25 years ago, Hannes Buchegger attempted to start a brass band inspired by their English counterparts. He had been dedicating himself to this musical form for years and thus he and the ensemble were able to promote this new style of sound not only in the Tyrol but far beyond right from the beginning.

Although only a few expected a long-lasting existence of the innovative cast, the ensemble consisting of 35 outstanding brass players and drummers has been able to constantly attract more and more fans through not only the excellent and committed direction of its conductor, but also intensive musical performances and an extraordinary degree of perfection. The continuously sold-out New Year's concerts at the Congress Innsbruck are an impressive confirmation of these achievements. Additionally, the ensemble has celebrated international success at the European Brassband Championships in Montreux, London, Kerkade and Munich and has produced 18 records so far.

The way for this extraordinary story has not only been paved by the musical quality but also by the generous financial support of the construction company FRÖSCHL that has been sponsoring the local ensemble since 1996. We are extremely proud of our top soloists, led by Florian Klingler, trumpet soloist at the Munich Philharmonic, who has been playing the exposed soprano cornet for years, followed by Lito Fontana, trombone soloist, and Manfred Lugger, cornet soloist.

We are featuring Hannes Buchegger conducting the band on this weeks show playing Three Chorals of Best Loved Hymn Tunes.

This photograph shows some of the James Shepherd Versatile Brass in July 1978 not long before their Australian tour. Members include from the left Derek Southcott, J. Graham Walker, Stephen Thornton, David Horsfield and James Shepherd.

On this week's show we are featuring this ensemble playing a track from a 1991 recording conducted by Roy Curran.

Eiliv Herikstad (1942—2023) was a Norwegian music educator, composer, arranger, conductor and trombonist. He was a soldier in the Salvation Army and a contributor to the organisation's musical life, both nationally and internationally. He was among the first, if not the first, to write music influenced by swing and jazz in the Salvation Army.

He was born and raised in Fredrikstad and lived at the Fredrikstad dairy, where his parents worked, and where he received his Christian education in the Church of Norway.  He received his first training in music in the city's boys' music corps, a Janissary corps. He learned music theory primarily from the cathedral organist at Fredrikstad Cathedral.

When he was 16 and it was time to leave the boys' music, he had got to know some of the musicians at the Salvation Army in Fredrikstad and chose to play there. It was his gateway to the Salvation Army

He later studied trombone at the Oslo Conservatory of Music (MKiO) and music pedagogy at the Gothenburg Academy of Music . 

David Rudd was born in Portsmouth and attended Portsmouth Citadel Corps from childhood where his interest in music was developed. He is a fifth generation Salvationist, and his grandparents were Salvation Army Officers. His father, Dennis Rudd, was the principal cornet of the Portsmouth Citadel band for some 20 years.

David was given his first cornet by his great uncle at the age of seven and one of his first public solo performances was in a concert chaired by Eric Ball. Graduating through the Young People’s Band, David became a member of Portsmouth Citadel Band, establishing his place as a cornet soloist. During his early years he was influenced by one of the movement’s most revered bandmasters and musical leaders – Harold Nobes. In fact, as a small boy, David could often be seen on the front row of concerts and meetings, imitating the style of this great conductor.

David is qualified as M.A. (education), B.A. in Music and English Literature, and gained diplomas from the Royal Academy of Music, Guildhall School of Music and the London College of Music. He studied trumpet and cornet at the Royal Academy of Music under James Watson, gaining a M.Mus degree and L.R.A.M.

In 1990, David joined the Hendon Corps, later becoming deputy bandmaster and bandmaster of Hendon Salvation Army Band. In 2005, David became the first conductor of the “Virtuosi Brass Band” which premiered the choir / brass band arrangement of Karl Jenkins’ “Mass For Peace – The Armed Man”; a project in which he worked with players of the calibre of David Childs, Owen Farr, Chris Turner and Christopher Deacon.

David is a teacher by profession.

He is the bandmaster at Ascot Brass a non-contesting band https://www.ascotbrass.org.uk/ .  We are featuring David on this week's show in 2010 conducting the Hendon Salvation Army Band.   

Our featured photograph is the American composer, arranger, song writer, conductor and director of stage productions Jerry Bilik. He was born October 7, 1933. New Rochelle, New York, US. His musical education began at the National Music Camp at Interlochen, Michigan, then, at the University of Michigan, and by private instruction from Tibor Serly, the principal student and friend of Bela Bartok. 

He has arranged and composed extensively for dozens of major Universities, for the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where he served in the U.S. Army, for major films and television productions, and for Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus, and the touring shows of Disney on Ice, and Disney Live!

We are featuring one of his most popular compositions on this week's show.

In ancient Roman religion and myth, Janus is the god of beginnings, gates, transitions, time, duality, doorways, passages, frames, and endings. He is usually depicted as having two faces. The month of January is named after Janus.

He is both looking where he is going and also looking from where her has come from. This god with his two faces is the origins of the saying 'you two faced so and so...' - Well I never knew that.....

Hello everyone

It's been a while since I sent out my last show unfortunately through ill health I had to suspend sending the show for a short while. Here is the first one and being the last show for 2024 we close with the appropriate Auld Lang Syne.

Enjoy the show

Chris

Sorry no show today owing to be ill...Normal service will resume as soon as possible...

Hello everyone
We have another great show for you this week and as you know by now it is the reduced one hour show from now on.
We have three outstanding pieces of music from the pen of Ennio Morricone all suitably arranged for brass bands. As always we have some fine soloists and even a duet on this show.

We also have a wonderful performance of Eric ball’s masterpiece The Kingdom Triumphant played by the Brass Band of the Western Reserve in the US conducted by Dr Keith Wilkinson. A very familiar name in the world of brass bands not only conducting but also composing and arranging and adjudicating at contests when asked.

Enjoy the show

You will have noticed that this week’s show is just one hour. Having been producing and presenting the show since 2007 the two-hour show has now become just the one-hour following discussions with the radio stations around the world that play my show. This has been my decision after so many years I thought it was time to take it easy a bit and just present the one-hour show. I look forward to hearing from you if you have any questions about the world of brass bands or requests.  Do not forget my radio show on www.serenade-radio.com which is on Friday night between 9pm and 10pm.  

You will notice that this week's show has a Halloween theme to it with witches, goblins, ghosts and all things that go bump in the night. There is some nice music which should keep the spirits away from you and hopefully me as well. Lots of good music played by some good bands both home and abroad.

Enjoy the show