The death of Bramwell is devastating.
Since the early 1990’s he stood in front of the Hannaford Band for many memorable concerts and inspired us with his creativity, passion and commitment. How he squeezed in time for us amidst his busy international conducting career was miraculous.We embarked on numerous projects, significant commissions and a series of recordings that still sound as fresh today as the day they were released.Our post-concert gatherings always went well into the night. Let me repeat…well into the night. He never let go of his brass band roots.Over the past 2 pandemic years, my dear colleague and fellow HSSB member Stuart Laughton had regular zoom chats with Bram. He never wavered from his future plans. The illness was mentioned but never dwelled upon. I will cherish these conversations.A prime example of the artistry he brought to the HSSB is our recording of John Ireland’s A Downland Suite. The subtlety and musicality that he coaxed from a bunch of brass players speaks to his formidable skills and talent. We played our hearts out for him…Farewell Bramwell, you will never be forgotten.
