Heroes
Written for and dedicated to Nicholas Childs and the Black Dyke Band, Heroes pays tribute to the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing and the incredible achievements of astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins.
The piece is cast in three continuous sections:
Ignition, which launches the work, propels us into orbit with dynamic rhythms before transitioning into the second section Tranquillity, which provides the soloists an opportunity to revel in a contrasting sound world, reflecting the remarkable quiet and stillness of The Sea of Tranquillity. The final section, Return, is a technical tour de force, developing material from the earlier sections before a reprise of the Tranquillity theme brings the work to a resounding conclusion.
Heroes was premiered by the Black Dyke Band at the BrassPass Band of the Year Contest 2019 and was subsequently Set as the Championship Section Test Piece for the 2020 National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain.