‘Tips from The Top’ - Interview with Charley Brighton

On this weeks 'Tips from The Top', we welcome Charley Brighton who for many years has been in the forefront of commissioning and performing new works for Euphonium as well as restoring and maintaining instruments of a historic value, in this latest edition of 'Tips From The Top' we catch up with Charley to find out a little about his journey within the world of music.

1. For many years you have been a leading member of the Euphonium community, I was wondering if you could tell us your day to day musical activities.

It’s usually a nice mix of teaching and working on servicing brass band instruments and rehearsals and concerts with the B.B.C. Elstree Concert Band where I’ve been for 25 years now! The teaching has stopped obviously over recent times, and the limited amount of work coming in has meant I have revisited my own stock of classic/vintage Euphoniums.

2. You have been repairing and maintaining instruments for many years, where did you first learn the skills relevant to this trade and what advice would you offer someone wanting to learn this trade for themselves?

It started way back in school, looking after the school band instruments (bit like a monitor I suppose?). It developed from them, picking up tips from various skilled people along the way. The majority of the work involves cleaning as I’m lucky in having good local repairers on hand with the right tools (of which there are many). For anyone thinking of starting out working on brass I would suggest you go for one of the repair courses like those run by Trevor Head. Also, pick up some scrap instruments to start practicing on. Be aware that there will be a lot of tools to purchase to do the job!

3. What advice would you offer to all brass musicians in regards to maintaining and looking after their instruments?

Regular cleaning (washing through). Particularly if the instrument has been left in its case for some days (like tubas left in bandrooms!). Have you noticed how much time woodwind & string players take at the end of a rehearsal/concert when putting their instruments away? Admittedly they are slightly more delicate than ours but the majority of brass players sometimes just put it in the case and that’s it. Always empty the water out by removing the slide completely, not just using the waterkey. Make sure the slide is well greased, not only for convenience, but also to seal any air leaks and give good valve compression. If the case allows, leave the slide slightly pulled out rather than all the way in. Again, if the case allows, undo the valve caps. Not only does it stop them jamming tight, but it allows the valve to rise up beyond its normal stop point and prevents that ‘green ring’ build up of dirt at the top of the casing.

4. You have restored a number of vintage Euphonium’s which you often play out in concerts, could you tell us about some of your favourite or most memorable instruments that you have worked on?

The Euphonium that started it all off was an 1891 Highams 5 valve. A little baby sized Euphonium (compared to modern instruments) in raw brass, previously pitched in C (you could get them in A, Bb & C) and now converted to modern pitch. There are now some 30 in the collection, all different! I was lucky enough to work on a 1960’s Conn trumpet previously owned by Roy Castle. The quality build of that instrument was amazing, and when I got a proper trumpet player to play test it…..wow!

5. With your experience of working with vintage instruments could you tell us a little about how the Euphonium has changed over the course of the past hundred years?

Although the Boosey compensating Euphoniums were pretty much perfect from day one (late 1880’s). Right up until the 1930’s, other manufacturers offered alternative solutions to the problem of tuning the low register. Besson offered the ‘Enharmonic’ system, based on the system used on full double F horns. It combined any extra set of tuning slides that are switched/combined via the 3rd, valve. Obviously this meant a lot of extra weight is added so the bells were often thinned out to get a better response. That weight increase also meant that only 3 valve B flat basses were made in this system. Hawkes (then separate of course), offered the ‘Dictor’ system which compensated valves 3 & 4 only, adding a loop to the 4th. valve. Although it worked well, it meant using different fingerings from the norm and did not really last very long. The most obscure and rare was the Highams ‘Synchrotronic’ system. There’s only one example around I think in the Edinburgh Museum Collection. Basically it meant you had different slides for combinations (like 1st & 2nd) to single valve use. In general, bores and bells were smaller of course (not a bad thing!) and often manufacturers made sure, (by altering the receiver) you could only use their mouthpieces with theirinstruments, particularly Hawkes (Kosicup), Besson (Prototype) and Salvation Army (Easilip & Rangefinder).

6. You have been a Wilson artist for many years, could you tell us a little about how you became an artist and the chosen instrument which you play on?

I had been playing the Willson 2900 since 1996, doing quite a few high profile concerts. I was also in close contact with Willi Kurath at the factory for a long time and finally in 2004, we arranged an official contract that still runs today. In 2008 I performed at the ITEC conference in Cincinnati on their behalf.  I also got to visit the factory a few years ago and have helped in various design projects over the years.

7. You have recently supported me in a project to own my very own vintage Euphonium and you are currently looking after a 1916 dated Solbron Euphonium for me. I was wondering what you could tell me about this instrument?

Yes it’s a 4 valve compensating Boosey Solbron Euphonium that was made for the Band of The Yorkshire Dragoons, The Queen’s Own. The engraving of the regimental badge was done at the factory prior to the plating. Obviously after more than 100 years the valves are a little leaky but it still has that ‘Imperial’ sound. I hope you enjoy it.

8. You have commissioned a number of new pieces of the years which you have premiered in many different settings, do any works that you have commissioned stand out as being special?

It’s always a special moment when you receive something that a composer has written especially for you. Works by Terry Treherne (UK) and Ken Friedrich (USA) have been plentiful and musically very rewarding. I think the major one has to be The Willson Concertante by the late Joe Miserendino (USA). Joe had written the 3 movement concerto for me just prior to the Willson sponsorship and it only had a working title, so it seemed perfect to use it as a celebration piece for the new sponsorship. I got to play it in all its formats, with piano, wind band and orchestra. I was lucky enough to meet Joe at his home in the U.S and he travelled here for its premiere (with The City of London Winds) in return.

9. What has been your most memorable or unusual concert performance?

That’s tough, particularly after so many years in brass and wind bands and clocking up 77 recitals at St. Mary’s Slough with Malcolm Stowell (piano). With wind bands I was lucky enough to premiere the wind band version of the Horovitz Euphonium Concerto whilst still in manuscript at a conference concert in Cambridge. With brass bands I think the most memorable will always be the British Open in 1980 with Sun Life Stanshawe on ‘Energy’ with Derek Bourgeois and the most unusual was a concert with Staines Band (Stuart Gaudion) and the wonderful comedic duo Hinge & Bracket. Not only was the audience in fits of laughter, the band could hardly play either!

10. What plans do you have for the future in regards to music?

To get back to teaching, rehearsals at Maida Vale Studios with the wind band and to restart my recital series. I already have new works waiting to be performed and a couple of vintage Euphoniums that have not yet been played in public!

11. A final question for you, where should individuals reading this blog post go if they would like to find out more about your work.

Mostly these days Facebook seems to be the most popular page. There is a web site at; www.euphoniumcollective.co.uk and a selection of recordings from my recitals on Soundcloud at; www.soundcloud.com/higham.

I would like to finish this post by thanking Charley for taking part in our inerview and I hope it will not be too long until we are able to catch up about again!