Steven Mead (born 26 February 1962) is an English virtuoso euphonium soloist and teacher.
Biography Mead has played an important role in achieving worldwide recognition of the instrument.Roy Newsome, The Modern Brass Band: From the 1930s to the New Millennium, Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., 2006, p. 252. .Peter Spaull, "Blowing in the wind my friends", Liverpool Daily Post, March 28, 2003. Accessed 10 September 2008. He has played solo concertos with many symphony orchestras, including: the Stuttgart Philharmonic Orchestra, the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra, Lahti Symphony Orchestra and Helsinki Philharmonic, Capella Cracoviensis, the Minneapolis Pops Orchestra and the Japan Chamber Orchestra. He has premiered works by Martin Ellerby, Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen, Vladimir Cosma, Goff Richards, John Reeman, Rolf Rudin and Philip Sparke, amongst others. Goff Richards' Pilatus, Aagaard-Nilsen's Concerto for Euphonium and Orchestra, Reeman's Sonata for Euphonium and Ellerby's Euphonium Concerto were all written expressly for Mead.Notes on Concerto for Euphonium and Orchestra on the official web site of Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen.Lloyd Bone, Eric Paull, R. Winston Morris, Guide to the Euphonium Repertoire: The Euphonium Source Book, Indiana University Press, 2007, pp. 60 and 132. Roy Newsome, The Modern Brass Band: From the 1930s to the New Millennium, Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., 2006, p. 367.
He is married to Misa Mead ( Akahoshi) who is also a renowned euphonium soloist, additionally active as a freelance composer and orchestrator.
Selected recordings
Joseph Horovitz: Four Concertos Ensemble: Royal Ballet Sinfonia; Soloists: Andrew Haveron (violin), Steven Mead (euphonium), David Owen Norris (piano); Conductor Joseph Horovitz; Label: Dutton Epoch. Concertino Ensemble: The Lillestrøm Musikkorps; Soloist: Steven Mead (euphonium); Conductor: Gert Buitenhuis; Label: Polyphonic. Euphonium Virtuoso Ensemble: Brass Band Buizingen; Soloist: Steven Mead (euphonium); Conductor: Luc Vertommen; Label: Bocchino. Dreamscapes: Wind Music by Ellerby, Clarke & Josephs Ensemble: Royal Northern College of Music Wind Orchestra; Soloist: Steven Mead (euphonium); Conductor: James Gourlay; Label: Polyphonic. Audacious Soloist: Steven Mead; Accompanied by Tomoko Sawano, piano; Label: Bocchino. Robert Groslot conducts his concertos Ensemble: Royal Symphonic Band of the Belgian Guides; Conductor: Robert Groslot; Soloists: Steven Mead (Euphonium), Norbert Nozy (Saxophone), Peter Verhoyen (Piccolo), Carlo Willems (Marimba), Vlad Weverbergh (Clarinet); Label: Groslot-Music Records GM 1301 (2013) Fandango, released 1 June 2011; Accompanied by Tomoko Sawano, piano; Label: Bocchino.
References
Rachel Dunlap, Mead to perform world-class talents on obscure brass instrument, Spectator Eau Claire, January 25, 2001. Accessed 10 September 2008. Ronald Holz, Review: Euphonium Virtuoso (Bocchino CD BOCC107), The Brass Band Bridge, North American Brass Band Association, Issue 101, October 2006. pp. 21–22. Accessed 10 September 2008. Steven Mead biography on the Besson company web site. Accessed 10 September 2008.
External links