Two young brass instrumentalists from Huddersfield are blazing a musical trail in an unusual four-piece ensemble.
The award-winning A 4 Brass Quartet, based at the Royal Northern College of Music where the musicians are studying, comprises one cornet, two horns and a euphonium.
Jamie Smith from Dalton, who is the A 4 cornet player, says this makes their ensemble, which also includes Skelmanthorpe tenor horn player Jonathan Bates, unique.
“Normally, you have two cornets and one horn,” he explained. “It makes us different, but means there is no music for us, which is a good and a bad thing. It stops us from going to the library and getting pieces other people have played before. Jonathan writes and arranges a lot of what we play.”
So far the ensemble has scooped two major awards at the RNCM and has performed all over the North. It is currently taking part in the college’s Chamber Music Festival in Manchester.
The conservatoire offers young musicians many performance opportunities. Jamie’s primary instrument is the trumpet and he is a past player with Sellers Youth Band and has been with Hammonds Saltaire for seven years. Jonathan plays with Black Dyke, and the other members of the ensemble – Michael Cavangh and Christopher Robertson – are also with leading brass bands.
