Strange New Worlds, Peter Graham. Brass Band

STRANGE NEW WORLDS - PETER GRAHAM. BRASS BAND

PROGRAMME NOTE
Strange New Worlds was commissioned by Nicholas Childs for the National Children's Brass Band of Great Britain with funds providee by Arts Council England.

The COVID-19 pandemic mad it necessary for the 2020 course to transituion from residential to virtual and the work was designet to accomodate this change. The participants individualle filmed themselves to a click track and the videos were collated to create a 'virtual' performance. The premiere was streamed live om YouTube on August 7, 2020.

The work is in 5 movements with a narrative dictated by the individual movement titles. Although to me this narrative is clearly defined, multiple scenarios present themselves. Some may interpret the story as being on the the ancients while others might identify with the science-fiction of H.G. Wells. Other still will relate to the recent surge of interest in 1980s culture and the Netflix series Stranger Things (to which the title of my work pays homate). Nor would it be unreaonable to consider the piece an analogy reflecting events in 2020. Listeners will decide the story (or message) for themselves.

The five moments are:
I/II Things to Come/Decent to Darkness (to be played without a break)
III  Resistance
IV/V Aftermath/A New Hope

Peter Graham
June 2020