Concerto for Euphonium-Philip Wilby

Philip Wilby is a leading force in Brass Band compositions.  Educated at Leeds Grammar School and Keble College, Oxford, he joined the staff at the University of Leeds in 1972. There he taught various composition, liturgy, directing, and score reading classes as well as co-founding the Leeds University Liturgical Choir.  Composing for many different instruments and ensembles, Wilby is most known for his compositions for brass band. Many of Wilby's pieces are based on his strong Christian beliefs. Famous works that fall in this category are: Dove Descending, Revelation, and The New Jerusalem. Many of Wilby's works are written especially to be used as test pieces in brass band contests all over the world. One recent composition to fit this description is Vienna Nights, which was commissioned as the test piece for the 2006 British Open Brass Band Championship held in Symphony Hall, Birmingham. Most famously though Paganini Variations, one of his finest pieces of work, which was selected as the test piece for the 2011 Regional Championships (Championship Section) and has been used as the test piece for many other major competitions over the years, and has been recorded by a number of bands including Black Dyke, Fodens and Grimethorpe. Dove Descending was featured by Black Dyke Band at the 2007 BBC Promenade Concerts in a day devoted to music for brass. Wilby also wrote the descriptive Northern Lights commissioned by the Black Dyke Band which was scored for a brass band and 4 dancers. It was later adapted for the Contest Stage when it was selected for the Butlins Mineworkers Championships in January 2007.



His concerto for Euphonium was written for Euphonium virtuoso Robert Childs, and was commissioned by the Welsh Arts Council and the Welsh Amateur Music Federation.  The concerto is written in 2 parts each containing 2 movements.  Part One is a "sonata structure movement" titled non troppo allegro which alternates between a melodic style and some rapid passages.  The movement is intended to be a firm development of the opening fourth-based motives.  The movement concludes very softly and then the second movement is played attaca  with sudden burst into a Greek dance.  The movement is very technical and is titled Dance Zeibekikos which is a traditional dance of the Greek Islands.  It involves smashing plates and lifting tables with your teeth (the dance, not the music).  Part Two opens with an fantasy-like lyrical movement and contains many cadenzas.  It calls for an optional muted part in the opening 1/3rd of the movement.  The final movement opens with a quick fugal section which then moves to a climactic return of the music and tonality of the first movement.  The piece is written for many different accompaniments including piano, brass band, wind band, and the orchestral version is a rental only but is still available for use.