Strange New Worlds was commissioned by Nicholas Childs for the National Children's Brass Band of Great Britain with funds provided by Arts Council England.

 

The COVID-19 pandemic made it necessary for the 2020 course to transition from residential to virtual and the work was designed to accomodate this change. The participants individually filmed themselves to a click track and the videos were collated to create a “virtual” performance. The premiere was streamed live on YouTube on August 7, 2020.

 

The work is in 5 movements with a narrative dictated by the individual movement titles. Although to me this narrative is clearly defined, multiple scenarios present themselves. Some may interpret the story as being one from the ancients while others might identify with the science-fiction of H.G. Wells. Others still will relate to the recent surge of interest in 1980s culture and the Netflix series Stranger Things (to which the title of my work pays homage). Nor would it be unreasonable to consider the piece an analogy reflecting events in 2020. Listeners will decide the story (or message) for themselves.

 

The five movements are:

I - Things to Come

II - Descent to Darkness (featuring Cornets, Trombones and Percussion)

III - Resistance (featuring Horns, Baritones, Euphoniums, Basses and Percussion)

IV/V - Aftermath/A New Hope