royal College of Music London; a Professor at both the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, and the Birmingham Conservatoire; an Artist for the Buffet Group Besson, Alliance and Reunion Blues; and is Director of Prima Vista Musikk publishing house. He is also a founder member of the highly successful brass quartet Eminence Brass and Artistic Director of Wales’ premiere wind orchestra Cardiff Symphonic Winds.
David is undoubtedly leading the way for euphonium players worldwide. Through his own performances he continues to showcase the euphonium as a serious solo vehicle within the world of classical music.
David tours extensively performing in Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East, Japan, Hong Kong, Europe and the U.S.A. He is a keen advocate of new music and has premièred ten concerti for euphonium including a Royal Albert Hall BBC Proms broadcast of Alun Hoddinott's, 'Sunne Rising - The King Will Ride’, a Carnegie Hall US première of Karl Jenkins’ Concerto for Euphonium & Orchestra, a televised première of Philip Wilby’s Concerto for Euphonium & Orchestra, and a UK première of Christian Lindberg’s Concerto for Euphonium & Orchestra directed by the composer.
David is an Associate of the Royal College of Music London; a Professor at both the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, and the Birmingham Conservatoire; an Artist for the Buffet Group Besson, Alliance and Reunion Blues; and is Director of Prima Vista Musikk publishing house. He is also a founder member of the highly successful brass quartet Eminence Brass and Artistic Director of Wales’ premiere wind orchestra Cardiff Symphonic Winds.
David is undoubtedly leading the way for euphonium players worldwide. Through his own performances he continues to showcase the euphonium as a serious solo vehicle within the world of classical music.
James Gourlay
www.jamesgourlaytuba.com
James Gourlay was born in Scotland where, at an early age, he was volunteered to play in the local school brass band. He made rapid progress and soon became Scottish National solo champion at junior and senior levels.
Gourlay later studied tuba performance at the Royal College of Music, London, but left after a short time to take up a full time position in the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Three years later, he became principal tuba of the BBC Symphony Orchestra in London.
It was in that city that Gourlay became involved with the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble, sharing the tuba chair with John Fletcher. At that time, he was also active in the film industry, performing on the sound tracks of Superman II and III, Batman and Yentl, to name but a few.
After 10 great years at the BBC, working with some of the world's greatest conductors, Gourlay was invited to become the solo tubist of the Zurich Opera House Orchestra in Switzerland. It was there that he developed his skills as a conductor, attending master-classes with Ralph Weikert, and working with the Brass Band Berner Oberland, with which he won the Swiss National Championship 5 times and the Swiss Open Contest 4 times, record that has yet to be beaten.
Today, James Gourlay is the General Director of Pittsburgh's own River City Brass, the world's only full-time professional brass band, performing 70 concerts annually all over the USA, and Director of Instrumental Music and University Bands at Wheeling Jesuit University, West Virginia.
Gourlay holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Salford, a MMus from the University of Leeds and is a Fellow of the Royal Northern College of Music (FRNCM) and the London College of Music (FLCM). Gourlay has also been honoured by the Worshipful Company of Musicians, which conferred upon him the John Henry Isles Medal for services to the brass band movement.
Gourlay's repertoire is extensive, ranging from the avant-guard to rock and pop music. He has commissioned more than 50 solo works for tuba and piano, tape, band and orchestra. As a conductor, he works with some of the world's leading brass groups, but also with orchestras such as the Sinfonica in Campinas, Brazil, the Orquestra Casa da Musica in Porto, Portugal. He is a regular guest conductor of the National Youth Wind Orchestra of Great Britain(NYWO), which he will tour Switzerland in the Summer of 2013.
He has made 5 solo CDs, including the acclaimed 'British Tuba Concertos' and more than 20 CDs with brass bands and wind bands
Gourlay later studied tuba performance at the Royal College of Music, London, but left after a short time to take up a full time position in the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Three years later, he became principal tuba of the BBC Symphony Orchestra in London.
It was in that city that Gourlay became involved with the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble, sharing the tuba chair with John Fletcher. At that time, he was also active in the film industry, performing on the sound tracks of Superman II and III, Batman and Yentl, to name but a few.
After 10 great years at the BBC, working with some of the world's greatest conductors, Gourlay was invited to become the solo tubist of the Zurich Opera House Orchestra in Switzerland. It was there that he developed his skills as a conductor, attending master-classes with Ralph Weikert, and working with the Brass Band Berner Oberland, with which he won the Swiss National Championship 5 times and the Swiss Open Contest 4 times, record that has yet to be beaten.
Today, James Gourlay is the General Director of Pittsburgh's own River City Brass, the world's only full-time professional brass band, performing 70 concerts annually all over the USA, and Director of Instrumental Music and University Bands at Wheeling Jesuit University, West Virginia.
Gourlay holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Salford, a MMus from the University of Leeds and is a Fellow of the Royal Northern College of Music (FRNCM) and the London College of Music (FLCM). Gourlay has also been honoured by the Worshipful Company of Musicians, which conferred upon him the John Henry Isles Medal for services to the brass band movement.
Gourlay's repertoire is extensive, ranging from the avant-guard to rock and pop music. He has commissioned more than 50 solo works for tuba and piano, tape, band and orchestra. As a conductor, he works with some of the world's leading brass groups, but also with orchestras such as the Sinfonica in Campinas, Brazil, the Orquestra Casa da Musica in Porto, Portugal. He is a regular guest conductor of the National Youth Wind Orchestra of Great Britain(NYWO), which he will tour Switzerland in the Summer of 2013.
He has made 5 solo CDs, including the acclaimed 'British Tuba Concertos' and more than 20 CDs with brass bands and wind bands
