

Robert Bernat was commissioned in 1976 by Elgar Howarth to write his first brass band composition, Dunlap’s Creek, for Grimethorpe Colliery Band. He chose to use an old hymn tune of the same name usually associated with the words ‘We walk by faith and not by sight’.
Composing Dunlap’s Creek inspired Bernat to learn more about brass bands and in 1978 he moved to Sheffield for about a year. He was so impressed by what he saw in terms of musical virtuosity and accessibility that he made his mind up to establish a brass band movement in the US and in 1981 the River City Brass Band gave its debut performance. Bernat served as the band’s conductor, artistic director and president until his death in 1994.