News - Jan 2009

Welcome to my newly updated website...the design has changed a bit (Although the Liverpool red still remains!), including program notes for all pieces, and links to the publishers websites for further details, including sound clip, sample scores and purchase information.

At the end of January, American trumpet soloist Rex Richardson will give the world premiere of Apophenia, a concerto for trumpet and band. He will perform this with the Fodens Band at the Royal Northern College of Music Festival of Brass. The work was commissioned by, and is dedicated to, Rex and features the soloist on Bb trumpet, flugel and piccolo trumpet. Rex will also premiere the piece in America in April with wind band at VCU.

Several pieces have been recorded recently. Jon Pippen has recorded a new scoring of Elegie for 10 piece brass ensemble and the same work has also been recorded byKoninklijke Fanfare Kempenbloei, a fanfare band from Belgium. They also recorded Hymn for Africa for the same CD. Both works have been arranged for fanfare band by Luc Vertommen, and are available from Band Press VOF.

There are also two exciting recordings happening over the next few weeks; I have rescored Requiem Paraphrases for wind band at the request of American euphonium soloist, Jason Ham, who will record, as well as premiere, the work with the West Point Military Band. The second recording also features an American euphoniumist, Pat Stuckemeyer, who commissioned a new work from me for euphonium solo with wind band. The resulting work, Fields of Destruction, is being recorded by Pat and will be released on CD at a later date.

Hymn for Africa to be used as test piece in Norway

Hymn for Africa has been chosen as the 3rd division set test piece for the Grenland International Band Festival, held in Grenland, Norway. More details can be found here:

http://www.grenlandbrass.com/Engelsk/testpiece.htm

Concert and CD release

A new recording that has recently released is the premiere recording of Elegie, by trombonist Jacques Mauger who is accompanied by the Stombor Brass Quintet. More details about this recording can be found by visiting Strombor's website - http://www.strombor.com/ . Jacques and the quintet are currently performing the work on their short tour of France.

My soprano saxophone concerto has been arranged for soprano sax and brass band by Luc Vertommen, and will be performed by Brass Band Buizingen, conducted by Luc Vertommen, who will be accompaning the guest soloist - Björn Verschoore.

Red Flame released on CD

The euphonium solo, Red Flame, has been recorded by LCpl Andrew Porter and the British Army Brass Band.







The CD received the following review in the British Bandsman:

LCpl. Andrew Porter is the tasteful euphonium soloist in Peter Meechan’s Red Flame, a new work inspired by an evening out during Queen’s Night in the Netherlands. Like the evening itself, a tranquil opening gives way to an energetic and colourful adventure later in the work, and the soloist handles its numerous challenges with apparent ease. Top brass indeed!

Kenneth Crookston British Bandsman, Saturday 30th August 2008

Belgian Meechan Festival.

Press release from Brass Band Buizingen, Belgium

As part of this final exam at the Royal Conservatory of Ghent – Belgium’s Brass Band Buizingen principal euphonium player choose to feature his beloved band and Pete Meechan’s music during a concert next Saturday at his home town – Beerse.

Although not that old (!) to receive a complete brass band programme of its own music Pete Meechan is regarded as one of the most original voices in contemporary brass band music.
The concert will open with B of the Bang commissioned by Brass Band Buizingen and their conductor Luc Vertommen in 2005 and already receiving word wide performances in either the brass band or the later composed wind band version. B of the Band refers to the famous quote by the British Olympic Gold medal winning sprinter, Linford Christie who always used to say that he left his blocks ‘on the B of the Bang’.

Next in the programme will be two established solo works, the first written for David Thornton and based on Paganini’s theme – Devil’s Duel, and the beautiful Elegie for trombone.

The final piece, and the ‘tour de force’ of the evening, will be the 20 minute concerto for soprano sax and band.

This piece in three movements was composed between 2001 and 2002, and was premiered in April 2002, performed by the Rob Buckland and the RNCM Symphony Orchestra - conducted by Clark Rundell.

The version for soprano saxophone and brass band was made by Brass Band Buizingen’s conductor Luc Vertommen especially for the occasion and was made in close cooperation with the composer. This huge work asks for four percussion players, electric guitar, bass guitar and piano – besides of the difficult accompaniment work for the band.

Guest soloist in this unique combination for soprano saxophone and band will be Björn Verschoore.

Review of Macbeth

4barsrest.com review of Macbeth - follow this link: http://4barsrest.com/articles/2007/art764d.asp

Purcell Variants performance

Singapore Wind Symphony Youth Winds are to give the Singapore premiere of Purcell Variants later in the month, conducted by Muhamad Yusri. Please visit http://swsyw.blogspot.com/ for more details.