Classical Music: Favourite premiere experiences of 2015

Robert Beale, music critic of the Manchester Evening News and a regular contributor to Classical Music magazine, chose Gregson’s String Quartet as one of his favourite premieres of 2015:
 
One new work I would certainly have put in this slot was Edward Gregson’s string quartet (premiered by the Navarra Quartet in January for Manchester Mid-day Concerts Society). It’s Gregson’s first piece in the genre, both gritty and serene, packed with ideas and giving the sense of a journey to a promised land.
 
Robert Beale: Classical Music, Dec 2015 
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BBC Symphony Orchestra to perform Gregson’s Piano Concerto

The BBC Symphony Orchestra will be performing Gregson’s Concerto for Piano and Wind (‘Homages’) at a Maida Vale Invitation Concert on Wednesday 6 January at 2.30pm. The piano soloist will be Ronan O’Hora, and the BBCSO will be conducted by Michael Collins (for whom Gregson wrote his Clarinet Concerto, and who is now forging an impressive career for himself as a conductor). The concert will be recorded for future broadcast on BBC Radio 3 in their ‘Afternoon on 3’ slot.

The sub-title of the concerto – ‘Homages’ – is a tribute to the various twentieth century composers whose piano concertos …

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Edward Gregson to be Guest of Honour at Swedish Brass Band Festival

In celebration of his recent 70th birthday, Edward Gregson is to be the guest of honour at the Swedish Brass Band Festival, to be held in Varnamo, Sweden, from 13-15 November. All the set test pieces to be played at the festival are by him, and there will also be music from his pen at the Gala Concert.  The set works for the three competing sections are Dances and Arias (1984), Occasion (1986), and Partita (1971), with pieces from his ‘New Horizons for Brass Ensemble’ as the choice for the young brass players. Gregson will also be adjudicating at some

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Edward Gregson on BBC Radio 2

This November BBC Radio 2 is celebrating the 70th birthday of composer Edward Gregson. Gregson met with BBC broadcaster and conductor Frank Renton in October and these interviews will be broadcast on BBC Radio 2’s “Listen To The Band” on Thursday 5 and Thursday 12 November 2015 at 23:30.

Gregson speaks to Frank Renton about his career in music, his passion for music education, and his appointment as Principal at the Royal Northern College of Music. Alongside this he talks about his close relationship with the world-famous ensemble Black Dyke band, his early life in the Salvation Army, as

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