Dedicated to the Nottingham Wind Ensemble on their thirtieth anniversary
Sherwood Folk was written for the Nottingham Wind Ensemble to celebrate 30 years of music making. The piece describes a party or celebration deep in Sherwood Forest with the legendary Robin Hood, Maid Marian and the Merry Men. The word "Merry" in those days meant following an outlaw or a leader rather than the way we use it today. The music invites us into the forest with a gentle modal oboe solo which is joined by other instruments as it proceeds to the party. Various melodic episodes introduce elements of folk and dance music from the whole of the British Isles before the music concludes with a recapitulation of the opening bars. The score is written in such a way as to allow bands with fewer resources to play the piece successfully, whilst ensuring a full wind orchestra orchestration is included.
Keiron Anderson studied at the Royal Northern College of Music with Philip Jones OBE at a time when the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble was established as a real force in brass chamber music. He was fascinated by the methods used by Philip Jones to achieve the unique and sophisticated blend of the instruments and players and how to apply the techniques to other same-family instrumental groups. At the RNCM, Keiron experienced a wide range of musical styles including founding the college Big Band and Light Orchestra which involved arranging film music and jazz classics. After graduating, Keiron worked as a freelance trumpet player with many orchestras around the UK including the soon to be disbanded BBC Northern Radio Orchestra. He then spent several years with his own group as a Musical Director for Cunard Line before returning to the UK to compose, conduct and teach music. He now conducts the acclaimed Harlequin Brass Ensemble, Yorkshire Wind Orchestra, Nottingham Symphonic Winds, Phoenix Concert Band and works with many ensembles around the country. He has written music in a vast array of styles for Wind Orchestra, Brass Band, Clarinet Choir, Flute Ensemble, Brass dectet, Saxophone Groups and String Orchestra as well as several musicals and vocal works.
