23 – 27 February 2009

Announcing the Trinity College of Music Brass Experience 2009 featuring Portuguese tuba player Sérgio Carolino as Artist in Residence.  This is the sixth year of the week-long festival at Trinity which aims to highlight brass playing of all genres and this year features a diversity of music from Early to Jazz.  It’s a great opportunity to experience a wide range of brass performances from talented players of all ages, and with many events free, it won’t break the bank. 

The festival opens at Blackheath Halls on the February 23, 6pm with the high profile Philip Jones Brass Competition.  Open to all TCM Brass Ensembles, the competition is named after ex-Trinity Principal and trumpeter Philip Jones CBE, founder of the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble.  The festival celebrates his life and groundbreaking work which paved the way for the modern brass ensemble experience.  The performance will be a vibrant mix of diverse brass groups playing everything from baroque to pop under the watchful eye of adjudicator Sérgio Carolino (admission free).

On February 24 at 1.05pm the Old Royal Naval College Chapel at Trinity College of Music’s home – the resplendent baroque Old Royal Naval College - will echo with the sounds of early brass as the TCM Early Music Brass Ensemble present Venice in Greenwich.  Come along to hear cornetto, sackbut and natural trumpet players under the direction of Richard Thomas (admission free).

February 25 is a day of Tuba and Low Brass at Blackheath Halls with Sérgio Carolino providing a public masterclass at 10am and joining Trinity brass students in a concert at 7pm.  The concert will also feature Oren Marshall and George Wall (tuba & euphonium), Carol Jarvis and Roger Argente (trombone) (tickets £10 conc. £7).

On Feb 26 at 7.30pm Blackheath Halls will host a celebration of brass playing - the Trinity College of Music Brass Massive 2009.  The evening will feature Bernstein’s Prelude, Fugue and Riffs and J.S.Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor arranged by Eric Crees.  Performers include the TCM Symphonic Brass Ensemble conducted by Tom Hammond, Sérgio Carolino and the winners of the Philip Jones Brass Competition (tickets £10 conc. £7).

The festival closes at Oliver’s Wine Bar in Greenwich on the 27 Feb at 9pm with a Jazz Evening featuring Oren Marshall, Sérgio Carolino and TCM Jazz students.  Admission is free.

Portuguese Sérgio Carolino teaches tuba and chamber music at ESMAE - the Superior School of Music & Performing Arts in Oporto, Portugal and, since 2002, has been principal tuba with the Oporto National Orchestra. In 2007, he recorded his first solo, live CD, Steel aLive! - considered to be a masterpiece in the international tuba scene.