View highlights from BRASS 2012

NEW BRASS 2013 WEBSITE IS COMING SOON

BRASS 2013 dates: Friday 5 to Sunday 21 July 2013

This vibrant annual festival celebrates County Durham’s cherished musical tradition whilst pushing the boundaries of brass music through a diverse line-up of acclaimed artists, ensembles and creative collaborations.

With a wide range of ticketed and FREE events to choose from there’s something to suit all tastes and ages.

Dates for your diary:

Saturday 6, Sunday 7 and Saturday 20 July: Streets of BRASS
This festival favourite returns with the best UK and international bands bringing a party atmosphere to the streets of Durham City.

Monday 8 July: The Scottish National Jazz Orchestra presents In the Spirit of Duke
The UK’s best jazz ensemble perform from the repertoire of Edward Kennedy Ellington (aka ‘The Duke’), guaranteed to thrill!

Friday 12 July: Hackney Colliery Band
Join the party with one of the most exciting live bands in the UK, bringing an eclectic mix of Balkan beats, contemporary hip-hop and much more to the stage.

Sunday 14 July: The Grimethorpe Colliery Band
Enjoy fabulous sounds from the world famous brass band, the real stars of the hit movie Brassed Off.

Thursday 18, Friday 19 and Saturday 20 July: Big BRASS Bash
FREE event, suitable for all! French company Zic Zazou unleash their unpredictable and hilarious magical bandstand in Seaham, Spennymoor and Stanley.

Friday 19 July: The Lake Poets and Stanhope Silver Band
Witness this captivating collaboration between singer/songwriter Martin Longstaff and one of the region’s leading brass bands.

Friday 19 and Saturday 20 July: Screening of The Miners’ Hymns and Tony Benn – Will & Testament
One of Durham’s most iconic buildings, Redhills Miners’ Hall opens its doors for a special screening of these fascinating films.

DON’T MISS…
Community Tour
Street bands burst into venues across the county.

BRASS:Pitch
Fascinating brass-themed artworks in Durham City.

Full programme will be announced in May - Sign up to our mailing list to be amongst the first to find out.

Tickets go on sale for all BRASS events in May. The following events can be booked now via Gala Theatre.

  • The Scottish National Jazz Orchestra presents In the Spirit of Duke
  • Hackney Colliery Band
  • The Grimethorpe Colliery Band
  • The Lake Poets and Stanhope Silver Band

Book online or call the Gala Box Office on 03000 266 660.

Get involved in BRASS 2013

Every year we recruit festival volunteers to chaperone and steward at our exciting and varied programme of events.

We expect hard work, an interest in live music and a positive, enthusiastic attitude. In return, you’ll receive reasonable expenses, a free ticket to a festival event and a fantastic learning experience that you’ll never forget!

If you want to register for an application pack email brassfestival@durham.gov.uk
Write 'Brass Volunteers 2013' in the subject line and provide us with: your name, email, contact telephone number and the role(s) you are interested in.

Sponsorship opportunities
BRASS offers a range of opportunities for businesses to work in partnership and share the success of the festival. Businesses can enjoy a wide range of benefits including branding, press and PR opportunities and high quality events for clients and staff. Associate your business with this unique festival with community engagement at its heart and receive a package of benefits tailored to your requirements.


For more information and to find out how you can support BRASS please contact brassfestival@durham.gov.uk

BRASS:Pitch

Introduced as a new strand of the festival in 2012, BRASS:Pitch offers a number of new commission opportunities, giving priority to emerging and mid-career creative practitioners.


Every year we look for fresh and innovative ideas that make a unique and individual response to brass music and help us achieve one or more of the festival’s key aims. We are open to ideas from any field of the arts or creative industries including new cross-artform collaborations.


The open call for commissions for BRASS:Pitch 2013 has now closed. More information on this will follow shortly.


Projects selected for BRASS:Pitch 2012 were:


Aether and Hemera present 'Which is Your Brass Voice?'


Cabinet of Curiosity presents 'Band Stand'


Modular Projects presents 'Trigger Shift'


Surface Area Dance presents 'Immerse'

Witness

Scanner presents 'Witness'

In June 2012 electronics composer and sound artist Scanner launched 'Witness', a co-commission between Sound and Music and BRASS.

Trailblazing the festival at an event in June, Scanner’s original piece of music was performed at Victor Pasmore’s iconic Apollo Pavilion to the first musician, or ‘witness’ in the chain, officially starting the experimental project.

The first ‘witness’ passed the piece on, without the use of manuscript or recording technology, relying purely on their memory of the piece. The chain of ‘witnesses’ continued, exploring the idea of memory and interpretation and how we translate, transform and process information through our personality, history and identity.

Assisting the migration of Scanner’s music across County Durham were local singers and musicians, brass bands, young people and visiting international street bands. The final version of the piece was performed as part of Streets of BRASS in Durham City on 21 July 2012.


BRASS would like to give a huge thank you to the following groups who took part in the project:

Spennymoor Town Band
Seaham Academy String Quartet
The Teesdale Hub Band
East Durham College Students
Duncan Brown
Concordia
Bridie Jackson & Natalie Stern
Beat & Blow


Read the musical analysis of the Witness project - Musical bumps X 7


Can I Get a Witness? by David Toop


The Makeable Truth of Memory by Zarina Kadirbaks

Filmmaker Alan Fentiman was commissioned to document the entire project, filming interviews, performances and rehearsals.


The film was showcased at a special screening during the BRASS festival. If you missed this event, you can view the final film below.

Witness from Alan Fentiman on Vimeo.