Jacob Vilhelm Larsen is this week's personality was born in 1976 in the town of Hjørring, Denmark. He soon showed his emerging musical ability as a cornet player at the local music school under the tutelage of Gunnar La Cour, and later under the direction of the highly respected Herbert Møller.

In 2000 he moved to Aarhus where he studied trumpet and conducting at the Royal Academy of Music, and where he became co-founder of the Academic Brass Quintet. In 2002 Jacob was appointed MD of Silkeborg Brass Band, which under his direction was twice runner-up at the Danish National Championship, before he returned to Aarhus Brass Band leading the band victory at the 2007 International Nyborg Contest and to come runner-up at the Danish National Championship.

On gaining his Masters Degree from the Royal Academy, Jacob has worked as a successful freelance musician, claiming third place in the prestigious Holmboe composition competition and developing a career as a much sought after composer and arranger throughout Europe.

In 2009 he was appointed resident conductor of the Stavanger Band in Norway. With a highly respected reputation as a conductor, composer and arranger, he left this post in 2012 to meet the demands of an ever increasing workload, which in 2013 lead to a close collaboration with Ian Porthouse and the Tredegar Town Band. Jacob was appointed Composer in Residence with the Reg Vardy Band I 2015.

We have one of Jacob's arrangements on this week's show.

For members of the Old Rastrickians' Association another year has gone by and it is almost time for the old boys of Rastrick Grammar School to meet for another annual Old Rastrickians' dinner.

'Is it really a year since our last dinner and gathering of old school friends?' Something I am sure many of the members will be thinking. Even after so many of these annual gatherings it is still an event they all look forward to.

Barrie Gott (b.1947), M.Mus. LTCL A.Mus.A, began his music career as a professional musician, studying trumpet with John Robertson and Harry Larsen at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. He subsequently joined the National Training Orchestra and was a regular casual player with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

Barrie holds performance diplomas from the AMEB, Trinity College of Music, London in and a Masters degree in conducting from Azusa Pacific University in California where he studied with Dr. Gary Bonner. He has also studied composition and arranging at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music with Ross Edwards and Don Banks.

Barrie has taught at all levels of education in private and government sectors and was Director of Instrumental Music at Azusa Pacific University. He currently works for Education Queensland as a Senior Instrumental teacher and is a state examiner for the Australian Music Examinations Board.

As a conductor Barrie has served as music director for Salvation Army bands in Sydney, Pasadena and Brisbane as well as the Brisbane Excelsior Band where he was successful in bringing a new dimension into concert programming. He is the former owner and musical director of the Queensland Pops Orchestra.

As a composer and arranger Barrie is published in Australia, United States, Great Britain and Europe and his works are on concert programs all over the world.

Barrie is also an adjudicator for contests, festivals and eisteddfods throughout the world having officiated at regional, state and national contests in Australia and overseas in Norway and New Zealand.

Barrie was the recipient of the 2004 Frank Wright Medal for services to banding.

On this week's show we have 'Light Walk' one of Barrie's many popular compositions.

Enjoy

On Wednesday January 17, I was delivering a digital presentation to the Lightcliffe History Society. I had been asked several months earlier to give a presentation about my 30 years writing the nostalgia page in the Brighouse Echo.

Italian Brass Band 

MD: Filippo Cangiamila 

Recording: BAM International - 2017 

The death was been announced of Betty Anderson, one of the pioneering women of the 20th century brass band movement. She died following a period of illness on 8th January aged 88. In 2009 Betty allowed me to write a potted history of her brass band career for my new book' What Brass Bands Did For Me...'    

David Hirst was playing at 10 with a village band on cornet: making rapid progress aged of 14 he joined the Yorkshire Imperial Metals Band as a solo cornet. 2 years later David joined the Black Dyke Mills on Soprano Cornet, having 4 successful years
In 1972 David began studying music at the University of Huddersfield and taught trumpet by Maurice Murphy. He was a members of the James Shepherd Versatile Brass. 
1978 David rejoined the Black Dyke on Soprano cornet. By the mid '70's he was conducting various bands before being appointed in 1980 as the MD at Andrews Heat for Hire Band. 
After 5 years he took over as MD at Lewington Yamaha Band followed by 2 years as Resident Conductor at Black Dyke. In 1990 David returned to the Yorkshire Imperial Band and in 1994 was invited to join Brighouse & Rastrick Band as Resident MD
He has worked with many bands and often attends weekend test piece workshops for lower section bands. David is one of the country's most experienced adjudicators.

Brighouse and Rastrick Band MD: Professor David King

Pemberton Old Wigan DW Band MD: Ben Dixon 

Boarshurst Silver Band MD; James Garlick 

BD1 Brass MD; Lee Skipsey

Newmains & District Band MD: Michael Marzella 

I hope you have all had a good Christmas and I wish you all best wishes for the New Year.

Well, after having had turkey on Christmas Day and various meals after, where the never ending turkey was included to ensure that none of it was wasted. I was glad to have something none Christmassy - pie and mushy peas, it was wonderful.

Sir Edward German (17 February 1862 – 11 November 1936) was an English musician and composer of Welsh descent, best remembered for his extensive output of incidental music for the stage and as a successor to Arthur Sullivan in the field of English comic opera.
For the Cardiff Festival of 1904 he composed a potpourri of Welsh tunes which he titled 'Welsh Rhapsody' and closed with a rousing arrangement of that stirring tune Men of Harlech. It is this tune that has been the target of many arrangers but German's is still considered the best.
In 1941 Denis Wright wrote a brass band selection 'Edward German Melodies' . In 1953 Denis Wright also wrote a transcription called 'Men of Harlech' (March Paraphrase).
It is this piece which is played and closes this week's programme and is featured by the Cory Workman's Band conducted by John Harrison in a 1969 recording

Enjoy