Triumphant return for trombonist

The final Subscription Concert of the year on Wednesday 8th June saw Pete Stones (Latham 2005-2007) return to the Beldam Hall to give a mesemerising concert of brass playing. Now completing his final year of studying music at the Birmingham Conservatoire, Pete won Repton's Musician of the Year competition back in 2007. The programme consisted of some more traditional works from the trombone repertoire, such as Weber's 'Romance Appassionata', as well as some more experimental modern works such as Brad Edwards' 'Blue Wolf', the piece which Pete later confessed was his favourite! Pete also brought his friend and fellow student Sean Pepper, an outstanding young trumpeteer, who wowed the audience with some wonderfully precise playing especially of the Armenian composer Arutunian. It was Pete and Sean's finale, however, which won the loudest applause as they tackled Rossini's Duet for Two Cats arranged for muted trombone and trumpet. It was a terrific evening of music making and we are all very proud of Pete's achievements since leaving Repton.