Fine Arts Brass is
now in its thirtieth year and firmly established at the forefront of the
international brass chamber music scene. Originally formed in 1980, the
ensemble took the name of the place of its first rehearsal, The Barber
Institute of Fine Arts at Birmingham University. The group’s enduring success
is due to its uncanny chameleon-like adaptability to different audience
requirements. These can range from educational concerts for primary school
children to broadcasts suitable for BBC Radios 2, 3 or 4. With the combination
of their unique versatility of sound, eminent humour and passion for the music
they play, it is easy to see why they have toured to over 60 countries and
performed in just about every music festival in the UK.
Their repertoire
is as comprehensive a
s you would expect from such artists, encapsulating all musical
genres from the Renaissance and Baroque to the sound worlds of the avant garde.
Equally, when they play Swing, they swing!
They also have a
penchant for commissioning new works (over 50 to date) and have enjoyed working
closely with the composers who have written for them: Malcolm Arnold, Robin
Holloway, Michael Nyman, John Woolrich & Michael Torke to name but a few.
Their discography is no less impressive with a selection of 28 recordings to
date with more planned! In the words of Classical Music Magazine, they are
simply “Exceptional”. FAB receives financial support from the PRS Foundation
and is proud to be associated with Smith-Watkins trumpets and Nimbus Records.
