Writing a symphonic romance for Jersey – interview with the head of the Instrumental Service

SINCE taking over the reins at the Jersey Instrumental Music Service more than three years ago, Dr Graham Cox has not only overseen a number of changes at the department, but has also composed a major new orchestral work.

Jérriayne will be premièred at the Jersey Symphony Orchestra’s Liberation Prom concert next weekend at Fort Regent, under conductor Philip Ellis.

It was the conductor, in fact, who was convinced of the work’s merit and wanted to perform it with the JSO.

‘I do a lot of writing and arranging, but mainly for the Youth Orchestra and youth bands,’ said Graham, who, as well as managing the music service on a day-to-day basis, running the instrumental teaching in schools and the service’s bands and orchestras, is also responsible for organising visiting artists, workshops and concerts.

  • Dr Graham Cox (59), was born in Nottingham and has a doctorate in music education from Huddersfield University.
  • Before taking over the Jersey Instrumental Service from Neil Courtney, he worked as deputy head of the instrumental service in East Riding, Yorkshire, before which he ran the service in Bradford for nine years.
  • A trombonist from a young age, Graham trained in music at the Birmingham Conservatoire and the National Centre for Orchestral Studies in London, before beginning his career as a performer.
  • While working as an orchestral musician, Graham undertook teaching work at Trent College, a private boarding school in Nottingham, and he eventually took on a full-time post in Trent College’s music department.
  • He moved to Staffordshire to work in their instrumental service, then to Cambridgeshire to take on the role of head of brass and percussion at the instrumental service there before a move to Bradford as head of their music service.

‘This piece was too difficult for the young people to play, so when it was finished I couldn’t decide what to do with it,’ said Graham, who finished composing Jérriayne last year. ‘So I gave it to Philip Ellis to see what he thought. He gets a lot of this stuff and I didn’t hear from him for nine months, so I thought that’s that. Then I got an email saying he really liked it and would like to perform it with the JSO.’

Graham heard the piece performed for the first time at a run-through when the orchestra was in rehearsals for their last concert at Fort Regent in April.

‘Phil asked if I wanted to hear it to see if there was anything that I wanted to change. Working with a conductor of his calibre has been a real experience for me. You really have to think about what you want to achieve,’ said Graham, who said he was pleased with the work.

Jérriayne is a full orchestra symphony piece and it’s a single movement, lasting about ten minutes. ‘I like the orchestration to be varied and all the instruments have got exposed sections and all the principals will have leads to play. And there’s a harp in it, which is an instrument you don’t see so much of these days.’

He describes the work, which took about a year to put together, as a ‘symphonic romance’. ‘It’s about my response to Jersey, but it’s not descriptive. It’s about how I feel about Jersey. The first theme is about how beautiful Jersey is, particularly the coastline, which I think is absolutely gorgeous,’ said Graham, whose home overlooks

St Aubin’s Bay. ‘I’ve got a smashing view over the bay and it’s beautiful. I can sit on my settee and look out of the window and that’s the view I’ve got.

‘I’ve tried to treat the theme differently each time it comes back, and the first time really is just about the beauty of it all. The second time it comes back, it’s about the feeling of ownership, we’ve got to take some responsibility for it, not just sit and look at it. And the last time it comes round it’s right at the very end and it’s about feeling almost patriotic about it, I suppose – this is us,’ he said.

The second theme is a reference to Islanders themselves.

‘Jersey people are very busy people, always going somewhere or doing something, always busy, but they can be frustrating. It’s not a bad thing or sad thing, but frustration. That theme comes back a few times,’ explained Graham. The third theme is rather darker. ‘Right in the middle there’s a bit that’s completely different to the rest. It’s very sombre, there’s a bit of tension and it’s a little bit dissonant at times,’ said Graham. ‘I find certain things in the Island very sad, particularly to do with the Occupation, such as the gun emplacements. I find them incredibly poignant. There’s a sadness to them and you think about what people went through – that’s represented in the middle. Then it comes to this rollicking end with the first theme back again.

Graham, a trombonist, who in the early days of his career toured with the likes of Shirley Bassey, played with the BBC Orchestra and performed in shows such as the Friday Night Is Music Night concert tour, has quite a varied and wide-ranging taste in music.

‘I like Russian composers, like Shostakovich. I love opera, particularly the Italian romantics, like Puccini and Verdi. But I just really do like good music and great composers, from any genre.’ He also admits to a penchant for pop in his younger days.

  • The Jersey Symphony Orchestra will perform the Liberation Prom at Fort Regent on Saturday 8 August.
  • As part of the celebrations, the JSO are offering a number of free tickets to residents who were in Jersey during the Occupation. There are around 50 seats left and because they will be at the front there is space for wheelchair users (there are seats for accompanying carers at £12.50).
  • Forms to apply for the free tickets are available at the parish halls, Fort Regent, BBC Radio Jersey, Age Concern and the JEP reception at Five Oaks.

‘In my youth I was into hard rock music like Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin. Then I was into Abba when my wife Tracy and I had the girls,’ he said – the girls being Rachael and Amelia, who are now grown up.

‘When I buy non-classical music it tends to be about my youth, to be honest,’ said Graham. ‘I bought the Best of Lynyrd Skynyrd recently and all the memories came back!’

While Jérriayne is the first major work that Graham has written, the Jersey audience at the Island Games will already have heard his ethereal version of Beautiful Jersey by the Island Choir accompanied by the Jersey Youth Orchestra.

‘I wouldn’t mind putting a few more pieces out there,’ said Graham. ‘I’d like to write something else substantial, a weighty piece. I’ve got some ideas but it takes time to develop them. It’s all quite exciting for me, and I’m looking forward to it.’

For now, however, Graham is looking forward to next week’s concert, hearing his music played in public and hoping for a good reception from the audience.

‘When I write for myself and not the kids, it can sometimes be a bit modern in terms of harmonisation,’ he said. ‘I tried not to do too much of that with this piece. I want people to like it and most audiences struggle with modern music, it’s not always accessible to people. I tried to put in some nice tunes, but I can’t resist occasionally sticking the odd crunch in, because that’s what I do!’

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