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I was invited to conduct this group by Brian Duguid who ran the 5 day courses in St Andrews in Scotland. I knew Brian when we were teenagers in the same brass band. We had met at a few conferences and competitions and of course we were from the same background. As I write this, everyone who loved and respected Brian is still mourning his sad and untimely death in December 2005. He had been ill for a long time but no one expected this and we were all shocked and saddened by the loss of such a warm and caring individual. His influence on music making in Scotland was immense. He had great interpersonal skills and was a motivator, innovator, organiser and he always had a great team of hard working people who supported and loved him.
He had a terrific sense of humour and loved the company of his fellow musicians. I have many happy memories of drinks and laughter with Brian and Charlie Maynes, which will remain with me forever.

The ensemble consists of school aged young musicians from all over Scotland. With a team of professional tutors I was able to produce a concert of complex and sophisticated wind music in just five days. The team up in Scotland has always been committed and enthusiastic. They are also very good at their jobs, so the players in the group get the best possible musical and social experience. The course is funded by SAMA who are quite proud of their achievements; they also run the National Youth Brass Band, which I played in when I was a teenager.

This year the course takes place in the first week of August and details can be found on the SAMA website. I will be ensuring that the music is excellent and the programme will contain pieces dedicated to Brian. The players have really enjoyed the last two courses both musically and as a week away from home. I recommend this course to all young players in Scotland. Look up the website! See you there!

Here is a tribute to Brian from the local council website.
Tribute paid to arts manager
West Lothian Council is paying a glowing tribute to arts and culture manager Brian Duguid, who died at the weekend.
A minute’s silence was observed at the council’s last full meeting in 2005 in memory of the popular official.
“ Brian Duguid played a tremendously important role in the development of music and drama across West Lothian,” said Provost Joe Thomas.
“ He made a tremendous difference to the young people of West Lothian through his infectious enthusiasm and dedication.
“Brian was a key player in the development of music tuition in our schools. He was also a driving force behind the scenes in the successful development of the West Lothian schools’ brass band, who have enjoyed outstanding success in recent years nationally and internationally.
“ He helped to successfully develop many other areas of arts and culture on behalf of the council and the people of West Lothian.”

Published: Tue, 13 Dec 2005 15:02:04