The programme began with Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber’s Sonata Sancti Polycarpi for 8 trumpets and timpani, and was followed by Biber’s Sonata à 7 for 6 trumpets and timpani. The programme continued with an orchestral suite from Henry Purcell’s The Fairy Queen, in which Krešimir Fabijanić played first trumpet with Siegfried Koch on second. Next, the two trumpeters were joined by Matej Vukić on third trumpet for a rendition of Georg Philipp Telemann’s Concerto for 3 trumpets in D [TWV 54:D3]. I then played first trumpet in Johann Sebastian Bach’s Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D Major [BWV 1068], with Will Russell on second and Krešimir Fabijanić on third, before all of the trumpeters took to the stage to perform the grand finale; a rendition of the Overture and March from The Occasional Oratorio [HWV 62] by George Frideric Handel with massed trumpets comprising Krešimir Fabijanić, Russell Gilmour, Siegfried Koch, Zvonimir Lazar, William Russell, Matej Vukić, Petar Rebić, Luka Vrtar and Jeronim Cikojević performing. The orchestra was led by the violinist and co-founder of the ensemble, Laura Vadjon. 

We performed this programme for the first time as part of the Velika Gorica Brass Festival on Saturday 3 May 2025. After our rehearsal the previous day we were very kindly invited as VIP guests to hear German Brass perform in the same festival; we enjoyed exceptional brass playing and entertainment from this very well-known and refined group of musicians. 

Our second concert took place on Sunday 4 May 2025 in the heart of Zagreb, at the Crkva sv. Marka (Church of St. Mark) in the Trg sv. Marka (St Mark’s Square). The church has a beautifully ornate tiled roof, and it is nestled among Croatia’s most important governmental buildings, including the prime minister’s office, parliament, constitutional court and city hall. It was a great pleasure to perform this programme here and it was great to see many of the friends and family of the orchestra in attendance too—some of whom I met on my previous visits to play with this group in 2021 and 2018.

It was great fun to play this massed-trumpet programme alongside with Krešimir Fabijanić (known to us Brits as ‘Curly’—from our days at Dartington International Summer School where we met more than a decade ago on the Early Brass course with David Staff). It must have been a very proud moment for Krešimir to perform alongside four of his former students in this project—they were inspired to take up early brass instruments following Krešimir’s fine example. It was a great celebration of his 50 years, and 25 of the Croatian Baroque Ensemble (Hrvatski Barokni Ansambl). Here’s to many more!