Danny Lowery
Euphonium Player, Musical Director & Arranger
I met Danny in 2017 when I joined Flixton Community Band on trombone. As our 10-year anniversary approached in 2023, the idea came up to write a special piece to mark the occasion. Although I had experience with computer-based composition, I had never written anything to be scored and played live, so I needed help with arranging and notation.
I asked Danny if he would be interested, and he agreed. Alongside being an experienced euphonium player and our music director, Danny holds a BA (Hons) in Music from Salford University, making him the perfect collaborator for this project.
Naming the Piece
The piece started out untitled, saved simply as FCB 201. We ran a naming competition within the band, and at our anniversary concert, the title Evolution was revealed. The name was chosen by Theo Walls-Hodges, our soprano cornet player.
The various sections were also named. You can read more about them here.
Performance and Reception
The full-length piece was first played at our 10-year anniversary concert in 2023. Later, Danny created a shorter version, which we performed in June 2024 at the Kirkby Lonsdale Brass Band Contest. That day, Flixton Community Band won the Training Band section.
The piece was well received, with the audience responding warmly to its blend of tradition and fresh ideas.
Future Plans
We both agree that a recording would be a great next step. Before that, I would like to make some tweaks and publish the music. This means reducing the trombone parts to the usual three and adjusting the arrangement. The shorter version fits a concert programme better, but the full-length version tells the story as I originally intended. For example, the short version leaves out the euphonium solo, which I feel is essential.
I am hoping Danny will have time to help with the updated arrangement, and we look forward to publishing the piece together. Once available, we hope the music will be accessible to other bands and players who want to bring Evolution to life.