Bramwell Clifford Gay (19 September 1930 – 13 December 2019) was a British

trumpet The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitched one octave below the standard ...

and cornet player and brass band enthusiast. Gay was born in

Treorchy Treorchy ( cy, Treorci; ) is a town and community (and electoral ward) in Wales. Once a mining town, it retains such characteristics. Situated in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf in the Rhondda Fawr valley. Treorchy is also one of the 16 ...

, Glamorgan, Wales. He joined

Foden's Band Foden's Band (originally Foden's Motor Works Band, and variants with sponsors' names) is a brass band from Sandbach in Cheshire. The band derives its name from the Foden manufacturer of trucks in Sandbach. Foden's Band are one of the top br ...

at the age of 13. Gay was published extensively by Novello Music Publishing Ltd. He died at his home in France on 13 December 2019, at the age of 89. Gay played as third trumpet for four years for

Royal Opera House The Royal Opera House (ROH) is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply Covent Garden, after a previous use of the site. It is the home of The Royal Ope ...

in Covent Garden, where he was offered the position of orchestra director (1974 to 1995). Among the people he worked with were Colin Davis, Georg Solti, and

Bernard Haitink Bernard Johan Herman Haitink (; 4 March 1929 – 21 October 2021) was a Dutch conductor and violinist. He was the principal conductor of several international orchestras, beginning with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in 1961. He moved to Lon ...

. He played at King George VI's funeral and in

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...

's coronation. He also arranged the music for Charles and Diana's wedding.

References

External links

Article on Bram Gay in 4BarsRest, the online brass band magazineBram Gay nominated as one of the 10 Most Influential People in the Brass Band Movement in 4BarsRest
1930 births 2019 deaths British music arrangers British classical trumpeters British male trumpeters Cornetists British male conductors (music) 21st-century trumpeters 21st-century British conductors (music) 21st-century British male musicians People from Rhondda Cynon Taf {{trumpeter-stub