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music and resources for trombonists and brass players

Donal Bannister

Donal Bannister was born and bred in Dublin, and comes from a family of brass players, his grandfather founded the first British style brass band in the Irish Republic and his brother is a trumpet player in the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland. He started out as a brass band euphonium player but took up the trombone at the age of 14 and soon joined the Irish National Youth Orchestra.

He studied at Trinity College Dublin taking a B.A., followed by a year of trombone study on scholarship at the Eastman School of Music, New York. Whilst at Trinity he developed an interest in 18th century music and on returning to Ireland he embarked on postgraduate work back at Trinity into some of Haydn’s music. In 1980 he won the RTE Musician of the Future competition, Ireland’s version of the Young Musician of the Year.

In 1987, as the money was running out for the Haydn research, a friend spotted the advert for second trombone in the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and, never previously having considered a move to England, Donal decided to apply and got the job in spite of his interest in Haydn (such things don’t have much street cred in brass circles).

He is now Principal Trombone with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales.
His interests include wine (and Georgian houses with cellars), drawing and painting, gardening, and shouting at the computer.

Scarborough Fair Donal Bannister’s trombone quartet arrangement of this classic folk tune.
Grade 6+                                                 2 minutes approx.
£10.00 Click here to see and hear the score

Wexford Carol Another beautiful folk melody, this time from Ireland, treated to Donal
Bannister’s arranging skills. For trombone quartet.
Grade 6+                                                 3 minutes approx.
£10.00 Click here to see and hear the score

Three Spanish Madrigals A suite of anonymous sixteenth century dances transcribed for trombone quartet by Donal Bannister.
Grade 5+                                                 3 minutes approx.
£10.00 Click here to see and hear the score

The following are available in hard copy by post only.

Prelude and Fugue in F Minor Bach Arranged Donal Bannister
A graceful and flowing fugue follows a prelude with two contrasting subjects.
Tuba is tacet in the prelude.
(Bb trumpets, horn in F and trombone and tuba in bass clef)
Garde 8+
£8

Three Pieces from King Arhur Purcell Arranged Donal Bannister
Three contrasting movements that are both challenging and satisfying to perform.
(Bb trumpets - alternative first part in D, horn in F, trombone in tenor and bass clefs, tuba in bass clef)
Grade 8+
£8

Two Folk Carols Arranged Donal Bannister
Wexford Carol is an evocative Irish melody.
Personent Hodie (Sing Aloud This Day) a rustic German 14C carol.
(Bb trumpets, horn in F and trombone and tuba in bass clef)
Grade 8+
£8

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