Dylan sits down with composer Pete Meechan, speaking about his musical upbringing, musical influences, compositional process, life as a composer, his friendship and the impact of trumpeter Ryan Anthony, ideas to consider when planning for the fall and more! For this month’s featured repertoire we feature the third movement of Pete’s, trumpet concerto, Renaissance of Wonder, composed for Ryan Anthony.

In honour of the memory of Ryan Anthony, please consider donating to Cancer Blows: https://www.cancerblows.com/addgift.php?v2glid=126909

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About Peter

The music of Canadian-based British composer Peter Meechan (b. 1980, Nuneaton, UK) is extensively performed throughout the world. His music has been commissioned, recorded, broadcast and performed by some of the world’s leading symphony orchestras, wind orchestras, brass bands, conductors and soloists, including: “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band, The United States Air Force Band, The United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own”, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, BBC Concert Orchestra, Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, Black Dyke Brass Band, The Band of the Coldstream Guards, RNCM Wind Orchestra, Bramwell Tovey, Jens Lindemann, Ryan Anthony, David Childs, Steven Mead, Patrick Sheridan, Les Neish, Peter Moore, Linda Merrick, and many more.

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Meechan’s music is featured on over 100 commercial recordings and has been featured at festivals and clinics globally, including the Midwest Clinic, The American Bandmasters Association (ABA) Conference, CBDNA, the International Trumpet Guild, the International Tuba and Euphonium Association, BASBWE conferences, and in 2014 his work “The Legend of King Arthur” was used as the set test piece at the British National Brass Band Championships, held in the Royal Albert Hall, London. His works for brass band have been used as compulsory and own choice selections at music contests across the world.

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Peter was the first ever “Young Composer in Association” with the prestigious Black Dyke Brass band, where he also went on to serve as their “Composer in Residence”. Meechan also held the position of “Composer in Residence” with The Band of the Coldstream Guards between 2012 – 2015.

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He holds an undergraduate degree (BMus Hons) from the Royal Northern College of Music (Manchester, UK), where he studied with Dr. Anthony Gilbert, Dr. David Horne and Adam Gorb, a Master of Arts (MA) degree and a PhD (composition), both from the University of Salford (Manchester, UK), where he studied with Prof. Peter Graham.

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Recent projects have included a symphony for wind orchestra (“Korn Symphony”, centred on the events of the Coventry Blitz), “Love Songs” – a 4 movement, 30 minute setting of four Shakespeare sonnets for choir, narrator, brass quintet and organ, a new trumpet concerto (“Renaissance of Wonder”) for Ryan Anthony, Principal Trumpet of Dallas Symphony Orchestra, for soloist and orchestral winds (recorded in June 2018 by Ryan Anthony, DSO players, and conducted by Jerry Junkin), a tuba sonata (“One Sweet Dream”) for long-time friend and collaborator Les Neish, a new extended length work for wind orchestra “Athabasca”, commissioned by Ray Baril and the Edmonton Winds, and “Waves Across the Pebbled Shore” – a new work commissioned by Ray Cramer, Terry Austin, and the Musashino Wind Ensemble for performance at the 2018 Midwest Clinic.

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Peter resides in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, with his wife Michelle (a band teacher) and their miniature dachshund dogs: Stevie and Jurgen (not band teachers), and when not writing music can usually be found watching his beloved Liverpool Football Club.