Harmen Vanhoorne

Nigel has just finished his new concerto `Mysteries of the Horizon’ for Cornet/Trumpet and Brass Band. The virtuoso cornet player Harmen Vanhoorne will record the work on the 1st July in Belgium with Brass Band Buizingen under the direction of Luc Vertommen.

Nigel has worked closely with Harmen in the works development. The subject material for the concerto are four paintings by the Belgium surrealist artist Rene Magritte.

The movement titles of `Mysteries of the Horizon’ are:

1. The Menaced Assassin

2. The Flavour of Tears

3. The Dominion of Light

4. The Discovery of Fire

Nigel plans to transcribe the work in the future for Symphonic Wind Orchestra as well as Symphony Orchestra.

I  would like to thank the students and staff at Middle Tennessee Sate University (MTSU) for making me feel so welcome during my week residency with the MTSU Wind Ensemble. You gave a thrilling US premiere of `Earthrise’ (in it’s new concert band version) under your Director of Bands Dr Reed Thomas. It was also, a wonderful experience to then record the work with you a few days after for the Naxos label .

Extract from USA premiere of `Earthrise’ 15/04/12 MTSU Wind Ensemble

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A concert review from: Art Now Nashville

Congratulations (!!) to Luc Vertommen and Brass Band Buizingen on their success at the Vlaams Open Brassband Kampioenschap 2012 (Flemish Open Brass Band Championships 2012). I heard you gave a magnificent reading of `When Worlds Collide’ – I really wish I could have been there and been part of your experience. Always, Nigel

Results: 2012 Flemish Open

4barsrest (brass band website) writes: “Buizingen had early set a demanding marker to beat under the direction of Luc Vertommen, as they delivered a set that included a thrilling performance of Nigel Clarke’s breathtaking own choice work, ‘When World’s Collide’, inspired by the B movie science fiction films of the 1950s.”

See news item on the Vlaams Open Brassband Kampioenschap 2012 (Flemish Open Brass Band Championships). Coverage of the championship starts at 05.45 in to the report and opens with `When Worlds Collide’ played by Brass Band Buizingen.

Click on: Vlaams Open Brassband Kampioenschap 2012

Nigel’s first wind orchestra work  `Samurai’ will be performed by the Banda Municipal de Barcelona (conductor Rafael Sanz-Espert) on 6th May in the L’Auditori, Barcelona as well as the Barnes Concert Band under the direction of  David Smith in St Mary’s Church, Barnes, London on the 26th May. Nigel plans to attend both these concerts.

`Samurai’ has been recorded by Lt Col Chris Davis and the Band of HM Royal Marines, Plymouth on the Naxos label (Naxos 8.570429). This CD recording can also be downloaded from iTunes or from the Naxos website.

Nigel’s latest work for brass band will be premiered by Brass Band Buizingen in the 4th Flemish Open Brass Band Championshipson 14th April in Mechelen, Belgium.

Composer’s Note: `When Worlds Collide´ seeks to recreate the atmosphere and sentiment of the American cult Sci-Fi movies of the 1950’s such as Robert Wise’s 1951 film `The day the Earth Stood Still’ and `Invasion of the Body Snatchers’ directed by Don Siegel in 1956, as well as Rudolph Maté’s 1951 film `When Worlds Collide’.

`When Worlds Collide´ is programmatic with subtitled sub-sections:

1. Crop Circles – 2. Lights in the Sky – 3. Strange Happenings – 4. Sightings - 5. “We Come In Peace” – 6. Alien Abduction – 7. Analysis of the Earthlings -
8. Teleportation – 9. New Understandings – 10. Visions of Far Off Worlds - 11. Colonisation!