Updated 30/6/20
Christopher Bond
Christopher has been described as “one of his generation’s most exciting compositional voices for brass”, having written for an array of soloists in addition to many leading brass bands. Since 2015, he has been Composer in Residence to the world-famous Cory Band, working with the band on new music, arrangements and outreach projects, with further commissions having included Brighouse & Rastrick, Grimethorpe, and Leyland Bands, and solo commissions from Owen Farr, Tom Hutchinson, Steve Stewart, Brett Baker, Stephen Sykes & Lode Violet. His work has been broadcast both locally and nationally on BBC Radio 2, 3 & 4, and Classic FM.
A first-class graduate of the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, Christopher’s work has been performed extensively throughout the United Kingdom, including at Wales Millennium Centre, Durham International Festival of Brass, RNCM Festival of Brass, Regent Hall London, St John’s Smith Square, BBC Welsh Proms at St David’s Hall, Cardiff. Internationally, performances have included Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Japan, Canada, the USA and extensively across Europe.
In 2012, The Royal Diamond Jubilee Fanfare was commissioned and performed in the presence of HM Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh as part of the Diamond Jubilee Tour. This was followed in 2014, with the orchestral soundtrack for Magic in the Skies; the summer season of firework displays at iconic British landmark, Land’s End in Cornwall, for which Christopher worked with BAFTA-winning actress, Miriam Margolyes in the recording of his work, used at the landmark for five years in succession.
At ‘Brass in Concert’ at The Sage, Gateshead, in 2015, Christopher won the Composition Prize for his Aristotle’s Air. In 2017, the work was chosen as part of the own-choice programme for both Brassband Willebroek and the National Band of New Zealand at the World Music Contest in Kerkrade, The Netherlands, with both bands taking the 1st and 2nd placings consecutively. Further performances of the work included Cory Band’s winning televised 2018 Band Cymru performance, and in 2019; the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain.
In 2019, his work Corineus was chosen as the set-work for the Championship Section of the National Youth Brass Band Championships of Great Britain. In 2020, this was followed by his work Neverland used as the set-work in the fourth section for the Regional Championships of the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain.
As a conductor and educator, Christopher was Resident Conductor of Tongwynlais Temperance Band between 2014-2017, having worked with the band on four successive top-3 placings at the Welsh Open and four consecutive qualifications to the National Finals at the Royal Albert Hall. Christopher co-directs an education company, Create! Music Education, and is Head of Brass & Orchestral Performance at St John’s on-the-Hill preparatory school in Gloucestershire.
Christopher is increasingly in demand as an adjudicator and judge, having adjudicated for BBC Young Musician, the National Youth Brass Band Championships of Great Britain, UniBrass (University Brass Band Championship of Great Britain & Northern Ireland), Whit Friday Marches, West of England Bandsman’s Festival, and Cory Band’s Annual Composition Prize.
Christopher owns his own publishing company, selling his music worldwide at christopherbondmusic.co.uk
Christopher Bond – BMus (Hons) DipABRSM
Composer, Arranger & Orchestrator – christopherbondmusic.co.uk
Director – createmusic.education | Composer in Residence – coryband.com | MD – melingriffith.co.uk
Head of Brass & Orchestral Performance – stjohnsonthehill.co.uk | Course Leader – superstarsinthemaking.com
Some of Christopher Bond’s music
Titles in blue are links to specific pages
A New Dawn
A Pacific Melody
Commissioned by Lode Violet & Brassband Willebroek.
Aristotle’s Air
2015: Commissioned by Cory Band for Brass in Concert.
2015: Premiered at the contest at The Sage, Gateshead.
Awarded the Cyril Beere Memorial Trophy for the Best New Composition or Arrangement.
2015: Winner of Best New Composition/Arrangement at Brass in Concert.
Behold the Power of God
Bestowal of a Century
Corineus
Don’t Stop Me Now
(arrangement)
Dynamite
(Quartet for Trumpet /Cornet in B-flat)
Commissioned by Richard Marshall for the 2012 Black Dyke Brass Festival.
Eminence
(brass quartet)
2011: Commissioned by Eminence Brass Quartet for their programme at the Durham International Brass Festival.
Elixir of Youth
2013: Written for and premiered at the “Brass for Heroes” charity concert in Huddersfield.
Fanfare of a Nation
Commissioned by Gwent Music Support Service for the Greater Gwent Youth Brass Ensemble on the occasion of HM Queen Elizabeth & HRH Duke of Edinburgh’s visit to Wales.
Arranged for brass band for Camborne Brass / Alan Pope.
Game of Thrones
Gaudete
(carol – soprano solo)
Commissioned by Steve Stewart / Cory Band.
Golden Years
(fanfare)
Commissioned by the Cornwall Youth Brass Band.
2009: The first public performance was by the Cornwall Youth Brass Band conducted by Philip Harper.
Hallelujah
(arrangement)
Islands in the Sky
(euphonium quartet)
2012: Commissioned by Euphony Euphonium Quartet for their performance at the International Tuba Euphonium Conference.
Journey in Time
(flugel horn solo)
2012: Commissioned by and written for Zoe Hancock.
Lest We Forget
2014: Commissioned by and written for Dr Roberts Childs and Grimethorpe Colliery Band.
Magic in the Skies
Moon River
(arrangement for tenor horn solo)
Original music by Henry Mancini for the 1961 film, Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
Arranged for Emily Evans and the Tongwynlais Temperance Band.
2017: Premiere as part of Tongwynlais Temperance Band’s winning Welsh Open programme, with soloist Emily Evans winning the soloist prize.
Mythical Tales
Written as a brass quintet for two cornets, tenor horn trombone and tuba.
Neverland
2020: Commissioned by Kapitol Promotions Ltd and used as the Fourth Section test piece at the Regional Championships of the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain.
Of Wind and Weeping
(flugel horn solo)
2015: Commissioned by flugel soloist David James / Tongwynlais Temperance Band.
Opening Note
Over the Horizon
(soprano solo)
2017: Commissioned by Steve Stewart / Cory Band.
Perfect
(transcription)
Written by Ed Sheeran, it was arranged for Concert Band by Michael Brown and transcribed for Brass Band by Christopher Bond.
Proficiecy
(temnor horn & piano)
Commissioned by Owen Farr.
Second Star to the Right
(arrangement)
Selections from the Greatest Showman
(arrangement)
Showcase
(cornet solo)
2015: Commissioned by Tom Hutchinson / Cory Band.
Silent Night
(arrangement for baritone solo)
A slow jazz arrangement of Silent Night & Away in a Manger.
2015: Premiered by Tongwynlais Temperance Band.
Song of the Night Sky
(cornet solo)
Commissioned by Tom Hutchinson / Cory Band.
2015: Recorded by Tom Hutchinson and the Cory Band.
Sprites & Flares
2015: Commissioned by Leyland Band conducted by Thomas Wyass for Brass in Concert.
Storyteller
2016: Commissioned by Brighouse & Rastrick Band for Brass in Concert.
The Fire & the Phoenix
(trombone solo)
2015: Commissioned by and written for Brett Baker.
The Puffing Devil
2013: Commissioned by the Camborne Trevithick Day Committee in celebration of the town’s 30th Trevithick Day.
The premiere performance of the work, written for brass band and children’s choir, saw a massed performance by six brass bands and children from nine local schools. With the intention of being an educational work as well as a musical work, The Puffing Devil reflects the story of Richard Trevithick both in the lyrics and the musical material.
The Royal Diamond Jubilee Fanfare
Time Eternal 2011
Written as a showcase for band in the form of a seven-minute journey which demonstrates the ability of the band and its soloists.
Trevithick
(march)
Formed from Cornish tunes such as Trelawny and Camborne Hill, as well as original material.
2013: Commissioned by Camborne Trevithick Day Committee in celebration of the town’s 30th Trevithick Day.
Xylophonics
(Xylophone solo)
2009: Written for Jeremy Meadows-Taylor and the Camborne Youth Band.
Premiered by Jeremy Meadows-Taylor and the Camborne Youth Band.