Flowers Band Open the Doors To Their European Championship Preparations

An Inspiring Afternoon with the Flowers Band

Ahead of making their debut at the European Brass Band Championships in Linz, the Flowers Band hosted a fantastic open rehearsal at Gloucester Guildhall. For family, friends and fans of the band, it offered a glimpse into their preparations, as well as the opportunity to hear both the set work by Thomas Doss, and their own-choice test piece for the contest.

A Historic Milestone

Representing England at the European Brass Band Championships is a historic milestone for the band, as it is the first time they have competed in the contest. It’s clear that it means a great deal to both band members and the band’s musical director, Paul Holland, who said:

“I’m really excited to take Flowers to the Europeans. I’ve conducted there a few times with guest bands, which has been a brilliant experience, but to do it with a band that I’ve been with for sixteen years - we’ve built this together, it’s not happened overnight, the success has been long in the making. I know what they can do, and we’re going to have a great experience.”

On what this experience means for the band, Paul Richards, the band’s Soprano Cornet player said:

“I’ve been in the band for over fifteen years, so it feels like it’s been a long time coming. I’ve seen the band go from strength to strength through that period and we’ve had lots of good times. But, I think finally to see the band take that extra step and, deservedly, get to represent England, for me it brings a massive amount of pride and excitement. I’ve played at the Europeans once, before as a dep. So, actually going with my band means so much.”

The band’s Third Cornet player, Jessica Scott added: 

“I think it’s just incredible! I think for a lot of us in the band it’s somewhere we never thought we’d actually get to. I know, for me, joining the band seven years ago, I never expected to be here.”

Well-supported Event

The Gloucester Guildhall (a fantastic venue for the event!) was packed with 165 enthusiastic attendees. The support for the band has been so strong that not only did they have to release extra tickets for the open rehearsal on Saturday, but they have had to add additional open rehearsal dates to keep up with demand. 

The band made clear that they are not taking this support for granted. Throughout the day, members of the band frequently mentioned how blown away they were to have received so much support to attend the competition. From local businesses making donations to grants from Trusts and Foundations, seat sponsorships and even spare change donated at concerts - it’s clear that every penny has made a difference and the band were so appreciative. 

This support says as much about the band’s reputation locally as it does about the work of Gregor Spence, bass player and Band Manager, who continues to find ways to extend the band’s reach.

Alienus by Thomas Doss

The first piece we were introduced to was the set-work for the contest - Alienus by Thomas Doss. 

The term ‘alienus’ describes something that is ‘unfamiliar or strange’ and although the composer does invite the listener to concoct their own story based off what they hear, in the work’s programme notes, Doss does outline a brief storyline:

“This piece tells the story of an encounter, when humans come upon a sleeping, enigmatic alien creature”.

This picture is painted clearly at the start of the 19-minute musical behemoth with dissonant ‘snores’ from the lower brass punctuating through an other-worldly, dreamy soundscape created by cornets and twinkling percussion. Throughout the work, the composer throws a wide range of effects from complex, layered percussion textures to eerie trombone glissandi. Sometimes these types of effects can come across as slightly gimmicky and can distract, however, I think Doss utilises these unusual compositional elements effectively to create a futuristic atmosphere, as well as evoking feelings of fear and uncertainty. The way the hymn is woven into the score, with small glimpses scattered here and there before you hear it in full at the end was really engaging. 

Overall, I would say it’s quite an avante-garde work that brings together a musical ‘pick and mix’ of genres and I imagine it will split opinion. But that’s the joy of contemporary writing. It’s the art of making something different. I feel this is exactly what Doss captures in Alienus. It takes risks. It takes the familiar - a hymn, the brass band sound etc. - and weaves it into something that is unashamedly ‘untraditional’, unique and (in this author’s opinion) quite exciting. 

Chatting to the band’s Principal Cornet, Luke Barker, about working on the piece, he said:

“It’s very typical writing of Thomas Doss, I would say - there’s real character in the music. A lot of solos for me. But it’s cool, it’s really funky - it’s really grown on us as a band.”

Own-choice Test Piece

As I’m writing this, it’s been a couple of days since the open rehearsal, and I’m still thinking about Flowers' own-choice test piece - for all the right reasons! 

As an audience member I thoroughly enjoyed it and was fully engaged from the first note until the last.. As a player - I want to play it, which I don’t think there can be a higher compliment than that! Honestly, it’s one of the best (and certainly one of the coolest) major works I’ve heard.

Obviously, I don’t want to go into too much detail at this stage and give too much away ahead of its premiere! However, I think it’s safe to say that audiences in the Brucknerhaus and watching via livestream are in for a real treat on Saturday. 

The People Behind the Performance

As an audience member, we weren’t simply left to spectate the rehearsal from the sidelines. Paul regularly ‘broke the fourth wall’ to include the audience in the proceedings, taking us through the pieces, explaining elements of the works and sharing a joke or two. For us, it wasn’t simply the talent of the band that was on display, but the strong relationship and mutual respect between the band and their musical director. You can tell that there is a real pride in being a member of the band and a determination to work hard as a team.

Following the rehearsal, there was an opportunity to have a chat with the people behind the performance. They’re a talented, hard-working bunch that are obviously taking this European challenge seriously. However, it was clear to see, both during the rehearsal and when chatting to band members afterwards, that the Flowers Band have a really positive, friendly culture. They’re not just a fine group of musicians, there is real friendship within this band and they find the balance between delivering excellence on stage and having fun offstage.

Flowers Band is an easy band to back. It’s clear to see why their open rehearsal was so well-attended and why they have such a strong support network, both in the local community and further afield. They have something that goes beyond trophies, results and league tables. In my opinion they embody everything that ‘top banding’ should be - high quality music, hard-working approach, forward-thinking attitude and close camaraderie. 

A Memorable Debut

Now, as a player, the last thing I want to do is give any band the kiss of death by waxing lyrical before a competitive performance. That being said, there was a hell of a lot to admire around the stand. They have an absolute dream team of soloists that are not only technically formidable, but musically impressive. A whirlwind of percussionists that were just incredible to watch and added a colourful dimension to both pieces. When the band comes together as an ensemble, they are magnificent, there’s no other word for it. Whatever the result, I think the band’s debut at the Europeans is sure to be a memorable one for sure,

Best of luck Flowers Band and thank you for such an incredible afternoon of music. 

Support It's Not a Trumpet

If you've enjoyed this post, please consider supporting It's Not a Trumpet. Your donation helps to keep the site free to access, funds our features, event coverage and will go towards creating opportunities for the banding community in the future!

If you'd like to help support the blog - please donate via the button below. Every penny goes back into the blog and creating new future opportunities to progress brass banding.

Donate Here