From Scotland with brass: Glastonbury band makes music history with world premiere

By Laura Linham 29th Apr 2025

Members of Glastonbury Brass performing during the world premiere concert at St Benedict’s Church. (Supplied)
Members of Glastonbury Brass performing during the world premiere concert at St Benedict’s Church. (Supplied)

A Glastonbury musician's passion project has led to a world premiere — and a standing ovation.

Glastonbury Brass performed a brand new brass band arrangement of Annandale, a haunting Scottish piano melody by composer Phamie Gow, during their latest concert at St Benedict's Church.

The arrangement was created by the band's own bass trombonist, Philip Bushnell, who first reached out to Gow last September.

Speaking about the piece, he said: "With such a beautiful and flowing melody, and such emotive harmony, there's no wonder I was drawn to it. Phamie's music is just stunning and I wanted to bring her art and culture to our corner of the world."

The premiere marks the first time the piece has been performed by a brass band anywhere — and it happened right here in Glastonbury.

Gow, a Scottish harpist and composer, first wrote Annandale in 1996 when she was just 16, commissioned for a film about the Millennium. Since then, it's become a favourite on Classic FM and has featured on several classical music compilations.

Her musical journey began at age 11, when she taught herself to play the Celtic harp in just six months — using nothing more than a book and a cassette tape. By 15, she was among the first students accepted onto the Scottish Music degree at the Royal Scottish Academy in Glasgow, now known as the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Philip, who started playing trombone at the age of six, has always kept music as a hobby — but began composing and arranging in 2014. Annandale is now the latest in his growing collection.

Glastonbury Brass will next perform as part of the town's VE Day 80 celebrations. Annandale is available to hear on Phamie Gow's album Moments of Time.

     

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