Al Sharq (pronounced al-sha-rak) was commissioned by Tredegar Town Band as part of their programme for the 2014 Brass in Concert Championships at the Sage, Gateshead.The piece is an exciting and exotic concert work for brass band, which is heavily influenced by the genres 'Third Stream' and 'Arabic'. The composition is highly rhythmical and percussion heavy, which makes use of 'Tam-tam vibrato' - a technique which was invented by the composer especially for this composition.There are plenty of opportunities for the musicians to try something different, such as the aleatoric harmonic framework at the opening of the composition, shouting, 'hi-fiving', special choreography and even playing a didgeridoo!Al Sharq is a technically demanding piece which exploits the talents of all sections of the ensemble, especially the principal solo cornet, who starts the piece with an atmospheric cadenza.

Al Sharq - Tredegar Town Band

When Elizabeth Short moved to Los Angeles in the 1940's to pursue a career in Hollywood she had dreams of becoming the next biggest movie star. However, she would only achieve fame in death.
In the evening of January 15 1947, Short's naked corpse was found in a park cut in half and drained of blood. She had been violently mutilated and a joker's smile was carved on her face. The case was nicknamed "The Black Dahlia" by the press after 1946 flim noir and her murder went on to be one of the most frightening yet confusing stories of that time.
The unsolved case and the details surrounding it have had an everlasting cultural intrigue, creating many theories and public speculation. Her life and death have been the basis of numerous books and films, and her murder is frequenctly cited as one of the most famous unsolved murders in American history.
The Black Dahlia was inspired by this very case with the piece reciprocating the thoughts and actions of the time.
The composition is a violent and uneasy piece of music, which details the murder of Elizabeth Short in her final moments.
The composition is in four sections. The first is frantic and rapid, which details the initial chase between Short and the murderer. The second is much slower in pace; representing the life and blood draining out of the 22 year old's body. The next section is based on the shocking stabs and anger from the attacker onto the body with the final section repeating earlier material, describing the vile thoughts of the villian and their sudden moment of panic.

Composition Competition

The Black Dahlia - A4 Brass Quartet

In celebration of those who had the foresight to reform Burry port Town Band in 1972. 
This commission was made possible through the support of Ty Cerdd - Music Centre Wales. 
Difficulty: 4/6

Burry Port - Concert March [NotePerformer Audio]

'Town And Country Planning' is a duet for Euphonium & Marimba, written for Stavanger Brass Band's 2022 SIDDIS Performance. 
This is the second movement of the 25 minute show called "United We Stand Divided We Fall", which was composed by Daniel Hall. 
Commissioned by Allan Withington and Stavanger Brass Band. 

This audio is from Avid's Sibelius using Noteperformer Plugin.

Town And Country Planning - Stavanger Brass Band [NotePerformer Audio]

Sanctuary! is based on Victor Hugo's novel 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame'. The title is a reference to the climax of the story when heroic Quasimodo rescues his love from death and carries her to the top of the cathedral tower whilst screaming "Sanctuary! Sanctuary! Sanctuary!". The work isn in three movements. 

Mov. I -  Cour des Miracles
The first movements depicts the sounds of a colourful lavish festival with the bells of Notre Dame ringing joyously throughout the city. However, there are moments of strain and anger as the in-habitants from the court of miracles plague the city. 
Mov. II - Miséricorde
The second movement is an ardent song from the bell ringer Quasimodo, to his adored Esmerelda, declaring his unbounded love.
Cantabile lines flow seamlessly throughout the ensemble and gradually build to the pinnacle of the composition. Once the drama has subsided,
the bells of Notre Dame peacefully guide the movement to a fulfilled ending.
Mov. III - ANANKH
The final movement, ANANKH, refers to the message the Hugo intended for the book, fate and destiny. Although the beginning maybe poor and all hope is lost, there is an enduring light and the path of righteousness inevitably overshadows the past. The music concludes with the love melody repeated once again to signify hope and restoration.

Live performance by Catch Basin Brass Band at the 2019 European Youth Brass Band Competition.

Sanctuary! - Catch Basin Brass Band [Live]

Smoke Sketches is an 8 minute composition which draws it's initial inspiration from the ancient art of gazing into smoke from fire to find stories through the act of divination. The composition is in 3 short movements, each capturing different characteristics with an overall third stream connotation.
Mov. I - Into the Blaze
The opening starts agitated and somewhat mysterious followed by sudden antiphonal exchanges from each section of the ensemble. There are many colourful interjections throughout this movement, which aids the build to the main climax of the piece. The melodies are lighthearted and dainty whereas the accompaniment is heavy and thick; the overall character being like someone briskly fire-walking barefoot with unexpected sparks fizzling from the ground.
Mov. II - A Lonesome Ember
Much quieter and delicate in nature, this movement captures the life of a small ember; starting out insignificantly and gradually evolving into a larger being but finally descending to disappearance and being nothing more than a piece of ash. This movement features multiple cantabile lines for the soloists and warm chordal accompaniment for the ensemble.
 Mov. III - Spark of Light
'Con fuoco' - with fire, suggests that the final movement is full of energy and life. Previous themes are recalled and the opening of the composition is sung once again leading to a monumental final climactic conclusion.
Difficulty: 4th Section +

Smoke Sketches - Wardle Academy Youth Brass Band [Live]

Asteroid was written for the British cinema advertising company Pearl & Dean in 1968, composed by Pete Moore. Arranged by Daniel Hall 2022.

Asteroid - Brunel Brass Band [Live]

Dramatic and jazz infused arrangement of the classic Debussy piano composition "Clair De Lune" for brass band.

Commissioned By Christopher Bond & Tongwynlais Temperance Band for the 2016 Welsh Open Contest.

Duration: 4 Minutes

Difficulty: 2/6

Clair De Lune - Tongwynlais Temperance Band [Live]

Good Morning is a well known song from the 1952 American musical romantic comedy film Singin' In The Rain. This arrangement is created in an upbeat big band style featuring the Cornet & Trombone. 
Commissioned by Tredegar Town Band for the 43rd Brass In Concert Championships 2019.

Good Morning [Noteperformer Audio]

Originally written for the Prestige 6 Orchestra, a hybrid jazz orchestra based in Cardiff, and spoken work by Felix Lindsell-Hales [Guitarist and front man from Netflix's Sex Education Swing Band, Year of the Dog], Invaders is a contemporary big band piece which is based on layers of multiple riffs and features solos for Cornet & Flugel. 
This piece works with or without spoken word. 

This arrangement was commissioned by Brunel Brass Band and premiered at the Welsh Open 2020 with the front man Felix himself.

Duration: 6 minutes 15
Difficulty: 3/6

Invaders [Noteperformer Audio]

Land of Myth & Magic was commissioned by Mark Harrison & Kearsley Youth Bandto mark their 10 year anniversary, after their formation in 2010. The piece is based on a traditional brass band march, incorperating influences from contemporary norwegian jazz composers.

Duration: 5 Minutes 30

Difficulty: 2/6

Land of Myth & Magic [NotePeformer Audio]

Serenity is a beautiful hymn like piece of music based on Neo-soul harmonisations.

Written for the String Section of the Prestige 6 Orchestra, premiered at the Dora Stoutzker Hall, Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama 2019.

Serenity [NotePerformer Audio]

A Dialogue of Transmogrified Souls... is a 12 minute extended composition [Test Piece] for brass band and percussion and winner of the 2019 European Brass Band Composition Competition.

The composition describes the dialogue between Antoine Gay & Francoise Chiquette, two people whom were believed to have been possessed by the demons Madeste & Isacaron. 18th Century France - Friar Marie-Joseph Chiron, who had founded a community that looked after the mentally disturbed, took an interest in Antoine Gay; believing him to be possessed. One day, Chiron brought Gay with him to the house of a woman nicknamed Chiquette, who was also allegedly possessed by a demon that Chiron reffered to as 'Madest'. Fr. Chiron claims that when Gay met Chiquette, their demons began to argue with each other: " A remarkably violent dialogue arose between the two fallen angels. The two devils sounded like mad dogs. They spoke a totally unknown language". Although the two humans had never met, the demons inside certainly knew of each other well. The feud lasted 6 days, after which Gay shortly died.

Premiered by Brass Band Treize Etoiles 2019, Casino Barrière Montreux, conducted by Frédéric Théodoloz.
Rewritten for the 2020 RNCM Festival of Brass, Performed by Tredegar Town Band, conducted by Ian Porthouse.

A Dialogue Of Transmogrified Souls... [NotePerformer Audio]

The composition is titled "Glitch" (The origin of the word is estimated in USA 1 960's, originally meaning 'a sudden surge of current'). However, it is more commonly used to refer to a sudden malfunction or fault, mainly in the electronic and video gaming industries. Detaching the word from it's meaning, I feel in many ways that we as a humanity have entered a somewhat glitch in our life; due to the outbreak of Covid-1 9. Albeit a glitch is electronic, the world we live in has suddenly malfunctioned and stopped. "Glitch" is ultimately about hope and peace.

The composition is written in one continuous movement and features the principal cornet, flugelhorn, 1st baritone, 1st euphonium, bass trombone, basses and percussion throughout. The opening is suspenseful, uncertain and fixed on a constant drone accompanied by solos throughout the ensemble. There are several 'Glitches' during this (These gradually become more aggressive and lucrative throughout the piece). The solos are not strict in tempo and the soloists are free to be emotive and expressive in the musical characters they form. After gradually building, the music has transformed from anxious tones into large powerful chords and the glitches begin to break free from their once distant and hushed manner. The glitches scramble and fight with the drone, which has become angered. The fight turns in favour of the drone and the music becomes powerful and mysterious once more; but only for a brief moment, as the music drowns into a single isolated voice. Bass trombone cadenza, a lonely drone that is intriguing and curious, slowly it becomes influenced and infected by the glitch (represented by the snare drum throughout the piece as the percussive element of this motif). The soprano intervenes the absorption and fights the glitches away. The music quickens as the glitches cheekily dance with the drone (and occasionally winning the spotlight momentarily). Like a slow cutscene transition from Star Wars, the music momentarily dissolves into noise before becoming more rhythmical and technically demanding. The mischievous glitches continue to harass the drone and produce echoes and delays. After a final aggressive attack from the glitches, the drone surrenders. Dark Tuba lament featuring Eb Basses & Euphoniums. Overtime the glitches cheekily play with the music and become less offensive. The Dark lament grows into beautiful powerful screams and the glitches sing in harmony with the drone.

Finally peace.

Duration: 17 Minutes

Difficulty: 6/6

Gl!tCh(Excerpt)[NotePerformer Audio]

"I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free" is a jazz / gospel song written by Billy Taylor for his daughter Kim.

Duration: 3 Minutes 
Difficulty: 2/6

I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free

"Le Festin" is a song from the soundtrack of the film, Ratatouille. The song title means "The Feast" in French. This arrangement is for Cornet Soloist and Brass Band & Percussion accompaniment. 
Duration: 3 Minutes 
Difficulty: 2/6

Le Festin [NotePerformer Audio]

"The Land Before Time" is an iconic American animated film series and media franchise created in 1988. Since then, 13 direct-to-vieo musical sequals, a tv- series, video games, soundtracks, and related merchandise have been released.
This arrangement from the end credits of the first original film was made by Daniel Hall and features solos for Flugel and Horn which features best as a concert finisher for Brass Band & Percussion.

End Credits

Original score by Danny Elfman, Edwards Scissorhads is a 1 990 American Fantasy Romane Film directed by Tim Burton. It tells the story of an unfinished artificial humanoid who has scissor blades
instead of hands that is taken in by a suburban family and falls in love with their teenage daughter.
The music "Ice Dance" is used during an intimate climatic scene in the film. Originally written for orchestra,
this arranged for brass band was made by Daniel Hall.

Ice Dance

Elegy For Dunkirk - From the Motion Picture Film "Atonement". 
Dario Marianelli - Arrangement for Brass Band & Percussion by Daniel Hall.
Difficulty: 2/6
Duration: 4 Mins 30

Elegy For Dunkirk - Brunel Brass [Live]

"Chicken Fried" is a song by American country music group Zac Brown Band, which frontman Zac Brown co-wrote with Wyatt Durrette. The song was first recorded in 2003 for the 2005 album Home Grown. Arranged for Brass Quartet for Kieran Bird.

Instrumentation: 2 x Bb Cornet, 1 x Tenor Horn in Eb, 1 x Tuba in Eb

Duration: 4 Minutes
Difficulty: 4/6

Chicken Fried - Brass Quartet [NotePerformer]

Indigo Brass Quartet's Winning Performance of my composition "Vivide et Impera" at the RWCMD Philip Jones Ensemble Prize Competition.

Duration: C. 10 Minutes
Difficulty: 6/6
Instrumentation: 2 x Cornet, 1 x Tenor Horn, 1 x Euphonium

Divide Et Impera - Indigo Brass [Live]

Serendipity was commissioned by Fabian Bloch & Muriel Zeiter 2020. This was the first piece written by the composer during Lockdown in the United Kingdom, April - May 2020.

The composition is written in the style of a song, which begins with an 8 bar jeremiad melody. The melodic line progressively becomes more animated and displays the virtuosic technique of the soloist. After moments of anthiphonal exchanges between the piano and euphonium, the music builds to the climax of the composition with the euphonium singing the opening melody once more. The music fades away to nothing, until silence. And finally peace.

Difficulty: 6/6

Duration: C. 5 Minutes 40

Serendipity - Duo Giovivo [NotePerformer Audio]

I Can Cook Too - Brunel Brass (Live)

Dieu et Mon Droit (God and My Right) is a concert opener written to honour the passing of Queen Elizabeth II and the coronation of the new regent, King Charles III.
The title is the motto of the British monarchy, appearing on the Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom.
The French saying implies that the monarch has a divine right to rule over the United Kingdom.
The piece opens with a triumphant fanfare. After a short transition, the music becomes more solemn and melodic in style with sudden bursts of energy. In order to represent the challenges faced by the British monarchy, the piece gradually builds to a victorious style and then becomes playful with a growing dark undertone, once again with sudden bursts of energy.
The heroic motif returns, building to an anticlimax, before drastically changing style to a light repeated ostinato with elements of the opening motifs returning.
This ostinato builds to the grand moment of the piece; the culmination of both the energetic bursts and solemn melodic lines, in a much more joyous and ferocious manner. After a final resurgence of the heroic motif across the ensemble, the piece concludes with the energetic motif, signalling new beginnings with the upcoming coronation.

Dieu et mon droit

Daniel Hall is a British multi award-winning composer & arranger whose works have been performed by some of the country’s leading ensembles, including the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, A4 Brass Quartet, Tredegar Town Band, Orchestra of Opera North and the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain.
His music has been performed and recorded internationally by soloists and ensembles such as: Lode Violet & Brass Band Willebroek (BEL), Brass Band Öberösterreich (AUT), Fabian Bloch & Liberty Brass Band (CHE), Atlantic Brass Band (USA), Brass Band Treize Etoiles (CHE), Gilles Rocha & the European Youth Brass Band, as well as many more.
Daniel graduated from the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama with First Class Honours in Contemporary Composition. Whilst studying, Daniel wrote “Smoke Sketches” and “Sanctuary!”, the set test for the National Youth Brass Band Championships of Great Britain and European Youth Brass Band Championships respectively. In 2019, Daniel won the seventh European Composers Competition in Montreux, Switzerland, for his brass band composition “A Dialogue of Transmogrified Souls…”.  He was asked to compose two fanfares for RWCMD. The first was in honour of the college’s principal, Dame Hilary Boulding, and the second for the college’s president, King Charles III, to mark his 70th birthday, which Daniel conducted. 
Recently, Daniel worked with Brass Band Treize Etoiles (CHE) on a new major composition for the 2021 Swiss Nationals, “Gl!tch”, premiered in the Auditorium Stravinski on his 25th Birthday. In 2022, Daniel worked with Stavanger Brass Band in order to create their entire twenty five minute set, “United We Stand, Divided We Fall”, for which the ensemble was awarded second place at SIDDIS Brass Band Entertainment Contest.

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