National Youth Wind Ensemble of Great Britain
Encyclopedia
The National Youth Wind Ensemble of Great Britain (NYWE) is regarded as one of the top youth wind groups in Europe
, and hailed by Timothy Reynish as "one of the best wind groups in the world.".
The ensemble used to rehearse as part of the National Children's Wind Orchestra for the main part, and only occasionally rehearsed as the smaller ensemble group. This changed when the group became a separate entity in 1998, although many of the players in the group today have been members of the NCWO prior to their membership of NYWE. The Ensemble has been conducted since its inception by Phillip Scott, who continues to push the high playing standards with demanding, technical and time consuming music, leading to the very high standard achieved by the group today. Many former members have gone on to pursue careers in musical performance, as soloists or in renowned ensembles around the world.
Ever since its formation, the ensemble has worked on the principle of a single player to each musical part or voice. This approach is unique among British youth wind ensembles performing in the national and international arena, and it has helped NYWE establish an enviable international reputation. The group specialises in the performance of music which has appeared during the last twenty years, although music of earlier eras is also performed.
The band has always used around 40 players. In 2007, the band had 43 players.
NYWE has frequented such musical conferences and events such as the WASBE (World Association of Symphonic Wind Bands and Ensembles) Conference in Sweden 2003, and Ireland in 2007. It was after NYWE's performance at the 2007 WASBE held at Killarney
, Ireland
, that the world-renowned conductor, adjudicator and lecturer Timothy Reynish described NYWE as "one of the best wind groups in the world, with a professionalism unique in the UK and I would guess anywhere". At the WASBE 2007 Conference the ensemble gave breathtaking performances of the very demanding Philip Grange
clarinet concerto "Sheng Sheng Bu Shi" featuring soloist Sarah Williams (former Young Musician of the Year finalist), "Diaghilev Dances" by Kenneth Hesketh
and the world premiere of Joseph Phibbs's "The Spiralling Night", before finishing their programme with a stunning performance of Michael Ball
's "Omaggio".
Throughout its time NYWE has performed several world premieres of high profile pieces. NYWE regularly commissions world-renowned composers, most recently Joseph Phibbs, Michael Torke
, Jacques Cohen
and Anthony Bailey. In July 2009, NYWE gave the world premiere of Cloud Atlas, a major new work by Philip Grange
, based on the 2004 Man Booker Prize
shortlisted novel by David Mitchell
at the 2009 Cheltenham Music Festival
on 12 July 2009.
NYWE have been announced to be attending the 2011 WASBE held in Taiwan
.
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, and hailed by Timothy Reynish as "one of the best wind groups in the world.".
History
NYWE was originally formed as an élite group of performers from the National Children's Wind Orchestra of Great Britain (NCWO), which still exists today. The group worked under the name The National Children's Wind Ensemble but changed to its present name, The National Youth Wind Ensemble of Great Britain, to enable older children to join the ensemble. Members must now be aged 19 or younger, and of a standard at least equivalent to, or above, Grade 8 and Diploma standard: entry is by audition only.The ensemble used to rehearse as part of the National Children's Wind Orchestra for the main part, and only occasionally rehearsed as the smaller ensemble group. This changed when the group became a separate entity in 1998, although many of the players in the group today have been members of the NCWO prior to their membership of NYWE. The Ensemble has been conducted since its inception by Phillip Scott, who continues to push the high playing standards with demanding, technical and time consuming music, leading to the very high standard achieved by the group today. Many former members have gone on to pursue careers in musical performance, as soloists or in renowned ensembles around the world.
Ever since its formation, the ensemble has worked on the principle of a single player to each musical part or voice. This approach is unique among British youth wind ensembles performing in the national and international arena, and it has helped NYWE establish an enviable international reputation. The group specialises in the performance of music which has appeared during the last twenty years, although music of earlier eras is also performed.
The band has always used around 40 players. In 2007, the band had 43 players.
NYWE has frequented such musical conferences and events such as the WASBE (World Association of Symphonic Wind Bands and Ensembles) Conference in Sweden 2003, and Ireland in 2007. It was after NYWE's performance at the 2007 WASBE held at Killarney
Killarney
Killarney is a town in County Kerry, southwestern Ireland. The town is located north of the MacGillicuddy Reeks, on the northeastern shore of the Lough Lein/Leane which are part of Killarney National Park. The town and its surrounding region are home to St...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, that the world-renowned conductor, adjudicator and lecturer Timothy Reynish described NYWE as "one of the best wind groups in the world, with a professionalism unique in the UK and I would guess anywhere". At the WASBE 2007 Conference the ensemble gave breathtaking performances of the very demanding Philip Grange
Philip Grange
Philip Grange is an English composer.Grange was born in London. He attended Peter Maxwell Davies’s classes at Dartington, and then took further, private, lessons with Davies while at The University of York, where he also studied composition with David Blake...
clarinet concerto "Sheng Sheng Bu Shi" featuring soloist Sarah Williams (former Young Musician of the Year finalist), "Diaghilev Dances" by Kenneth Hesketh
Kenneth Hesketh
Kenneth Hesketh is a British composer of contemporary classical music in numerous genres including opera, orchestral, chamber, vocal and solo...
and the world premiere of Joseph Phibbs's "The Spiralling Night", before finishing their programme with a stunning performance of Michael Ball
Michael Ball (singer)
Michael Ashley Ball, born 27 June 1962) is a British actor, singer, and radio and TV presenter who is best known for the song "Love Changes Everything" and musical theatre roles such as Marius in Les Misérables, Alex in Aspects of Love, Caractacus Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Edna Turnblad...
's "Omaggio".
Throughout its time NYWE has performed several world premieres of high profile pieces. NYWE regularly commissions world-renowned composers, most recently Joseph Phibbs, Michael Torke
Michael Torke
Michael Torke is an American composer who writes music influenced by jazz and minimalism. Sometimes described as a post-minimalist, his most postminimal piece is Four Proverbs, in which the syllable for each pitch is fixed and variations in the melody produce streams of nonsense words. Other works...
, Jacques Cohen
Jacques Cohen
Jacques Cohen is a Dutch embryologist living in New York, in the U.S. He is currently Director at Reprogenetics, LLC, Laboratory Director at ART Institute of Washington at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center , and Scientific Director of R & D at IVF-online...
and Anthony Bailey. In July 2009, NYWE gave the world premiere of Cloud Atlas, a major new work by Philip Grange
Philip Grange
Philip Grange is an English composer.Grange was born in London. He attended Peter Maxwell Davies’s classes at Dartington, and then took further, private, lessons with Davies while at The University of York, where he also studied composition with David Blake...
, based on the 2004 Man Booker Prize
Man Booker Prize
The Man Booker Prize for Fiction is a literary prize awarded each year for the best original full-length novel, written in the English language, by a citizen of the Commonwealth of Nations, Ireland, or Zimbabwe. The winner of the Man Booker Prize is generally assured of international renown and...
shortlisted novel by David Mitchell
David Mitchell (author)
David Stephen Mitchell is an English novelist. He has written five novels, two of which were shortlisted for the Booker Prize.- Biography :...
at the 2009 Cheltenham Music Festival
Cheltenham Music Festival
The Cheltenham Music Festival is one of the oldest music festivals in Britain, held annually in Cheltenham in June/July since 1945. The festival is renowned for premieres of contemporary music, hosting over 250 music premieres as of July 2004....
on 12 July 2009.
NYWE have been announced to be attending the 2011 WASBE held in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
.
Recordings
The Ensemble started making recordings early after its creation, mainly for sale at an event where the ensemble performs. Several live performances have been taken and broadcast on CD and Radio. NYWE's acclaimed appearance at the 2000 BBC Proms Millennium Youth Day at the Royal Albert Hall, was broadcast live on Radio 3.See also
- National Children's Wind Orchestra of Great Britain
- National Children's Wind Sinfonia of Great Britain