Media

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

SOLO PERFROMANCES
Elfried
George Swift – Arranged Alan Catherall
Listen to the end of a stunning live solo performance from Robert with the Black Dyke Band under James Watson at the Royal Albert Hall in 1996.

Andante from Part II of Concerto for Euphonium
Composed by Philip Wilby
Here is an excerpt of this wonderful Concerto in a live performance given by Robert with the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Fred Harles just last year: 2006

Carnival of Venice
Jean Baptiste Arban – Arranged Camerata / Catherall
Robert has performed 100’s of solos throughout his career, but the Carnival of Venice is probably proved one of his most popular. Here are a few excerpts from a 1995 Black Dyke recording including his wall of death Cadenza and impressive finale.

Pageantry
Herbert Howells
Here is an excerpt from a superb original work for brass band. The close of Pageantry’s middle movement can be heard here performed by Cory under Robert’s direction as featured on their Brass Band Classic Volume IV CD.

Andante
Mozart – Arranged Robert Childs
As heard on the ‘home’ page of this website, listen to Robert perform his own arrangement of Mozart’s beautiful unfinished work for Clarinet. This composition was completed by Professor Philip Wilby and is accompanied here by the Black Dyke Band.

Fantasy
Hummel – Arranged Robert Childs
Now a popular piece with euphonium soloists all over the world, Robert can be heard here playing the opening and finale of his own arrangement with the Black Dyke Band.

City in the Sea
Composed by Nigel Clarke
Hear Robert perform the opening of one of the most demanding euphonium concerti in the repertoire. Like the ‘Wilby’ it was composed especially for Robert and can be heard in full on his Premiere CD accompanied by the Black Dyke Band.

Czardas
Monti – Arr. Eric Wilson
Performed by virtually every solo instrument, listen to Robert give his own impressive euphonium interpretation of Monti’s Czardas accompanied by his old band Tredegar recorded in 1993.

Believe Me if All Those Endearing Young Charms
Simone Mantia – Arranged Stanley Boddington
Accompanied by the Rochdale Band under Richard Evans, listen to Robert in fine form playing excerpts from Simone Mantia’s showpiece complete with top G finish!  As featured on the 1990 Doyen recording, ‘Sovereign Soloists’.

DUET PERFORMANCES

Flight of the Bumble Bee
Rimsky-Korasakov – Arranged Roy Newsome
Hear Robert and Nicholas – the ‘Childs Brothers’ in full flight during a 2002 special guest appearance live at the Royal Albert accompanied by the Black Dyke Band and on this occasion conducted by Robert’s son David!

Softly As I Leave You
DeVita - Arranged by Alan Catherall
The Rochdale Band under Alan Jenkins accompanies the ‘Childs Brothers’ performing the first verse and coda of their trade mark duet, Softly As I Leave You. As featured on their debut album ‘Childs Play’

Moto Perpetuo
Paganini – Arranged Howard Snell
Accompanied by Grimethorpe Colliery Band under Major Peter Parkes, here you can listen to the ‘Childs Brothers’ perform an amazing 1199 notes in 105 seconds!

Pearl Fishers Duet
Bizet - Arranged Robert Childs
Here is an excerpt featuring Robert performing together with son David and the Hendon Band directed by Stephen Cobb in 2003. Can you spot who’s playing which part?!

Brillante
Composed by Peter Graham
Today this work is heard mostly as a euphonium solo, but listen to it here in its original duet form performed by the musicians for whom it was composed – the ‘Childs Brothers’.

I’ll Not Turn Back
John Larsson - Arranged Ivor Bosanko
Here the Childs Brothers perform excerpts from this wonderful Salvation Army duet under Bandmaster Bramwell Gregson with Canada’s London Citadel Band.

ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCES

Red Earth
Roland Wiltgen
In these excerpts you can hear Robert duet with friend and principal cornet Mathew Baker during Black Dykes winning performance live at the European Championships in 1995. Conducted by James Watson Black Dyke also went on to win the British Open and the National Finals in 1995.

Fanfare from Sinfonietta
Janacek
Listen to Robert and David join Maurice Murphy, James Watson, John Wallace, Anne McAneny and Co. as they record a track for The London Trumpet Sound in 2003.

Revelation
Philip Wilby
Black Dyke won the British Open with this piece in 1995 and their success was largely due to a wonderful euphonium duet performance by Robert & Co-principal John French. Enjoy this most beautiful excerpt from Robert, John and Black Dyke.

Concerto Grosso
Edward Gregson
Here Robert is joined by James Watson (cornet), Les McCormack (horn) and Chris Jeans (trombone) during excerpts from a performance conducted by the composer, Professor Edward Gregson.

Elegy from Downland Suite
John Ireland
Listen to the conclusion of this haunting Elegy performed here by Black Dyke and featured on The Essential Dyke Volume 2 CD – a wonderful euphonium feature.

CONDUCTING PERFORMANCES

Carnival Overture
Dvorak – Arranged Geoffrey Brand

Here is the rousing finale to this great overture directed by Robert and performed by the Cory Band on their Brass Band Classics Volume III CD.

Hine Hine
Maori Traditional – Arranged Peter Graham
The close of a wonderful live performance recorded at Cwmbran’s County Hall back in 2002. The Cory Band conducted by Robert Childs.

Finale from Year of the Dragon
Philip Sparke
Listen to the first minute of Philip Sparke’s Finale. This work was composed for the Cory Band back in 1984 and can be heard here performed by the 2007 Cory Band under Robert’s direction. Coming soon, on a new release!

Pageantry
Herbert Howells
Here is an excerpt from a superb original work for brass band. The close of Pageantry’s middle movement can be heard here performed by Cory under Robert’s direction as featured on their Brass Band Classic Volume IV CD.

MacArthur Park
Jimmy Webb – Arranged Barry Forgie
Here Robert and Cory change style completely in an excerpt from Barry Forgie’s excellent big band arrangement. This piece can be heard in full on Cory’s 2005 ‘Echoes of the East’ CD release.

Promised Land
Kenneth Downie
In 2001 Robert Childs and the Buy As You View Cory Band won the set test piece section of the European Championships by 3 points; in 2003 they won the own choice section instead, and last year in 2006 they did the same winning the own choice section with this wonderful piece – The promised Land. Using traditional Welsh music as its inspiration, here you can here a short excerpt from Downie’s superb work.

Of Men & Mountains
Edward Gregson
Here is a work which has been around for some time composed by one of the leading figures in the brass band movement. Listen to Robert direct Cory in the finale to this colossal work. Coming soon, on a new release!