Excursion was the winner of the 2022 BrookWright International Brass Band Composition Competition.
 
The composer Christopher Cook writes:
 
‘In this short and effervescent study for brass band, I wanted to take the listener and players on a journey which moves from a soundworld of bristling, bubbling energy to a triumphant fanfare and finally a moment of repose. 
 
The initial fast flurry of notes, highlighted and emphasised by precise elements of percussion, informs the motivic development of the rest of the piece and eventually forms the basis for the textural backdrop to the filmic sounding melody heard around halfway through the piece. The unexpected final passage is intended to be a nod to works for brass band by Paul Patterson and Harrison Birtwistle.’
 
To view a rolling score video of the piece performed by the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) Brass Band please visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSCrQIv_W2k
 
PDF download includes score and parts.
 
Sheet music available from www.brassband.co.uk
 
Difficulty Level: 1st Section +
 
Instrumentation:
Soprano Cornet Eb
Solo Cornet Bb
Repiano Cornet Bb
2nd Cornet Bb
3rd Cornet Bb
Flugel Horn Bb
Solo Horn Eb
1st Horn Eb
2nd Horn Eb
1st Baritone Bb
2nd Baritone Bb
1st Trombone Bb
2nd Trombone Bb
Bass Trombone
Euphonium Bb
Bass Eb
Bass Bb
Timpani
Percussion 1-3