Brass Band of Central Florida, conducted by Chad Shoopman, giving the U.S premiere of Teddy Bears' Massacre by Paul McGhee.

This piece received it's world premiere by Thoresby Colliery band, conducted by Steve March, at Butlins Contest 2014.

http://www.brassbandofcentralflorida.org
http://www.paul-mcghee.co.uk
http://www.thoresbyband.co.uk

Teddy Bears' Massacre

Here is my first ever piece for Brass Quartet, 'Hymns and Things for the End of the World (Part 20 1/2)', written for 'Exit Brass' and featured on their new album 'The Arrival'.

In nine sections that run continuously, the music explores stories from around the internet that I found towards the end of 2012 relating to the coming end of the world.

Four stunningly talented players playing all new music by some of the brass band movements leading composers - you can purchase the album from:

info@exitbrass.com

ENJOY!!

Hymns And Things For The End Of The World (Part 20 1/2)

Performed by Salford University Brass Band - conducted by Tom Davoren.

House Reyne was obliterated after they rebelled against their liege lord, Tytos Lannister, who was perceived as weak by his own vassals. 

To restore Lannister dominance, Tytos's son, Tywin Lannister, marched against the upstart Lord of Castamere, Lord Roger Reyne, known as the "Red Lion of Castamere". By the end of the rebellion, Castamere had been put to the torch and all members of House Reyne executed. 

The title is thus a play on words, as the "rains" fall over the empty halls of the "Reynes" who have been killed to the last man, and "not a soul to hear".

The Rains Of Castamere

As BIC comes closer I thought I'd upload this ditty - Monet on the Embankment, premiered by Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band, conducted by Leigh Baker, at the 2014 Brass in Concert Championships.

The piece is a musical reaction to Monet's 'The Thames below Westminster' and uses a thematic motif from 'Promenade' by Mussorgsky - which ran through the bands programme on the day.

The piece can be purchased from:

http://www.worldofbrass.com/index.php/sps30196-monet-at-the-embankment.html

Monet on the Embankment

'Pandemic 1349' performed by the Flowers Band, conducted by Paul Holland.  This piece received the best new composition/arrangement award at Brass in Concert 2016.

Pandemic 1349

A section from my collaboration with Jeff Young on 'Invisible Trains' - performed by the amazing IMMIX Ensemble.

Paul McGhee's Album

Invisible Trains...... A Murmur

Invisible Trains..........The Train is a Blaze

Manger Musikklag playing 'Clapp' by Paul McGhee at BrassWind festival 2010.

Clapp!!!

Burgermusikk Luzern's winning performance of Paul McGhee's 'Waiting For A Pain Hit!??!!?' at the 2010 Swiss Nationals in Montreux, Switzerland.

Waiting For A Pain Hit !  !!

‘The Long Way Home’ was commissioned by Chris Jeans and Don Collins for Youth Brass 2000, to be used as part of their programme at the 2018 European Championships.  

Written during December 2017 ‘The Long Way Home’ received its world premiere by Youth Brass 2000, conducted by Chris Jeans, at the 2018 European Brass Band Championships in Utrecht, Holland.

‘The Long way Home’ is a concert work that uses the composer’s own experiences of bullying to portray the lengths that were sometimes called for to make the short journey home from school.  Living only five minutes from school the works depicts varying stages of trying to get home, which would sometimes take over two hours.  The piece begins with the end of day school bell and ends with a mad sprint to the sanctuary of the home front door, with various encounters, hideouts and diversions along the way!

European Youth Brass Band Championships 2018

The Long Way Home

‘232.778ºC’ was written during October 2016 and is a musical homage and reaction to Ray Bradbury’s ‘Farenheit 451’ and the illustrations of the novel by Ralph Steadman.  It received its premiere on Sunday 20th November at the 40th Brass in Concert Championships at the Sage, Gateshead.

‘232.778ªC’ is the temperature at which paper will burn without the use of an accelerant.  As the music begins with a spark the flames begin to grow, adding all that they encounter to their flame.  Fire engine sirens can be heard through the mayhem and the dynamic and dissonance intensifies as the calls and screams of ‘London’s Burning’ begin to shriek from all directions.  The music continues to grow in intensity until the flames have consumed everything, and all that remains are the crumbled ruins of all that was once there.

Brass in Concert 2016

232.778C

‘Black Light’ was commissioned by Rob Richardson and Tom Davoren for the Collision Theory concert on the 15th February 2017 at the Peel Hall, University of Salford.   The University of Salford Brass Band gave the premiere performance; conducted by Tom Davoren, with Rob Richardson, solo Baritone with the Fairey Band, as the featured soloist.

A black light is a lamp that emits long-wave ultraviolet light and not much actual visible light.  It is this thought that I have tried to incorporate into the music where the solo Baritones material can be viewed as the ultraviolet light with the band producing the visible light.  To sonically accomplish this, all of the harmonic material contained throughout the piece is actually derived from elements and motifs that are contained within the solo line.

It is with this approach to the melodic material and the harmonic language that the piece gets its subtitle, ‘unaccompanied solo for baritone and brass band’.

Black Light

Burgermusik Luzern, conducted by Michael Bach, giving the world premiere of 'King Kong on Rue Igor Stravinsky' at the 2018 Swiss National Brass Band Championships - where they placed 1st in the own choice section.

If you would like to buy an mp3 of their performance of 'King Kong on Rue Igor Stravinsky' from the European Brass Band Championships it is available from:

http://www.worldofbrass.com/ebbc19-champoc-imp3.html

B5 study scores are available from:

http://www.paul-mcghee.co.uk/shop/4594600893/king-kong-on-rue-igor-stravinsky---b5-study-score/11374199

Swiss Brass Band Championships 2018

King Kong on Rue Igor Stravinsky

'Son of Kong' is a companion piece to 'King Kong on Rue Igor Stravinsky', taking thematic ideas from the original and presenting them in a contrasting style.

The piece was commissioned by Chris Jeans and Don Collins for Youth Brass 2000's programme at the 2019 European Youth Brass Band Championships in Montreux, Switzerland.

European Youth Brass Band Championships 2019

Son of Kong

premiered by Glenn Van Looy and the Leyland Band at the 2013 RNCM Festival of Brass.


01 Abide With Me

I began playing the Tuba aged 13 at Beanfield Comprehensive School in Corby, Northamptonshire.  Like millions before, I practised, I got better and I joined other ensembles..... I've been lucky enough to play at all the major brass band contests but at 17 I discovered that I had an ability to write music.  This new found form of self expression was instantly appealing and I happily fell head first into writing; if for no other reason, it meant I could ditch Tuba scales and flexibility studies and go out and look at the world!!

After only two years of writing I was lucky to get into the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff.  My composition tutor, Andrew Wilson-Dickson, was a massive influence on me as both a composer and a person.  I have to admit that I'm no academic and found the conforming aspects of institutional life rather hard!!  But having four years to write music is an experience I wouldn't swap for anything else in the world.

Music in general is not an easy profession to make a living but you can never grumble, getting by in life by conjuring sounds which have only ever occurred in your head is a great feeling..........

Paul McGhee

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