Musicians
Trumpet 1 - Phill O’Neill
Trumpet 2 - Jonathan Baker
Horn - Adrian Hallam
Trombone - Gareth Lewis
Tuba - Scott Frankcombe
Recorded by Phill O’Neill
Produced by Phill O’Neill, Gregory Van Der Struik
Phill O’Neill
After spending nearly 20 years as Trumpet Soloist within Australian Defence Force Bands, Phill has continued to find success at the highest levels as a freelance trumpet player and educator. His ongoing focus on development has seen him perform with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra & Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra, Southern Cross Orchestra, St. George Chamber Orchestra. Phill has a passion for solo performance. He has performed as a guest soloist for Southern Brass, Willoughby Symphony Orchestra and the St. George Chamber Orchestra to name a few. Phill’s solo career saw him winning the inaugural ICTUS International Trumpet Solo Competition. The ongoing dedication towards trumpet performance and education globally has seen Phill a sponsored artist with instrument manufacturer Stomvi.
Phill’s album “The Operatic Trumpet” found on Spotify & Apple Music is a dedication to his late father who started Phill’s trumpet journey. “I am super thankful to my late father who started my musical journey. Without him none of this would have been possible”
Phill has a deep passion for performing as a soloist however, his love of collaboration within chamber music groups saw him become the Founding Artistic Director of Outback Brass.
Jonathan Baker
Jonathan Baker is a multifaceted musician known for his prowess in trumpet performance and composition, particularly in the realm of digital music where he operates under the alias Anatole. His musical journey began at Penrith Academically Selective High School, where he honed his skills and developed a passion for music that would shape his future endeavors. Fueling his dedication to his craft, Jonathan pursued higher education at the prestigious Sydney Conservatorium of Music, where he delved into the intricacies of music theory and performance, earning a Bachelor of Music Performance. Throughout his studies, his proficiency in trumpet playing became evident, showcasing his talent and dedication to mastering his instrument.
Jonathan's creativity extends beyond performance, as he seamlessly transitions into the realm of composition, particularly in the digital sphere. Under the pseudonym Anatole, he crafts innovative and immersive musical landscapes that captivate audiences worldwide. His compositions blend traditional elements with modern techniques, reflecting his diverse musical influences and boundless imagination.
Adrian Hallam
Adrian has redefined Beginner Band music with his highly innovative and energetic approach. His works Stadium Rock, Haunted and Kung Fu have become some of Australia’s most popular performance pieces. Adrian has also published many Horn and Piano works across all grade levels. His compositions have been performed at the Midwest Clinic in Chicago and shortlisted in the American Band Association’s Young Band Composition Competition, the Singapore Wind Band Composition Contest, as well as the UK Songwriting Contest. In 2015 Adrian was commissioned to write “Blockbuster” for the International Horn Society conference in Los Angeles. This work for 4 horns and Wind Band featured soloists from the Berlin Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the London Symphony
Orchestra. In 2020 Adrian won the 3rd Annual Davidson Wind
Ensemble Composition Competition. As a professional French Horn player, Adrian has performed on studio recordings and soundtracks. He has also worked with many orchestras and diverse performers such as comedian Eric Idle, Jose Carrera, John Farnham, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Bootleg Beatles, The Paper Kites, Horrorshow, Daleks from Dr Who, and Grammy nominated hip-hop artist Ryan Leslie.
Gareth Lewis
Gareth Lewis is an experienced and versatile Sydney Trombonist who freelances in commercial and classical ensembles. His highlights include playing Berlioz’ Requiem with the SSO, recording jazz with Selah Ensemble and Spike Mason, Mahler’s Fifth Symphony with The Metropolitan Orchestra, Verdi’s Requiem with the NCOA, Bravo Cruise of the Performing Arts, Joy Division Orchestrated Australian tour, 2019 ACE Awards house band and NIDA’s major musical theatre productions. He has held positions with NSW Police Band for 10 years; The Metropolitan Orchestra (2017 to present) and National Chamber Opera of Australia (1995-1996), both as Principal Trombone. Gareth is a lifelong member of the Salvation Army where he learnt music as a child, leading him to study with SSO Principal Ron Prussing and Associate Principal Scott Kinmont for his Bachelor of Music in Trombone Performance (Sydney University) in 1995. Outside of the Trombone he is a working Conductor and Brass Instructor with student and community groups and arranges music for small and large ensembles.
Scott Frankcombe
Scott Frankcombe is Sydney based freelance and educator working both locally and abroad, encompassing all forms of brass music. Scott has performance engagements with many of the foremost orchestras and ensembles in the region, and has experience with a multitude of genres ranging from chamber to jazz, orchestral to pop and cabaret to street marches. Having been fortunate to study the art of brass playing with many exceptionally patient musicians, Scott can continue to cite an endless list of influences, but would start with the combined faculties of the Queensland Conservatorium, the Canberra School Of Music , The Sydney Conservatorium and the DePaul University School Of Music, all places where he studied. A passionate fan of the Philip Jones Brass and the many brass ensembles that have followed their pioneering leadership, Scott has been an eager participant in chamber music collaboration in any format. Open to the concept of music for the masses, some of Scott’s past performances can be found on his youtube channel, SGFTuba.
Outback Brass
Presents
Music From Down Under
Golden Age - Adrian Hallam
Collaroy Skies - Gareth Lewis
Outback Sunset - Adrian Hallam
Punch & Judy - Adrian Hallam
Creatures of Norse - Maria Grenfell
Five Snapshots for Brass - Gregory Van Der Struik
About the Music
Golden Age Fanfare
Adrian Hallam
Golden Age Fanfare for Brass Quintet written to celebrate 50 years of broadcast from 2MBS Fine Music FM.
Collaroy Skies
Gareth Lewis
1. Worcester Street - The Backyard
2. Long Reef - The Wave
3. Pittwater Road
Collaroy is a beachside suburb of Sydney where I grew up and lived until 2001. It is a place of memories and nostalgia for me but as many of my colleagues and friends have experienced, near our former home sits a conference centre where a multitude of bands camps, jazz camps and youth group retreats have occurred and so many people share my nostalgia for the scenes, senses and memories of this area. The sky is evocative and for me stimulates thought and creativity. The three movements of this work form a progression from boyhood explorations climbing trees and bushwalking; to a discovery of the pleasure of the ocean; to the road which leads in and out of Collaroy and therefore is the path to new adventures.
I. Worcester Street - The Backyard is named after the street where my parents built our home. There were no other kids living in the street and my sister was at first too young for my kind of adventures, so the sounds of the backyard were of silence, the kookaburra and the bounce of the trampoline. It is a short piece, only 28 bars long with 3 brief solos from Trumpet, Horn and Trombone
II. Long Reef - The Wave depicts my local surfing beach on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Warmth, salt, sand and the movement the swell provides as you ride its’ waves. The melody is sustained yet always about to turn a new direction. The movement shifts to counterpoint between the Trumpets and then comes to a conclusion with a hemiola between 2 pitches as the day at the beach wraps up.
III. Pittwater Road opens with the two pitches from the end of the previous movement now played by Tuba. This develops into a flashy cadenza as the Tuba takes the spotlight, soon shifting into a stop-start introduction, somewhat like traffic waiting for space to accelerate and get to the "other places" their path will take them. The Trumpets really get this march-like hustle and bustle underway for the Horn to eventually bring us to our main melodic idea for this part of the journey. There are a couple of harmonic twists as the adventure reaches a new destination with a final tutti flourish.
Outback Sunset
Adrian Hallam
Winner of the Inaugural Australian National Composition Competition 2021.
Outback Sunset is a musical palette exploring the diffusion of light and the interplay of colour.
Punch & Judy
Adrian Hallam
Punch and Judy is a traditional puppet show usually performed at the seaside in a small booth. The Punch and Judy show has been performed in the UK for over 350 years and traces its origin back to the 16th Century Italian puppet Pulcinella. The performance consists of a sequence of short scenes involving an interaction with the anarchic Mr Punch and another character, this allows the audience or passerby on the street to join or leave the show at any time.
The unapologetic violence has caused controversy ever since the show started 350 years ago. In 1849 Charles Dickens writes: “In my opinion the street Punch is one of those extravagant reliefs from the realities of life which would lose its hold upon the people if it were made moral and instructive. I regard it as quite harmless in its influence, and as an outrageous joke which no one in existence would think of regarding as an incentive to any kind of action or as a model for any kind of conduct.”
The characters of a Punch and Judy show vary but usually include a baby, hungry crocodile, a clown, policeman, devil and a prop of sausages. The storyline is slapstick comedy and involves Mr Punch behaving outrageously with these characters interspersed with jokes, songs and audience interaction. This work contains 9 short scenes.
1. Showtime: The opening of “The Punch and Judy Show”
2. Mr Punch: The rhythm for this movement is taken from Mr Punch’s catch phrase “That’s the way to do it!”. The trumpets use harmon mutes to imitate a swazzle (like a mini kazoo) which is used to produce the harsh rasping voice of Punch.
3. Judy: Judy is the long suffering wife of Punch who continually harangues him.
4. The Baby: Mr Punch is forced to look after the baby and drops the baby into a sausage machine. Cue the string of sausages prop.
5. Mr Plod: Mr Plod the Policeman comes to investigate this outrageous crime.
6. Joey The Clown: Joey, the nicest of all the characters, is a friend to the audience and plays tricks on Punch. They usually end up playing tug-o-war with the sausages. Joey is based on the famous clown Joey Grimaldi who performed in England in the early 1800’s.
7. The Crocodile: Snap the crocodile is hungry and he can smell “squashages”! This character involves the audience participation of “He’s behind you!”
8. The Devil: The Devil shows up to collect Mr Punch for all his misdeeds. A popular twist is for Mr Punch to succeed in killing or outwitting the Devil. However, in this modern era, Mr Punch finds salvation through damnation!
9. Finale: The final bows, all the puppets come back to take a bow including the baby!
Creatures of Norse
Maria Grenfell
I am always interested in mythology from various countries and eras, and the resurgence of interest in Vikings encouraged me to read some of the legends. Viking mythology is full of tales of the gods and their great virtues and deeds. The mythology also has a wide variety of beasts and birds, each with their own characteristics and behaviours. This piece explores the features of some of those creatures.
I. Gullinkambi, the red rooster that crows to the gods.
II. Nidhug: Corpse Eater, the dragon that lives in Hel, in Niflheim, at the root of the tree Yggdrasil, feeding on the roots of the tree and the corpses of the dead.
III. Eikthyrnir, the deer that stands on the roof of Valhalla, Heaven, and eats from the roots of the great oak tree, while water drips from its horns.
IV. Huginn and Munin, the two ravens of Odin, most powerful god of the Norse, who fly out over the world every morning and return every evening to whisper what they have seen and heard to Odin.
Five Snapshots for Brass
Gregory Van Der Struik
1. Prologue - introduces the brass quintet. Each part is completely unique where the melody is dependent on all parts working together.
2. Petit marche - is a little march in the french style.
3. Cortege - is a ceremonial procession. The slow tempo leads us to believe it is a funeral procession.
4. Siciliano - a graceful Sicilian rustic dance in which the partners are joined with handkerchiefs.
5. Epilogue - a section or speech at the end of a book or play that serves as a comment on or a conclusion to what has happened