Torsion was commissioned by the Leyland Band and first performed on 23 January 2010 at the Royal Northern College of Music Festival of Brass, Manchester, by Leyland Band conducted by Jason Katsikaris.

This colourful and dynamic work is the most personal and ambitious that Simon Dobson composed during his residency with the Lancashire brass band. The dictionary defines torsion as ‘the state of being twisted’ and the composer interprets this as the imagined ‘dis-torsions’ and ‘con-torsions’ of Time, Light and Sound in three contrasting movements. Simon Dobson fuses the traditional brass band sound with drive and energy of ‘pop’ and ‘funk jazz’ with optional digitally distorted 'echoes' providing added aural confusion at the points of climax.

Although composed as a substantial concert work, Torsion would also make a challenging test-piece for contesting brass bands in the elite divisions.