FOREST-raised composer Gavin Higgins took another step in his career last week as his latest work, a ballet scored for a brass band, had its debut in London's West End.

The work, Dark Arteries, was performed by the internationally-acclaimed Ballet Rambert company, at Sadler's Wells theatre, and is now to go on a national tour.

Gavin became the Rambert ballet's inaugural music fellow, and this new work is his second major piece for the renowned company, which has been choreographed by Mark Baldwin.

Gavin, 32, who trained with the Parkend Silver Band, has gone on to gain glowing reviews for his work from the national press, with a string of accomplishments that include his work with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Manchester Camerata, Northern Sinfonia and the National Youth Wind Orchestra of Great Britain, and the Tredegar Town Band, with whom he has formed a close bond and which is, uniquely, performing on the stage alongside the dancers for his latest work.

Gareth told the Review: "When I first suggested the idea of using a band on stage with the company I think they thought it was a bit ridiculous, and they shelved it. But I am very passionate about brass and silver bands, having been brought up in the Parkend Band, alongside most of my family, so I persevered, and this new production is the result.

"I was very young when I started to play the cornet, so young that I cannot actually remember learning the instrument."

After Whitecross School in Lydney, Gavin went on to the Chetham's Music School in Manchester as a French horn player, and studied composition at the Royal Northern School of Music, rounding his education off at Masters level at the Royal College of Music.

His musical lineage, however, goes back much further, as he can trace his musical family ancestry in brass bands back as far as 1895.

"Banding has a really brilliant system for training new musicians. There is no better grounding. I have worked with many, many, top brass players, and so many of them come from a band background – it sort of proves how good that system really is.

"I am very passionate about bands, too, it's in my blood so to speak, and I feel that, in reality, they represent our own folk music. It is a music that originated here with our bands but which has now gone all around the world."

"The Tredegar band are so good to work with. I was at the theatre with them all week, just to make sure that there was no confusion over the arrangements. They, and the company, did a fantastic job.

"Dark Arteries is inspired by the miners' strike of 1984-1985 and is the first ever ballet accompanied by brass band. This deeply personal composition will commemorate the 30th anniversary of the miners' struggle while celebrating the unique legacy of the British brass band."

Reviews of Dark Arteries have heaped praise on the Forest raised composer. The Independant called it 'sonorous and splendid', while the London Evening Standard wrote: 'This is 21st-century brass, with a newly-commissioned score by Gavin Higgins full of deep rumbles, driving syncopation and sweet clashing chords.' The Guardian described the music as 'a dark, glittering, sound palette.'

Dark Arteries will be touring the UK later this year.