Work of the Week - Joe Duddell: The Redwood Tree

This week at the Cheltenham Music Festival 2008, Joe Duddell's new work The Redwood Tree will receive its world premiere. The Band of HM Royal Marines, the largest of the British military wind bands, under the direction of Lieutenant Colonel Chris Davis will perform the work on Tuesday 15th July at Cheltenham Town Hall as part of an all English programme.

This is Duddell's first work for symphonic wind band and it promises to be an exciting addition to the repertoire. The programme note refers to a fictional journey through California with its famous giant redwood trees and this is reflected in the music as it develops from a delicate opening to a spectacular finale.

Joe Duddell, who first studied at Salford University and then later with Steve Martland at the Royal Academy of Music, has recently returned to Salford to take up the position of Reader at the university. As a composer, his influences not only come from figures such as Stravinsky and Tippett but are also draw from minimalism music and even rock bands such as Radiohead. He has recently completed a commission for the London Symphony Orchestra and he is currently writing a piano trio which will be premiered at the Presteigne Festival 2008 where he will be a featured composer.