End of the Lane at Grimethorpe
Grimethorpe Colliery Band has placed on record its heartfelt gratitude to Liz Lane for her successful four-year tenure as Composer-in-Association to the band. Liz was the first female composer to hold such a position with a UK Championship band. Originally, planned for two years, the successful partnership was extended to four. During her time in association with the Yorkshire band, Liz received five world premieres, and twenty performances of ten of her brass band works. She also received four BBC Radio 3 broadcasts and was commissioned to write several new works for major events including ‘Beyond the Light’ for the Royal Northern College of Music Brass Band Festival which, along with her ‘Serenata’, is featured on the band’s most recent album ‘Postcards from Grimethorpe’.
Other notable highlights during her tenure included introducing Dame Judith Weir (then Master of the Queen’s Music) to the band. Liz also co-judged the successful Grimethorpe Composers’ Competition and helped members of the band to ensure GCB became the first championship band to join TikTok. Liz’s arrangement of Halyna Ovcharenko’s ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’ also helped raise £1000 for Ukrainian Refugees.
Commenting on her time with the band, Liz said, “I’ve had a fabulous association with Grimethorpe Colliery Band. Our time together has enabled many diverse collaborations with a band of such unique history and calibre. I’m very thankful to the people who have helped make this happen and supported me in the role and am looking forward to building on these experiences in the future, both within the brass banding community and beyond.”
