With His First Breath | Paul Lovatt-Cooper (Aaron Ford, Euphonium)

New Zealand Invitational Slow Melody Contest - July 2025 🎶 With His First Breath by Paul Lovatt-Cooper 🎺 Performed by Aaron Ford 📍 Recorded live at the 2025 New Zealand Brass Band Nationals, held in Christchurch 🎹 Vickie van Uden, Piano Why did I choose to play With his First Breath? My Dad (Steve Ford) and I always loved the piece Breath of Souls, which is all about the celebration of life. We were especially drawn to the middle movement — With His First Breath is which drawn from that very movement. Acknowledgements: I would like to sincerely thank Whitehorse Brass, led by my awesome cousin Broden Ford and his extraordinary fiancée Lauren Innes, for making Whitehorse a great place to be for mum and I—especially following the loss of my two heroes: my dad, Steve Ford, and my pop, Keith Ford OAM, in 2023. To Dad (Steve Ford - Australian Brass Band of the Century) and Pop (Keith Ford OAM) —returning to music after all these years has been an unexpected journey, and I imagine you’d both be surprised to see me playing again. Over the past six months, I’ve been incredibly fortunate to receive opportunities and honours that have been both humbling and inspiring. I know you’d be proud, no matter what, I’m having a crack in this season of life. I might not have inherited the height for my sporting ambitions, but I guess I’m more than happy to settle for the musical genes you passed down. Thank you for everything. #Euphonium #AaronFord #BrassMusic #LivePerformance #lowbrass #Fordyaz #https://plcmusic.co.uk #music #whitehorse #boxhillband #paullovett-cooper #withhisfirstbreath