Abstract
The starting point for this point was some dramatic cloud formations I experienced while in Morrinsville, New Zealand. It was a brilliantly sunny day, with occasional huge and interestingly shaped clouds floating past. They provided inspiration for the opening texture of my piece Clouds, which is flowing and slowly unfolding in character.
Clouds can assume many different shapes and characters, which is reflected in my work. There are stormy ideas with strong rhythms, jagged ideas built from small motifs, mysterious ideas that suggest darker clouds and bright climaxes that suggest the sun bursting through.
The solo trombone is rather like a small aeroplane, weaving its way through the clouds and enjoying a turbulent journey. Its part is soloistic but also integrated into the overall band texture and often underpinned by the percussion, who have an important role in sustaining the momentum for the piece.
Clouds was commissioned by trombonist Dave Bremner, for performance with the New Zealand National Brass Band in the 2005 World Brass Band Championships, in the Netherlands.