Former Head of Music to the Royal Shakespeare Company, for which he composed 150 scores, conductor-composer Guy Woolfenden has written several popular works for wind orchestra, including Gallimaufry and Illyrian Dances, which are performed and recorded world wide. Guy was awarded the OBE for services to music  in the 2007 New Year Honours List. We are delighted that Guy will conduct the closing concert of the Festival, in this his 70th birthday year.

Tim Reynish founded basbwe in 1982 and since then has been at the forefront of wind music in the UK and internationally. A former Head of Wind & Percussion at the Royal Northern College of Music, he developed the college's wind orchestra into an ensemble with a world wide reputation. Tim has been responsible, either through the RNCM, Basbwe, or his own generosity, for commissioning over 40 new works for wind orchestra. In his youth, he also bore a remarkable visual resemblance to Shostakovich! A measure of Tim's fame / notoriety, if one was necessary, is that here is even a "Timothy Reynish Tribute Page" on Facebook.

Mark Fonder is a professor of music at Ithaca College of Music, one of the leading conservatories in the US. He is the conductor of the Ithaca College Concert Band and has been teaching conducting and instrumental music education courses at the college since 1989. 

Jon Mitchell is professor of music at the University of Massachusetts Boston where he teaches instrumental music and music education, and is conductor of the University Orchestra. Jon has a keen research interest in the music of Gustav Holst and will present a clinic and performance of Fugue a la Gigue.

John Wallace is the Principal of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. His professional playing career included spells with the Festival Ballet, Northern Sinfonia, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra,  and London Symphony Orchestra,  before becoming Principal Trumpet of the Philharmonia Orchestra. Eventually he gained a reputation as a soloist after playing at the Royal Wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer. He formed his own brass interest ensemble, the Wallace Collection, made many CDs, and played with orchestras as diverse as the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Pan-African Orchestra.

James Gourlay is the Director of the School of Music at the RSAMD. One of the world's finest tuba players he held positions with CBSO, BBC Symphony Orchestra and Zurich Opera before joining the RNCM as head of brass and then Head of School of Wind & Percussion. He was a a member of the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble and has released several solo recordings of solo tuba music.

As a conductor, he is particularly known in the brass band world, having worked with many of the top bands in Europe and the UK. He also conducts the National Youth Wind Orchestra of Great Britain regularly.

Bryan Allen was appointed Head of Brass at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in 1995, and prior to this enjoyed a varied career, primarily as a trumpet player for 17 years with the world renowned Fine Arts Brass Ensemble, touring broadcasting and recording worldwide. In addition, he has worked with the majority of Britain’s leading orchestra, and was co-principal trumpet with the English Symphony Orchestra from 1980 - 1995, appearing as soloist on numerous occasions. Bryan is the Director of Brass Explosion in Symphony Hall, Birmingham, and of Brass Spectacular, held biannually in Scotland

Marco Putz has composed over 25 works for wind orchestra and his music is performed and recorded worldwide. He also teaches at the Conservatory of Luxembourg. A number of Marco's works will be performed during the festival.

Russell Cowieson studied saxophone at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and at the Guildhall. He has studied conducting with Timothy Reynish, Baldur Brönniman and at Canford with George Hurst. Russell is the conductor of the Edinburgh University Symphony Orchestra and Cambridgeshire Youth Wind Orchestra and also works with various RSAMD jorchestras and ensembles.

Russell has spent much of his career developing the talents of young musicians. His outstanding work in this area was recognised when he became the first recipient of the first Yamaha Instrumental Teacher of the Year Award in 1998.

Stéphane Rancourt was born in Quebec in 1967. In Canada, he was the first oboist to win the Sylva Gelber Award and also won the 1991 Prix d`Europe. From 1995 to 2003, he was Principal Oboe with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. He is a member of Paragon Ensemble Scotland and Professor at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. Since 2003, he has held the position of Principal Oboe with the Hallé Orchestra.

Maximiliano Martín is principal clarinet of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, has an international solo career, and teaches at the RSAMD. As a soloist he has performed with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, European Union Chamber Orchestra, Orquesta Sinfonica de Tenerife and Macedonian Philharmonic. In addition to the SCO, he has played as guest principal with the LSO, BBC Symphony and Chamber Orchestra of Europe. His new album Fantasía and his recording of the Mozart Clarinet Concerto with the SCO have been released this year by Linn Records.
 

Mark Heron studied tuba at the RSAMD and RNCM, and then conducting at the RNCM and in international master classes with, amongst others, Jorma Panula and Neeme Jarvi. He works as an ensemble conductor at the RNCM and is Music Director of the University of Manchester Symphony Orchestra and the Liverpool Mozart Orchestra. He regularly guest conducts orchestras, wind orchestras and contemporary music groups in the UK, Europe and further afield. Mark also teaches conducting at the RNCM, for the Royal Air Force, and at Canford Summer School.

Dr. Milton Allen is the Director of Bands at Eastern Illinois University where he conducts the Wind Symphony, Collegiate Band, teaches undergraduate conducting, guides the graduate wind conducting program and oversees all aspects of Eastern’s band program. A 17-year veteran of the public school rehearsal room, Dr. Allen’s refreshing and practical approach to music education has taken him throughout the United States, Canada, and England as a clinician and guest conductor. Allen earned his Bachelor of Music Education degree with honors from the University of North Texas, the Masters degree in conducting from the University of Missouri-Columbia, the Diploma of Fine Arts in Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band from the University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada and the Doctor of Musical Arts from The Ohio State University

Edwin Roxburgh was born in 1937 in Liverpool. He studied composition at the Royal College of Music with Herbert Howells, in France with Nadia Boulanger and in Italy with Luigi Dallapiccola. Later studies were at St John’s College, Cambridge. In addition to being one of the UK's foremost composers, Roxburgh is also a professional oboist and conductor.  Has written opera and orchestral, choral and chamber music as well as works (some with electronics) for solo instruments.