Vacancy – Musical Director

To join Summer/Autumn 2024

Harmonie Concert Band is a symphonic wind band based in south Essex which is celebrating its 50^th Anniversary in 2026. We are a community band, that welcomes musicians of all ages to come and make music, we always strive to attain a high standard and to broaden our musical knowledge, experience and abilities.

We currently have 40+ active members from all over Essex who meet on Wednesday evenings in Rayleigh. We have an extensive music library and play a wide music repertoire including classics, popular and light music, marches, music from films and shows, and more demanding works written or arranged specifically for wind band.

We perform 5 -6 concerts each year, including Bandstands, community events and formal concerts, some in collaboration with other music and performing arts organisations. We have played at venues throughout Essex, plus visits further afield including Eastbourne, Windsor Castle.

We are looking for someone who would enjoy the challenge of bringing the best out of the band whilst working in a friendly community atmosphere. The Musical Director is responsible to the Committee and will manage all musical matters, including music and programme selection and rehearsal schedules.  This is a freelance position, and a suitable fee will be agreed with the successful candidate. The band is funded entirely by donations from band members and occasional performance fees.

For more information about the band please see www.harmonie.org.uk, and to express an interest in the MD position please email enquiries@harmonie.org.uk.

Harmonie Concert Band is a Registered Charity no.1129948                                                                                                                

On Sunday 14th May Harmonie Concert Band had the privilage of playing on one of the most prestigious open air concert venues in the country, below are a few photographs of the event.

On Wednesday 15^th June. Harmonie Concert Band took part in the National Concert Band Festival’s “At Home” project. The project, funded by The Arts Council England, provides free workshops for Concert Bands throughout the UK regardless of their ability, these workshops take place at the bands’ normal rehearsal venue and are led by an external specialist conductor and mentor.

The workshops are designed to provide external feedback, ideas & guidance, to create a focus for the band and encourage & give confidence to players.

A graduate of the National Youth Orchestra and the Royal Academy of Music Simon Hogg became a founder member of The Fine Arts Brass in 1980. During this time, he performed two thousand concerts, visited over sixty countries, recorded 150 BBC radio and TV broadcasts and made 25 commercial recordings. The ensemble commissioned seventy works by leading British composers and performed at most major British and European music festivals.

In 1994 Simon founded Warwick Music, a specialist publisher of brass music commencing with an unknown work for Trombone & Organ (1894) by Gustav Holst which he discovered in the British Museum. In 1996 Simon became an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music (ARAM), only awarded to alumni who have distinguished themselves in the music profession.

He taught trombone at the Royal College of Music, Junior Department for ten years, Has adjudicated for the BBC Young Musician of the Year and was Senior External Examiner at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama.

The evening began with the band rehearsing and playing a very descriptive piece called “At Dawn They Slept”, it was composed by Jay Bocook as a musical remembrance of all those who lost their lives at Pearl Harbour.

We then went on to play a jazz-inspired piece called “Shortcut Home” by Dana Wilson, this proved to be very challenging for all sections of the band but after some rehearsal, the final run-through gave a sense of satisfaction to all.

Just before a well-earned break, we had a chance to rehearse a very beautiful piece by Eric Whitacre called “October”.  This was a particularly challenging piece with multiple tempo and time changes which brought out the best in everyone.

Finally, Simon led us through one of the pieces we have been working on from our own repertoire called “Orient Express” by British composer Philip Sparke, a piece we hope to perform in future concerts this year.

The evening proved to be a resounding success so special thanks to Simon for coming and taking this workshop, Roy Dignum our MD for organising the workshop and all the band members for making this a memorable event that was enjoyed by all.  Below are a few photographs taken during the evening. 

If anyone is interested and would like more information about these workshops go to: https://ncbf.info/ncbf-extra

Name: Deb Carter

Instrument:  French horn

When did you join? September 1987

Why did you join Harmonie?

Tony and I moved to Basildon when we were married and I wanted to join a band. At that time I was playing trumpet. I transferred to tenor horn a few years later and then to the French horn. I had wanted to learn the horn when I was at school but did not get the opportunity.

What do you enjoy about being with Harmonie? 

I love the variety of music we play and the fact that it is such a friendly band.

What has been your favourite experience with Harmonie?

Oh goodness… It is really difficult to choose one experience…

Playing at the Festival Hall for the Bernstein concert was amazing, but I have loved both the tours too.

What else would you like to say about being in Harmonie?

What can I say? It is a brilliant band to play in. I wouldn’t have stayed for 30 years otherwise!

Our Holst to Hess concert celebrates over 100 years of music written specifically for wind band with music by Phillip Sparke, Guy Woolfenden as well as Gustav Holst and our good friend Nigel Hess. We are delighted to be working with our guest soloist William Knight, who will be performing the Phillip Sparke clarinet Concerto.

Born in Essex and educated at Westcliff High School for Boys, William Knight began learning the clarinet under the tutelage of local teacher, Gill Thorn, at the age of seven. Having been a member of the National Children’s Orchestras and the National Youth Orchestra, he went on to study at the Royal College of Music in London under Richard Hosford, Timothy Lines and Michael Collins, supported by a John Nickson scholarship award. He graduated in 2017 with first class honours having won the RCM Clarinet Prize and the Stephen Trier award for Bass Clarinet and having performed under conductors such as Bernard Haitink, Vladimir Jurowski and John Wilson.

Since graduating, he has gone on to forge the beginnings of a successful career as an orchestral clarinettist, and has performed with ensembles such as the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Royal Northern Sinfonia, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and the BBC Symphony Orchestra. He has recently performed concertos and recitals in Essex and Suffolk and is excited to once again be performing locally.

Harmonie had the great pleasure of working with composer Nigel Hess in March this year.

Download a flyer.

The concert is on Saturday 13th October 2018, 7.30pm
Kings Road United Reform Church
91 Crowstone Road
Westcliff-on-Sea
SS0 8LH
Google map of location

To purchase tickets at £10 each: email enquiries AT harmonie.org.uk or call 07815 578998 (after 7pm)

Sunday 25th March not only heralded the start of British Summer Time but was also the start of the performance season for Harmonie Concert Band.  In preparation for its busy year ahead (including performances in Southend, at the Orsett Show, and on the Eastbourne Bandstand) the band had invited the award-winning composer Nigel Hess to work with them for the day.  Many will know his TV themes including Dangerfield, Hetty Wainthropp, Campion and New Tricks as well as his film score to Ladies in Lavender.  Although Harmonie is based in Rayleigh in Essex, the band travelled to High House Production Park in Purfleet for its rehearsal day with the composer.

Nigel Hess has written extensively for the windbands having received composing commissions from the Royal Air Force Music Services and the Band of the Coldstream Guards.

At its rehearsal day Harmonie Concert Band worked on some of his pieces that will be featured in their concert programmes this year and everyone felt honoured to have had the opportunity to work with the composer himself.  Band Chairman, David Adlington said “Working with a well-known and award-winning composer such as Nigel Hess is a fantastic opportunity for a community music group like Harmonie Concert Band. Working with the actual composer of some of the music that will feature in our 2018 programme certainly gave us additional insight and helped us raise the bar – and we hope this will shine through in our forthcoming concerts”

The band were in an up-beat mood after the rehearsal with everyone expressing what a fantastic day it had been.  In response Nigel Hess complimented the band on being “absolutely terrific” and great fun to work with.

 

images: Roy Dignum