NSWO News

Nottingham’s unique award-winning group, the Nottingham Symphonic Wind Orchestra (NSWO) are among the ensembles selected to participate in recording events with BBC Radio 3, in conjunction with Making Music, to celebrate British Light Music.

Celebrating the ‘lighter side' of orchestral music. Radio 3's 'Light Fantastic' festival airs over the weekend of 24-27 June with the best of British light music. The beautifully crafted compositions of Eric Coates, Robert Farnon and Ernest Tomlinson feature in concerts and programmes across the station.

The Nottingham Symphonic Wind Orchestra is one of the leading groups of its kind in the UK. The group has delighted audiences at home and abroad since its formation in 1987, filling the churches and concert halls of the East Midlands and touring throughout Europe. Many of the NSWO’s concerts are given in support of local and national charities, and in the last twelve months alone have helped to raise more than £15,000 for charities and good causes. The total since the group started is over £85,000.

‘Light Fantastic’ festival is BBC Radio 3 major broadcasting event in June 2011

The NSWO have recently recorded Ernest Tomlinson’s Suite of English Folk Dances, which was extremely well received by the composer, who said “…it is not an exaggeration to say this is a significant highlight of my long and varied career”. One of the leading exponents of British ‘light music’, Ernest Tomlinson has long been active in promoting and preserving the tradition of light music. Other composers who have written in this popular style include local man Eric Coates (1886-1957), born in Hucknall, perhaps most famous for his ‘Dam Busters March’. Following the successful recording of the works of Tomlinson, Holst and others under the baton of Keiron Anderson, NSWO has been selected for a recording at BBC Manchester studios as part of the BBC Radio 3/Making Music ‘Light Fantastic’ festival in June 2011. Also as part of this festival, the group perform a Summer Prom in the grounds of Bramcote School on Cow Lane, at which they will perform a number of works by British composers, including Coates’ Dam Busters March.

Saturday 25th June 2011, 6:30pm for 7.00 pm

To celebrate the 150th Anniversary of Bramcote Church. Bramcote School grounds (Cow Lane). The audience are invited to bring picnic hampers, rugs and even candelabras.

Tickets £15 to include Champagne and Nibbles

available from Windblowers 0115 941 0543

BBC Radio 3 Light Fantastic Festival

More details at

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/classical/lightfantastic/

Ernest Tomlinson Biographical Note

Ernest Tomlinson (born September 19, 1924) is not only a distinguished arranger and composer of light music but he is also well known for his contribution over the course of the past few years to the conservation and archiving of the light music legacy of this country. He has won several prestigious awards for his work: the Composers' Guild Award in 1965 and two Ivor Novello Awards - one for his full-length ballet Aladdin in 1975 and the other for services to light music in 1970. For several years he sat on the Executive Committee of the Composers' Guild of Great Britain and held the office of Chairman during 1964. He has been a composer-director of the Performing Rights Society since 1965 and he is currently the President of the Light Music Society.