From the July 2003 Historical Society bulletin, written by Ken Funkhouser:
OUR JULY SPEAKER HAS A LOT OF BRASS...Actually, we had planned to have a presentation on the music of John Philip Sousa- the March King, for this summer meeting. Unfortunately, our original speaker's plans changed unexpectedly, beyond his control. We are hoping to be able to present the "If you knew Sousa" program at our April 2004 meeting. Watch this publication for future information. I do think, however, that we have a remarkable replacement lined up for the upcoming July meeting. We will be hearing from a colleague of our original presenter, also from the Music Department at Rider University.
Dr. Stephen Arthur Allen is an Englishman who was surrounded by music right from birth. Although qualified in singing, piano, and trombone, his first love is the euphonium. He quickly gained recognition and qualifications, gaining his ALCM diploma at age 16, and I.TCL at 17. He won the national British Open Brass Championship in 1979, including a prestigious scholarship from the Royal Academy of Music and a television appearance. During this period, Stephen played with some of the brass bands in the world, including appearances at the Royal Albert Hall. Stephen gained the first academic first-class (distinction) 8.A. in the 100-year history of the Birmingham Conservatoire. He studied composition with Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, and conducting with Sir Simon Rattle. Stephen's conducting activities have taken him to the Boston Gardens, the LA Shrine Auditorium, The Royal Albert Hall, and the Sydney Opera House, where he directed one of his compositions. A CD of Stephen's music was made in 1999. Stephen holds a doctorate (D.Phil.) from Oxford University. He was recently a guest on Australian National Radio on the subject of the music of Benjamin Britten.
The topic of our "Summer Replacement" program is "The Unusual History of the British Brass Band". Dr. Allen will be lecturing on one of his favorite subjects; that of the brass band movement. He will trace the origins of the movement in the 19th Century, including an overview of the differing developments of the Salvation Army Band tradition as well as the 'secular' bands, and the singular phenomenon of brass band contests. His lecture will be laced with musical examples and the kind of humor that stems from this amazing musical legacy rooted in the working class ethos of Northern England. He will show clips from the famous movie Brassed-Off, starring Ewan McGregor. Please plan to join us for this interesting evening of music, humor, and history.
Chose a photo section by clicking on the tab at the top of the pictures.
In order to view a larger version of each picture, just click on the one you want.
