May 11th will see the premiere of the new brass band version of Edward Gregson’s Trombone Concerto. Commissioned by Nicholas Childs for Brett Baker (trombone) and the Black Dyke Band, the new version will be premiered by the same performers, conducted by Nicholas Childs at a concert by the band at the Newbury Festival. Already an established international repertoire work for the trombone in its original version for orchestra, this new version will bring it into the repertoire of many more players. Brett baker and the Black Dyke Band are to record the work later this year.

Gregson’s Trombone Concerto was originally commissioned by the Bedfordshire Education Authority in 1979 specially for Michael Hext (trombone) who a year earlier had won the very first BBC Young Musician of the Year competition. It was premiered by Michael Hext and the Bedfordshire County Youth Orchestra, conducted by Michael Rose, at the Royal College of Music in 1979. The work was recently recorded on an all Gregson CD on the Chandos label by Peter Moore (trombone) winner of the 2008 BBC competition at the tender age of 12. He is accompanied by the BBC Concert Orchestra conducted by Bramwell Tovey.