Composer Rob Davies

Rob Davies is from Neath, south Wales. He started playing the cornet when he was 11 years old and soon joined local brass and wind bands. He started to compose when he was 15 years old and has always enjoyed writing for brass instruments. Rob continued his musical training on the trumpet at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, where he gained a BA (Hons) in 2001 and a Postgraduate Diploma in Performance a year later. He continued to compose while he was a student as part of his studies and for enjoyment.

In 1999, Rob won the student section of the Performing Rights Society's 50th Anniversary Fanfare Competition. Whilst at college Andrew Fawbert (professor of euphonium) commissioned a piece for the euphonium ensemble while Christopher Mowat (Head of Brass) asked Rob to write a piece for the college's brass band and the 2002 Graduation ceremony. This piece has recently been published by Brass Wind Publications. Winning the Holst Bursary to study Film Composition with Miguel Mera at the Dartington International Summer School in 2002 gave Rob an insight into composing for screen which has always been one of his passions.

Over the past 3 years Paul Archibald has commissioned Rob many times to write from brass students at the Royal Academy of Music. This includes two pieces for Trumpet Ensemble and a trumpet sonata. Paul also commissioned him to write a piece for 16 piece Brass Ensemble combined with a Jazz Group This was premiered in Aberystwyth in 2005. During the end of February 2006 two of his trumpet choir pieces were recorded on the new Brass Classics label.

Rob also writes music for the media and has written several tracks for computer games and websites. Recently Rob was chosen to be one of only six British composers to write music for the new cenotaph being unveiled later this year to remember British service personnel killed in action since World War II.

Concorde

Concorde – Rob Davies

The piece reflects a day in the life of Concorde in a number of linked episodes.

· “Hangar at 3am”- Black night outside, but inside lights blaze as Concorde sleeps. A small army of engineers go about their tasks quietly and efficiently, making preparations for the flight ahead.

· “Departure Lounge” – A buzz of anticipation. Many languages are heard. Urgency and excitement increases but serenity is maintained.

· “Afterburner” – Concorde takes off and switches on the afterburner with a roar. Passengers feel a kick in the back, and the aircraft speeds up and climb steeply and quickly disappears out of sight. Peace returns.

· “Mach 2” – Following a monstrous sonic boom, Concorde accelerates to Mach 2. Screaming through the air at high altitude, inside, all is calm and genteel.

· “Droop Snoot”- A jazzy sophisticated cosmopolitan feel, showing Concorde from a different angle.

· “Arrival” – A distant rumble. Concorde is spotted in the skies over the destination. People stop to turn and stare at the beautiful sight coming ever closer. Triumphantly, the ambassador of the sky lands at its destination.

Composer Rob Davies wrote the piece whilst afloat playing on a cruise liner travelling around some exotic locations! Rob has written music for many genres including span classical, film, TV themes, and even video games. On a previous collaboration with Surrey Brass he wrote music to accompany silent films made in Walton on Thames by pioneering cinematographer Cecil Hepworth in 1910.