Matthew Hall - Composer - Previous News

More Brass In Concert Success

The Highlights of Brass in Concert 2010 DVD from The Sage in Gateshead has been released by World of Brass. Two of Matthew's compositions feature in Tredegar Town Band's performance on this newly released DVD.

'Activate' has been a staple of the bands repertoire during 2010, and the premiere performance of 'Legends of Cyfarthfa' gained Matthew the 'Best New Composition or Arrangement' award.

To find out more information on the DVD and to purchase, please click on the World of Brass logo underneath.

'Dial M for Midnight' Released

Matthew was recently commissioned to write a new piece for Solo Cornet and Brass Band by Jim Hayes and the Co-Operative Funeralcare Band from Scotland.

Entitled 'Dial M for Midnight,' this brand new composition is the title track on the CD, highly influenced by Latin American rhythms and styles to give the soloist a chance to show off their technique over the wide range of the instrument.

The CD is now available from Park Lane Cards & Gifts. To purchase a copy please click on the logo below or the cover above.

New Commission for Festival

Matthew has been commissioned to compose a brand new work for the 2011 Ironbridge Gorge Brass Band Festival. The festival takes place over the weekend of Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th July at The Museum of Iron at Ironbridge in Shropshire.

2011 marks the 25th anniversary of Ironbridge becoming a World Heritage Site. Matthew has been asked to write a new piece to celebrate this anniversary to be performed during the 'centrepiece' Last Night of The Proms concert on the Saturday night of the festival. Tongwynlais Temperance Band and Wellington (Telford) Town Band will combine for the final section of the concert, during which time the new composition from Matthew will receive its premiere performance.

For more information on the bands taking part, please follow the links below: -

Cardiff New Brass Festival

Matthew has been invited to compose a brand new work for the 2011 Cardiff New Brass Festival which runs from the 10th to the 12th June. The work will receive its premiere performance by the Wormshead Brass Quintet during the festival at Cardiff Metropolitan Cathedral of St David on Friday 10th June. Please click on the logo above for more information on the festival.

Wedding Bells

Matthew was asked to write a brand new piece for 2 friends who were getting married in the summer of 2010. Sarah and Simon Persin wanted something special and memorable for the opening of their wedding ceremony and something new and unique for Sarah to walk down the aisle to, accompanied by the SWT Woodfalls Band.

Gorymdeithgan Priodas (Wedding March) consists of a fanfare style opening leading into a slower middle section for the bride to walk down the aisle, before the opening section returns signalling the coming together of the husband and wife to be. The piece is fantastic for a couple who would like something different to walk down the aisle to, especially if like Sarah and Simon, you are big fans of Brass Bands.

Hopefully a recording will be available to listen to in the very near future.

'Journey' premiere

'His Journey's Just Begun' had it's premiere performance in it's original orchestration of Soprano and Piano during the Cardiff University Composers Showcase on 28th April 2010. The performance can be found below.

Cymanfa Ganu

Matthew was commissioned to create 7 hymn arrangements for the Cymanfa Ganu at the 2010 National Eisteddfod of Wales in Ebbw Vale. You can find performances of all of these hymn arrangements if you click here.

National Eisteddfod Videos

Tredegar Town Band performed two of Matthew's works during their winning performance at the 2010 National Eisteddfod of Wales in Ebbw Vale. The contest is the only one in the world to be broadcast live on television, on the Welsh channel S4C. The complete winning performance can be found on YouTube.

Solo Cornet Commission

Matthew has been commissioned to write a new piece for Solo Cornet and Brass Band by Jim Hayes and the Co-Operative Funeralcare Band from Scotland.

Entitled 'Dial M for Midnight,' this brand new composition is highly influenced by Latin American rhythms and styles and gives the soloist a chance to show off their technique over the wide range of the instrument.

'Dial M for Midnight' will appear on the new CD recording by Jim Hayes and the Co-Operative Funeralcare Band early in 2011. Watch this space to find out when you can get hold of this cracking new work.

'Smile' performances

Matthew's composition for brass band, 'The Smile,' received multiple performances over the weekend of 16th to 18th April 2010.

Lydbrook Band were the first to perform 'The Smile' on Friday evening in The Forest Theatre, Five Acres, Gloucestershire.

Three performances were heard on Saturday 17th April, firstly by the Gloucestershire Youth Brass Band on the Glanfa Stage at The Wales Millennium Centre.

Tredegar Town Band performed 'The Smile' during their performanceat The Subscription Rooms in Stroud on the Saturday evening.

At the same time, Newstead Band played the piece during the bands concert at Chilwell Road Methodist Church, Beeston near Nottingham. Newstead are playing the piece again a week later on 24th April in St John's Church, Kirkby Woodhouse.

Finally, Gloucestershire Youth Brass Band performed 'The Smile' again as one of their pieces in The National Youth Brass Band Championships at The Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester.

New Soundbytes Online

Three new soundbytes of pieces composed by Matthew have been put online for you to listen to.

You can listen to the full recording of 'Miniature' (Brass Band), and soundbytes of 'Fawn' (Brass Dectet) and 'Lament' (String Quartet) if you click here.

Premiere of new work

The premiere performance of 'His Journey's Just Begun' will take place on Friday 26th February 2010 at Cosy Hall in Newport, Shropshire at 7.30pm.

A sentimental piece depicting the first steps of a lost soul into the afterlife, 'His Journey's Just Begun' is written for Alto solo, Violin and Piano. The Alto soloist for the premiere will be Ruth Theobald, a well-established and renowned concert performer, alongside Christian Halstead on Violin and Anthony Halstead on Piano, collectively known as The Pantheon Trio.

New Concert / Contest Opener Premiere

The premiere performance of 'Activate' will take place on Saturday 30th January 2010 at All Saints Church, Evesham.

Premiered by Tredegar Town Band, this fast and energetic piece is the ideal start to any concert or contest programme.

If you missed the premiere performance, further performances have already been written in to programmes: -

Octagon Theatre, Yeovil, Saturday 6th February 2010 - Tredegar Town Band

The Adrian Boult Hall, Birmingham Conservatoire, Friday 12th February 2010 - Birmingham Conservatoire Brass Band. Further details can be found here.

The Grand Pavillion, Porthcawl, Saturday 20th February 2010 - Tredegar Town Band

New Commission from Shropshire Music Service

Matthew has been commissioned to write a piece for the forthcoming Shropshire Music Service Brass Festival. The piece will involve the combined forces of Tredegar Town Band, The Shropshire Youth Brass Band and a number of small brass groups made up of students currently performing with the Shropshire Music Service ensembles. Overall, there will be around 80 brass players performing this one-off piece.

The performance will be the culmination of a concert given by Tredegar Town Band and Shropshire Youth Brass Band at Shrewsbury Abbey on 3rd July 2010, starting at 7.30pm.

Dragons' Rise & Miniature

performed in Australia

Matthew's works for Brass Band, 'Dragons' Rise' and 'Miniature,' have received their Australian premiere performances.

The two pieces were performed by K & N Spring Gully Brass in December 2009. The article from their website reads: -

"Australian Premiere Performance

K & N Spring Gully Brass ended 2009 with Christmas performances in Adelaide’s Victoria Square on Thursday 17^th December, as part of the Adelaide City Councils ‘Square of Christmas Delights’ programme.

The Christmas performances were an opportunity for Musical Director Bruce Raymond to present not only Christmas carols but an entertaining repertoire of music for the audience that had gathered in the square.

In what is thought to be an Australian premiere, K & N Spring Gully Brass performed ‘Dragon’s Rise’ and ‘Miniature’ written by Matthew Hall of Wales.

These 2 items were kindly passed on by Hall to K & N’s Bari Thomas – Euphonium and in the process establishing a Welsh connection for the band.

K & N were naturally delighted to perform these works."

Matthew is keen to continue developing this new relationship with K & N Spring Gully Brass, hoping to compose a hymn arrangement for the band to use in their forthcoming Australian National Band Championships.