Grimethorpe Colliery Band is delighted to renew its links with composer Nigel Clarke as the band’s ‘International Composer in Association’. Principal Cornet Roger Webster confirmed that the band is planning to forge a closer relationship with Nigel over the next few years.
Grimethorpe premiered Nigel’s ‘Further Adventures of the Same’ at the 2016 RNCM Festival of Brass and already new projects are being discussed. Nigel stated: “From a young age, I became aware of the Grimethorpe Band through the new composition work that they performed under the baton of Elgar Howarth. I am proud to continue my relationship with them and will seek to assist the band in increasing its profile outside of the brass band world and in encouraging a new generation of composers and audiences to subscribe to this extraordinary group of musicians. I am also clearly looking forward to writing for Grimethorpe Band.”
Nigel Clarke studied composition at the Royal Academy of Music with Paul Patterson, winning the Josiah Parker Prize (adjudicated by Sir Michael Tippett) and the Academy’s highest distinction, the Queen’s Commendation for Excellence. He gained his Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Salford. Nigel has previously held positions as Young Composer in Residence at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Composition and Contemporary Music Tutor at the Royal Academy of Music, London, Head of Composition at the London College of Music and Media, visiting tutor at the Royal Northern College of Music, Associate Composer to the Black Dyke Band, Associate Composer to the Band of HM Grenadier Guards, Composer-in-Residence to the Marinierskapel der Koninklijke Marine (Marine Band of the Royal Netherlands Navy), Associate Composer to the Royal Military School of Music and Associate Composer to Brass Band Buizingen of Belgium.
In 1997 Nigel joined the United States International Visitor Leadership Program, sponsored by the US Information Agency. He is currently Composer to Bands at Middle Tennessee State University Bands and International Composer in Association to the world famous Grimethorpe Colliery Band in the UK. Nigel has been nominated in this years 2016 British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA) ‘British Composer Awards’ in the Wind Band & Brass Band category.
Further information about Nigel Clarke and his work can be found at his website www.nigel-clarke.com