Musical Arrangements

Craig studied elective wind band and brass band arranging at the University of Salford with Dr. Peter Graham. He has produced a wealth of bespoke musical arrangements for a series of large scale events and leading performing groups over the past 15 years. A sample of arrangements currently available can be found below

Arwelfa / Sanctus

Below can be found video of these two works, performed at the Welsh Proms by the Massed Bands of Lewis Merthyr & RAF St Athan, and the Massed Male Choirs of Cwmbach, Morlais, Pontarddulais & Cor Meibion Taf.

These settings for male choir by Arwel Hughes have been popular with choirs for decades. The performances below however featured the premiere performances of both settings for choir and brass band. The performances are conducted by Arwel Hughes' son, the renowned orchestral conductor Owain Arwel Hughes CBE.

The male choir setting of Arwelfa is published by Cwmni Gwynn, and the setting of Sanctus by Oriana Publications. The settings for brass band will be commercially available soon

Mongolian Folk Song

Craig's arrangement for brass & percussion of Mongolian Folk Song by Reinhold Gliere was recently premiered at the prestigious Brass In Concert Championships at The Sage, Gateshead on Sunday November 18th 2018.

Performed by the Atlantic Brass Band of New Jersey, USA, the work formed a central element of the band's "Age of Empires" themed programme, and featured the band's solo euphonium player, Dr. Amy Schumaker-Bliss. A live recording of the performance, conducted by ABB Musical Director Salvatore Scarpa can be found opposite, and is also available for download from World of Sound here

The work received very positive feedback following the premiere, including from BIC Presenter Frank Renton who described the piece as "a beautiful new work for band". Mongolian Folk Song will be published and made available for sale in early 2019 via Oriana Publications

Will Ye Go Lassie Go

Craig's setting of the traditional pipetune "Will Ye Go Lassie Go" (Wild Mountain Thyme) was used in the 2010 Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo and featured vocalist and CTV Presenter Liz Rigney, together with Canadian new roots band Ashelin and the RNSIT massed bands, choirs and pipes & drums.

Conducted by RNSIT Principal Director of Music Captain Bill Eberts, the arrangement was recorded for CD & DVD and both sold and broadcast across North America and Europe.

Rondeau / Ode to Joy

Craig's setting of the martial section from Beethoven's Ode to Joy for massed military, fifes & drums, two tenor soloists, choir and pipes & drums opened the Finale of the 2009 Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo. Featured performers included the Corps of Drums of the Band of the Royal Welsh, Middlesex County Volunteers Fife & Drums and Massed Bands from Belgium, Canada, Germany, Oman and the United Kingdom.

The Ode to Joy is preceded here by an excerpt from Craig's setting of the Rondeau by Jean-Joseph Mouret, performed in this video by Fanfare Trumpeters of the Royal Symphonic Band of the Belgian Guides

Reunion & Finale

In 2008, Craig was commissioned to write the music for the entire Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo Act One Finale. The music for the scene, which was dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the End of the First World War and connecting through to modern conflict in Afghanistan, included Ivor Novello's "Keep the Homefires Burning", Tim A. Duncan's "If This Day Could Last Forever" (based upon "Nimrod" from Sir Edward Elgar's "Enigma Variations"), a wind band setting of Andrew Duncan's arrangement of Randy Edelman's "Reunion & Finale" (from Gettysburg) and a brief medley of "Pack Up Your Troubles" into "Long Way To Tipperary". The entire scene is featured in the video here and is conducted here by Craig

Reconciliation & Remembrance

In 2005, Craig was commissioned to create a bespoke arrangement for the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo of Hymn to the Fallen (from Saving Private Ryan) by the iconic blockbuster movie soundtrack composer John Williams.

The arrangement formed the central element of the Tattoo Act One Finale "Reconciliation", which was dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War and reconciliation between Canada and Germany.

The scene featured the RNSIT Massed Bands and choirs and is conducted in the video here by Craig