Stephen Bradnum
Stephen Bradnum
Stephen Bradnum graduated from the University of Huddersfield in 1999, in the hope of pursuing a career in conducting, teaching, performance, composing, and arranging. Soon after graduation, he received the prestigious prize of Brass Student of the Year, awarded by the Harry Mortimer Memorial Trust – and indeed gained a considerable reputation for his skills on the bass trombone, performing on BBC Radio 2, and playing live on BBC Radio 4. Following his initial success in performance, Stephen focussed on other areas; and had the opportunity on several occasions to compose and arrange for the Internationally renowned cornet soloist Phillip McCann – a university lecturer with whom he still works very closely .

As a musician he has a solid grounding in harmony, composition, and arrangement which he gained during his teens under the instruction of Bernard Lawson – skills which flourished with his university tuition under Phillip McCann and Sandy Smith, and his own great enthusiasm for the subject. Stephen is now studying composition under the guidance of Philip Wilby and hopes to compose for Symphonic Wind Band amongst other things in the near future. In recent years, Stephen has conducted several ensembles including the Kirklees Symphonic Wind Orchestra, the Huddersfield Choral Society Youth Choir, and the community concert band Hot Aire!

His arrangement for brass band of The Irish Blessing has been played by a wide range of bands, including Brighouse and Rastrick, YBS, and Fodens and has been commercially recorded by Grimethorpe Colliery, Leyland, and Sellers International bands to name but a few. It has also been broadcast on BBC Radio 2 and is performed at a wide range of venues for a number of different purposes such as weddings and funerals as well as in traditional concert settings.

© Rosie Anisah Hayes 2006