Martin Ellerby

It is known to the Euphonium world that your Euphonium Concerto was written for Steven Mead in 1995. How did this work come about?

A few points regarding this piece have already come out in my response to question 6 but the immediate answer is relatively simple: Steven Mead asked me after some recording sessions in Scotland.

It was a great opportunity to write for not only a master exponent of his instrument but a thoroughly intelligent musical performer. His main brief was that I could do what I wanted BUT he had to be heard so no over-scoring and ‘hiding’ of the solo part.

Steven Mead

This is a fine principle to hold in mind while writing concertos and one I’ve endeavoured to stick to in my other efforts. Of course you can have a compositional technique whereby the band start to take over from the soloist but one should do this on purpose not by accident!

I originally scored this work with brass band accompaniment but have subsequently made versions with wind band and symphony orchestra backings. Then you have to do a piano reduction so it’s a lot of time spent with the same piece. I have recordings of all versions by a variety of soloists and I still consider it to be one of my most consistent efforts.

Finally, what aims do you hope to achieve in the next 5 years? Is there anything that you are working on right now?

I’m usually working on some brass or wind band score; possibly a concerto plus I spend quite a lot of time putting works into print. I’ve just finished a piece for a brass band in Switzerland and am now on a US wind band commission.

Before the end of the year I also have to address a saxophone choir piece, another wind band work, a tuba sonata, the piano reduction of my saxophone concerto and an arrangement. Then the path is clear for 2011 commitments!

I do hope to be able to spend more time on chamber music in the future. I used to do this quite a lot in the early days but there is a great tendency to become typecast and although I’m not complaining there can only be so many decent brass and wind band pieces in a composer! I have some other more unusual projects that I want to write but have no commissions for so I intend to make time to do one or two of these occasionally.

I did a string orchestra piece earlier this year (which was a commission) and a clarinet quintet (with string quartet) last year (now recorded on Naxos) so I’m making a start. It’s always nice as a composer to be wanted so I’ve really only done what most other writers have and that is to follow the ‘market’ and its trends.

Perhaps my pension in the form of royalties will allow for a greater future freedom of choice…

Joshua

Joshua is a social 'freak' who enjoys music, photography and good food. He is currently based in Melbourne doing his Bachelors Program in Information Technology Systems.

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