The UK’s leading brass quintet Onyx Brass is to perform in Shrewsbury's URC on November 10th in a Shropshire Music Trust concert in memory of SMT Chairman David Waterhouse who died recently.
The UK’s leading brass quintet is set to perform in Shrewsbury next week in what promises to be a poignant concert for music lovers in the county.
Onyx Brass will be playing at The United Reform Church in Shrewsbury on November 10th in an event organised by the Shropshire Music Trust - to be held in memory of its Chairman David Waterhouse, who died recently.
SMT Artistic Director John Moore announced that the concert would be dedicated to David who oversaw the trust’s programme and activities and steered the organisation through the difficult period following Covid.
He said: “David was an inspiring figure who successfully oversaw the re-launch of the trust's activities, always guiding the trustees and artistic team with a gentle and wise touch. He will be greatly missed.”
David Waterhouse (pictured left) with honoroary SMT trust patron Zoe Beyers and John Moore
John hoped the Onyx Brass concert would be well attended by people who appreciated the contribution David had made to classical and world music in the county.
“The musical and technical virtuosity of Onyx Brass is matched by the accessibility and vitality of their presentation. It is set to be a wonderful evening and a fitting tribute to our former chairman,” he said.
Onyx Brass is a progressive brass quintet established in 1993, which strives to change audience perceptions of brass ensembles.
This summer the ensemble released its album 'The Sun is Free to Flow with the Sea' on NMC Recordings, entering at number 6 in the Specialist Classical Official UK Charts. The album marked the 10th studio recording for the group, and was in celebration of its 30th birthday. Composers working with the group on the album included Roxanna Panufnik, Emily Hall, Mark-Anthony Turnage, Yshani Perinpanayagam and Zoë Martlew who praised their 'virtuosity, skill and musicianship'. Yshani said they were 'an ensemble driven first and foremost by a unity of breath'.
BBC Music Magazine has said the ensemble has 'the ability to sound like so much more than merely five brass instruments', whilst Brass Band World has described it as 'the most engaging and creative of brass ensembles'.
The group will play a wealth of music, from original compositions to religious works, ceremonial fanfares and Broadway tunes and their programme in Shrewsbury will include music by Bach, Shostakovich, Holst, Arnold and Gershwin.
Tickets for the concert, which starts at 7.30pm at the United Reformed Church on the English Bridge in Shrewsbury, are priced at £18 and can be purchased via www.shropshiremusictrust.co.uk/tickets
