Compositions by living composers formed the core of WCC's concert by Fine Arts Brass, which consist of Simon Lenton & Angela Whelan (trumpets), Neil Shewan (horn), Katy Price (trombone) and Sam Elliott (tuba).

Wilby's Partita on the Krakov Fanfare made a welcoming call as brilliant fanfares for Evening, led by the solo trombone, Night quietly muted, and Morning, when the trumpets called to each other.

Tomkins Tunes, a varied suite of four pieces by Derek Smith, was given its first performance. The Intrada was based on a robust four-note fanfare leading to a descending scale figure. The second was more introverted concerning a drooping episode being passed around the ensemble. Polyphony abounded in the third and in the closing Nocturne, trombone and horn intoned together. The tuba joined in, together with trumpets using special effect mutes.

Composer Guy Woolfenden, who was there in person, presented the Thomas Tomkins Young Composer Award to Edward Nisbit for his winning string quartet, composed last year when he was a pupil at Malvern College. Edward's quartet will be performed by the Quince Quartet on March 13 at the Huntingdon Hall.

Woolfenden's own composition Full Fathom Five in three movements involved a jazzy opening, a melancholy tuba 'tolling' in the second and a vibrant harmonic finish.

Joe Duddell and Hoddinott were represented also, alongside FAB's whistle-stop tour of America's Classical Music - Jazz.

Next in this series is the Rosamunde Trio on Tuesday, November 23, at 7.30pm.

Jill Hopkins