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2009
Dave will be performing the World-premiere of a brand new concerto for percussion and orchestra by Eilir Owen Griffiths on Sunday 14th March 2010. The concert is part of a series of chamber orchestra concerts presented by Welsh Sinfonia and will take place at the Cardiff University Concert Hall. More information on the concert is available here: Welsh Sinfonia events
The first engagement for the new Hammers & Sticks project will take place at Newcastle University on Thursday 19th November 2009. This contemporary music quartet consists of two pianists (Kate Halsall and Semra Kurutac) and two percussionists (Dave Danford and Jez Wiles). The day will include a lunchtime recital to include Bartok's Music for Two Pianos & Percussion and a percussion workshop with students from Newcastle University. More information on the Hammers & Sticks project is available here: Hammers & Sticks
"As I was writing Train.Island.Train I was, at the same time, also in the process of travelling to and from the Isle of Arran for various educational projects as well as work on a musical and music-theatre piece there. Arran is situated off the west coast of Scotland, which meant countless railway journeys to Glasgow and then to Ardrossan from where one takes the ferry to the island. It occurred to me that the first and second pieces had become a reflection of the rail journeys in terms of the driving, almost mechanical, moto perpetuo-like material; and the music of the middle piece symbolised the calm of the island itself. I also found it surprising that a Scottish-like melody had emerged as if from nowhere, finding its way into this central piece." The World-premiere of Train.Island.Train featured Dave's regular accompanist Nicola Rose, performed at Beulah URC Church in Rhiwbina, Cardiff on Wednesday 30th September 2009. Dave will be doing another performance on Saturday 31st October 2009 when he joins Côr Godre’r Garth as guest soloist for their 40th anniversary concert in Cardiff. The sheet music for Train.Island.Train is now available to buy from Alto Publications: altopublications.com
Dave will be playing percussion and drum kit on Bryn Terfel's upcoming UK tour with Sinfonia Cymru in November 2009. The programme is a selection of opera classics including items from Faust, Tosca, Porgy & Bess and Les Misérables. Tour dates:
A number of Dave's new arrangements will be premiered in a concert with Fusion Percussion Ensemble in November 2009. Since becoming a member of the quartet in November 2007 Dave has taken on arranging duties for the ensemble's concert items and this will be the first time some of these arrangements have been performed: Jeffrey Peyton - Four on the Floor (new concert-opener version)
The concert also includes a number of items published by Alto Publications: Peter J. Morgan - Mix 'n' Match Saturday 21st November 2009: Rhymni Valley Music Club, Ystrad Mynach - 2.30pm
Dave was recently commissioned to write a new work for Monmouth Junior School. Their percussion ensemble was due to perform in France in June 2009 and they wanted something to perform utilising the instruments they alreay had booked to use with the school wind orchestra. Following discussions with the director of the ensemble, Alun Hathaway, Dave wrote Haberdashery, a 3 minute piece for six or more players featuring timpani, bongos, congas, snare drum and floor tom. Flexible instrumentation means that the two seperate congas parts can be doubled by any number of extra players and there are 2 drum and 3 drum versions of the timpani part, depending on performer ability and the number of drums that are available. The sheet music for Haberdashery is now available to buy from Alto Publications: altopublications.com
Throughout October and November 2009 Dave will be touring with composer Charlie Barber and his organisation Sound Affairs on a new project. Salomé features a screening of the 1923 silent film of the same name accompanied by a new live percussion quartet soundtrack. This atmospheric piece of classic cinema is brought to life through a range of authentic far eastern rhythms and instruments. Joining Dave for the tour are fellow percussionists Nick Baron, Alun Hathaway and James Hulme.
Tour dates:
This performance is part of the Friday Orchestral Series at the Adrian Boult Hall and the programme focuses on the works of Derek Bourgeois including The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea. Further information is available here: Birmingham Conservatoire events
A major highlight of this will be two performances with Taran at the Festival Interceltique de Lorient in Brittany, France on Friday 30th July and Sunday 2nd August. Other events include gigs at the National Eisteddfod of Wales and eleven summer gigs with Juice.
A shorted version of the production will be performed during the Urdd Eisteddfod at Wales Millennium Centre on Saturday 30th May. Full performances will take place at Trinity College, Carmarthen on Sunday 7th June and Monday 8th June followed by a performance in Pembrokeshrie on Saturday 13th June.
Dave's upcoming dates include Wednesday 15th April at the Lighthouse in Poole, Wednesday 22nd April at the Grand Theatre in Swansea, Wednesday 29th April at Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Wednesday 6th May at Venue Cymru in Llandudno and Wednesday 1st July at the Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham.
Dave continues to build links with the world's top percussion instrument manufacturers and recently became an endorsee of LP products. LP are regarded by many as the industry standard for latin percussion instruments and Dave will now be using LP Classic congas, LP Generation II bongos and various LP hand percussion instruments in all of his rhythm percussion-based projects including Taran and Boxing Beats (with WNO MAX). You can visit LP on the web here: lpmusic.com
During the concert Dave will be performing the World-premiere of a new version of Peter R. Birkby's Mutual Marimba Music, scored for solo marimba and brass band.
Chris is performing an afternoon solo recital as part of the British Trombone Society Day and has chosen to include Light by Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen in his programme, written for trombone and marimba.
Over the last six months Dave has been working closely with outstanding contemporary folk/techno fusion act Taran on live and studio projects. The band was formed in mid-2008, initially to perform at the Festival Interceltique de Lorient in Brittany, France. Since performing at the festival the band has continued to do live dates but has also concentrated on recording their first album. The final recording sessions took place in January 2009 and the album will be released at a special event in Cardiff on Friday 27th February.
Dave will be performing the World-premiere of Virginia Epitaph by Rodney Newton on Wednesday 11th March 2009. The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama Wind Orchestra will accompany this brand new Symphony for Solo Percussion and Wind Orchestra. Virginia Epitaph is the third of Rodney Newton's solo works Dave has performed following performances of his short concerto Variations for Percussion and Brass Band in March 2006 and April 2007 and the World-premiere of his xylophone solo Skeletonality in June 2006.
Dave has been collaborating with Jules since March 2006 and featured on the 2007 album Proven Worldwide and the 2008 EP Judgement Theme.
In mid-2008 Dave commissioned a new work for marimba and piano from Peter R. Birkby. The result was Mutual Marimba Music, a four-movement concert piece premiered at during a solo recital at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama on Friday 24th October 2008. With a number of brass band solo dates scheduled for 2009 Dave has commissioned a second version of Mutual Marimba Music for solo marimba and brass band. The first performance will take place on Sunday 5th April at the Stockwell Centre in Pembrokshire as part of Pembsbrassfest.
In February 2009 Dave will be playing percussion and drum kit on a country-wide tour of a brand new musicial theatre production written by Welsh composer Eilir Owen Griffiths and writer Ceri Elen. Tour dates
Dave will be involved in a unique project organised by WNO MAX in April and May 2009. Boxing Beats is a partnership between Welsh National Opera and Academi and will involve working with boxers from the Caerphilly area. Writer Louise Walsh, author of the novel Fighting Pretty, will explore writing through journaling and adapting it into song lyrics with the help of composer Peter Swaffer Reynolds and three professional opera singers.
Following a commission late last year, Dave has received a brand new work for marimba and piano from Andrew Keeling. Train.Island.Train is a three movement work lasting approximately sixteen minutes and was inspired by the composer's regular journeys to the Isle of Arran during the time it was being written. The world-premiere will be taking place at an upcoming solo recital, details of which will be released soon. Train.Island.Train will be published by Alto Publications in the near future.
Keep a look out for new videos which will be added regularly throughout 2009. Click here to check out the video gallery.
Fresh from a course and concert as guest soloist with Cornwall Youth Brass Band, Dave will be working with Gloucestershire’s young percussionists this weekend culminating in an evening concert as guest soloist with Gloucestershire Youth Brass Band. Dave has been invited to lead a master-class with the county’s percussionists on Sunday 11th January 2009 with a focus on tuned percussion and general ensemble playing. This will be attended by players from Gloucestershire Youth Percussion Ensemble and from the various county brass bands. During the sessions Dave will also be working on some contemporary percussion ensemble repertoire and preparing a solo piece to play with the ensemble.
Young brass and percussion players interested in being involved in this free event are advised to get in contact with Steven Legge as soon as possible on 01452 330300. |
Dave recently premiered a brand new work for marimba and piano by English composer Andrew Keeling. This is the second of Andrew's pieces Dave has premiered, following the World-premiere of Maximon for soprano saxophone and marimba with Joel Garthwaite at the Royal Northern College of Music in February 2008. The new work is called Train.Island.Train and here's a short explanation from the composer:
In December 2009 Dave will be visiting Birmingham Conservatoire to perform as guest soloist with the brass band. The chosen repertoire is Derek Bourgeois' outstanding Concerto for Percussion which Dave has played a number of times over the last few years following a performance with the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama Wind Orchestra in November 2005.
The summer festival season is rapidly approaching and Dave will be out on the road at various events around the country, every weekend between now and the middle of September.
Following a successful tour of Wales in February 2009, further performance dates of Clymau by Eilir Owen Griffiths have been announced. Dave will be playing drums and percussion for all of the performances.
Dave will be working with composer Charlie Barber and Sound Affairs in autumn 2009 on a new project. Salomé will include a screening of the 1923 silent film alongside a new live score for percussion quartet. More details of the tour dates will be released soon.
Dave is currently playing drums on the national tour of the Thorn Birds Musical, covering for Paul Shepherd. The show is based on the book by Colleen McCullough and features a brand new musical score by Gloria Bruni.
Dave has been invited to perform as guest soloist on a new brass band course happening in West Wales on the weekend of 4th April 2009. Pembsbrassfest will give brass musicians in the Pembrokeshire area and beyond the chance to spend a weekend's course under the tuition of some top players followed by a concert conducted by Nigel Seaman, principal tuba of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales.
On Sunday 22nd March 2009 Dave will be performing with trombone soloist Chris Thomas at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama.
The event will finish following a concert which takes place at 4.30pm at Chosen Hill School featuring brass musicians from throughout the county and Gloucestershire Youth Percussion Ensemble. Dave will be performing a solo piece with the percussion ensemble and another solo item with Gloucestershire Youth Brass Band.