Read through my most recent articles:

• A year of Progress
• Review: Nottingham Symphonic Winds, Lakeside Arts Centre

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Learn about the ensembles I've had involvement in:

• Harlequin Brass Ensemble
• Leeds College of Music Wind Ensemble
• National Saxophone Choir of Great Britain
• Nottingham Symphonic Wind Orchestra
• Phoenix Concert Band
• Yorkshire Wind Orchestra

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It 's easy to forget in the thick of things, that ensemble music is something precious and one of the most subtle forms of artistic communication. The communication is a network of signals from the composition process through rehearsal into performance. It goes in multiple directions from instrumentalist to one another and from director to the group; finally to the listening public.

I have spent years working with Harlequin to make this second nature; and it really is natural to this group to express themselves musically in order to create something special. Last night at St Mark's in Sheffield the group excelled themselves, producing a terrific sound and an involvement in the performance that communicated the music extremely well.

They premiered the brass version of Closure which I am now certain is a good piece. They accompanied the choir well and also produced a sparkling performance of Harlequin Dances without the muddiness of previous performances of the larger saxophone version. I was very proud of the group and particularly proud of the players who came in late in the day to cover for illness and unavailability.

It is a shame that Harlequin have had so few opportunities to perform in public this year. It is one of their strengths and I hope that more people will hear them in 2008/9.