I have been asked recently if I had anything suitable for brass to help celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee this year. How about this?

Celebration Suite for Brass Band

After a gap of 40 years, I have rekindled my brass band roots by doing some composing and arranging for brass band again. I have even dusted off my cornet, oiled the valves, and now enjoying playing with the East of England Co-op Band in Ipswich as they prepare Spectrum by Gilbert Vinter.

My first project is a transcription of my 2015 orchestral suite Celebration for Orchestra. Having been successfully performed by orchestras a few times now, I feel confident that it works well as a concert piece.

The first two movements have transcribed incredibly well …….. I must have had brass in mind all along!

The final movement, Jubilee, had lots of Sibelius-like string writing that didn’t work for brass in transcription. The new score for Jubilee is a complete re-working of the original composition, and much better for it as a result.

If you would like a set for your band, I am happy to provide one (with conductor score) for the cost of printing and postage (£40). Give me a call, or email me for further discussion on this. There is a download of the full set available here: Celebration for Brass Band — LAWRENCE KILLIAN (lkillian.com)

Program Note

Celebration for Brass Band, suite in three movements.

The piece's overall aim is to provide both the players and the audience with a positively uplifting, and fun musical showcase. The listener is taken on a journey through the various moods and feelings associated with three types of celebration: birthday, anniversary, and jubilee. The music is generally light in character with a subtle blend of the familiar and not so familiar with a few 'cheesy bits' to make you smile in between.

The first movement is 'Birthday Treat', a light-hearted look at the fun and games surrounding a birthday party for any age. Opportunity is given within the music for the players and audience to join in and echo the sounds of a live party with exclamations of: “Happy Birthday!”, “Congratulations!”, “Well done!”.

The second movement in the suite is 'Anniversary', a touching musical tableau recalling memories of bygone days.

The final movement, 'Jubilee', is exactly that. Full of jubilation, energy, and movement the music is sure to engage the listener from the start. Listen out for musical snippets recalling the musical moods heard in the first two movements.