Advanced Wind Orchestra
The NOW Advanced Wind Orchestra is the large symphonic showpiece ensemble of the Community Wind Band College.
It was set up by Musical Director Andrew Bassey, to give advanced players of around grade 8 – professional standard an opportunity to develop their techniques and ensemble playing even further, playing very challenging and exciting concert band or symphonic band music, mainly of living composers.
This ensemble assumes the full title Northamptonshire Orchestral Winds. The Northamptonshire Orchestral Winds Community Wind Band College began with this ensemble in October 2005. The ensemble went on to give an inaugural concert tour around Northamptonshire called ‘Celebration’ culminating in May 2006 with producing its first commercially recorded CD to celebrate.
NOW was subsequently invited to Showcase in the prestigious London International Wind Band Festival on 1st July 2006, run by World Projects. The performance was outstanding which resulted in an invitation to be showcased in Carnegie Hall, New York in the New York Wind Band and Orchestra Festival also run by World Projects.
In March 2008 NOW performed on the stage of Carnegie Hall in a wonderful performance of L’homme Arme by Christopher Marshall, Dances from Crete, Adam Gorb and Schindler’s List by John Williams (arr. Calvin Custer) featuring Northampton born Violinist (and flautist in NOW) Jemima Clarke.
The Group will perform concerts of various styles from light popular music to very exciting and challenging modern works.
As NOW was also set up to perform music of living English Composers and has hosted courses with current acclaimed composers such as Guy Woolfenden and Adam Gorb running Festivals for their music with them very much involved. We have also collaborated with local organisations such as the Northamptonshire Composers Association to produced another excellent CD with our NOW Wind Ensemble featuring music of local composers.
Entry to this ensemble is via application through the website. Click here to apply.
You are required to either produce a certificate of at least grade 8, or give relevant experience, or having played in the NOW Training Band for a minimum of twelve months, and/or by audition. If there are specific vacancies NOW may take players of around grade 7 standard for the Advanced Band so please ask.
We have vacancies in Brass, Percussion and Saxophone. But players of any instrument of the relevant standard are accepted.
Places in all NOW ensembles are at the discretion of the conductor of that specific group. Very advanced players (diploma +) may request to be a member of the very fine NOW Wind Ensemble.
The next concert for this ensemble is 10th July 2010.
SOME CURRENT REPERTOIRE
Why not come and join us for a rehearsal?!
Some of the below links open in a new window.
Bermuda Triangle Adam Gorb – NOW has the only commercial recording Bermuda Triangle
L’Homme Arme by Christopher Marshall,
Awayday by Adam Gorb,
Vranjanka Kenneth Hesketh
Gunslinger a Cor Anglais concerto by our own Frank Jordan, World premiere in July performed by our oboist Simon Cooper.
Music of the Spheres Philip Sparke
Masque Kenneth Hesketh
Daphnis and Chloe Ravel Arr. Mark Hindsley
El Salon Mexico Copland Arr. Mark Hindsley
Star Wars Trilogy Willims Arr. Hunsberger
Adrenaline City Adam Gorb
Celebration & Bohemian Dances Guy Woolfenden
Paris Sketches Martin Ellerby
Metropolis & Midnight in Buenos Aires Adam Gorb
If you like this sort of music, and are coming up to Grade 8 standard, play ANY wind band instrument and are generally free on Tuesday evenings then please give us a try.
In particular we are looking for more French Horn, Trumpet, Trombone, Tuba, Percussion, Bassoon, Eb Clarinet and lower Saxophone players. We don’t mind more of any instrument we will not turn away Grade 8 players. It’s fun, exciting, educational, sociable and rewarding. Why not contact us NOW?