Articles & features: 2010 / International
2010 Yorkshire Regional Championship - Championship Section retrospective
Subjective opinions and hard nosed decisions - whichever way you look at it, Brighouse were Kings of Bradford.
2010 Yorkshire Regional Championship - First Section retrospective
There was plenty to talk about in the First Section as Meltham & Meltham Mills found a walk on Moorside very much to their liking.
2010 Yorkshire Regional Championship - Second Section retrospective
Knottingley enjoy their bit of Dragon slaying to gain a trip to Harrogate with a Police escort in tow...
2010 Yorkshire Regional Championship - Third Section retrospective
Two fine performances took the chance to show off their Labour & Love skills to book their places at Harrogate in September.
2010 Yorkshire Regional Championship - Fourth Section retrospective
A great test piece and some great playing made for a highly entertaining 4th Section contest - won by a French fancy of a band.
2010 Midlands Regional Championship - Introduction and preview
The Midlands has plenty to offer this weekend for players and supporters alike although we all miss the dodgy burger van at the back of the old Burton Town Hall dont we?
2010 Midlands Regional Championship - Championship Section: Runners & Riders
There is no place in the UK quite as full of English Heritage as the Midlands...
2010 Midlands Regional Championship - First Section: Runners & Riders
Its never good to try and second guess an adjudicator but after Bradford a few will be wondering just how they go about it here...
2010 Midlands Regional Championship - Second Section: Runners & Riders
A well matched field of bands should enjoy a bit of Dragon slaying on the weekend.
2010 Midlands Regional Championship - Third Section: Runners & Riders
An excellent venue plays host to an old time classic on Saturday morning.
2010 Midlands Regional Championship - Fourth Section: Runners & Riders
Its like a return to the good old days - a Fourth Section packed with bands and a piece of porcine magic to play too.
2010 West of England Regional Championship - Introduction and preview
As always there is always a warm and friendly atmosphere down in Torquay - and they have plenty to smile about too...
2010 West of England Regional Championship - Championship Section: Runners & Riders
Can Camborne overcome the never ending curse of the defending champion and become the first band in well over a decade to retain their West of England title?
2010 West of England Regional Championship - First Section: Runners & Riders
A strong line up of 14 bands all aiming to make the most of a very difficult classic work and gain a long coach trip to Harrogate.
2010 West of England Regional Championship - Second Section: Runners & Riders
15 bands will set their musical sights on Harrogate by finding inspiration from over the Severn Estuary.
2010 West of England Regional Championship - Third Section: Runners & Riders
A big field of 15 bands and a big old test of musical character on Labour & Love to overcome if they are to get to Harrogate.
2010 West of England Regional Championship - Fourth Section: Runners & Riders
As always there is a fantastic turn out of contenders all looking to book a place in Harrogate courtesy of some tasty French variations.
2010 North West Regional Championship - Introduction and preview
The one thing bands in these parts enjoy doing is competing against each other so Sunday should be a great day of domestic battles then
2010 North West Regional Championship - Championship Section: Runners & Riders
Can Foden's retain their title and create even more history of their own at the Winter Gardens?
2010 North West Regional Championship - First Section: Runners & Riders
Which pair of bands here will really get to grips with a classic test piece to head to Harrogate in September?
2010 North West Regional Championship - Second Section: Runners & Riders
The North West has plenty of strength in depth at this level, so which one of these bands can gain a bit of inspiration from the music of the Principality and win through to Harrogate on Sunday?
2010 North West Regional Championship - Third Section: Runners & Riders
Whoever gets through here could well be one of the favourites come Harrogate itself, but they first have to work out the winning formula from a bit of Labour & Love.
2010 North West Regional Championship - Fourth Section: Runners & Riders
A great line up of bands on the Sunday all set for a real battle on a French fancy to get to Harrogate.
2010 Scottish Regional Championship - Introduction and preview
Scotland is a world leader when it comes to organising brass bands - all it needs now is for the bands themselves to come up with the right results too.
2010 Scottish Regional Championship - Championship Section - Runners & Riders
An appreciation of English Heritage should go down well here in Scotland
2010 Scottish Regional Championship - First Section - Runners & Riders
A Downland Suite may not evoke images of the Scottish Highlands, but if played well by any of these bands it can be just as beautiful.
2010 Scottish Regional Championship - Second Section - Runners & Riders
The Scots need to put one over the Welsh and this is their chance to do just that if they are to get to Harrogate.
2010 Scottish Regional Championship - Third Section - Runners & Riders
They know a thing or two about hard work and even love in these parts and they need to be experts at both if they are to get through to Harrogate.
2010 Scottish Regional Championship - Fourth Section - Runners & Riders
Just six bands make it to the starting blocks here looking to improve their French inspired variations to get to Harrogate.
2010 Yorkshire Regional Championships - Introduction and preview
The 2010 National Championships of Great Britain kicks off in Bradford on the weekend - just 140 days since Black Dyke became 2009 champions at the Royal Albert Hall.
2010 Yorkshire Regional Championship - Championship Section: Runners & Riders
A great contest in prospect as Rothwell Temperance look to defend their title on 'English Heritage'.
2010 Yorkshire Regional Championship - First Section: Runners & Riders
The bands that want to try and make it to Harrogate will have to overcome one heck of a test with the classic 'A Moorside Suite'.
2010 Yorkshire Regional Championship - Second Section: Runners & Riders
Which of the 11 bands here can find a bit of Celtic inspiration to get them to Harrogate?
2010 Yorkshire Regional Championship - Third Section: Runners & Riders
12 bands will look for a bit of love interest amid the hard labour in Percy Fletchers testing old work.
2010 Yorkshire Regional Championship - Fourth Section: Runners & Riders
A healthy turn out of bands this year attracted by a fine work from Philip Sparke and the chance to be on the BBC?
2010 Regional Championships of Great Britain - Test piece reviews
4BR has a closer look at the five regional test pieces - covering close to 100 years of compositional history.
BBC Radio 2 Young Brass Soloist Final - retrospective
Malcolm Wood reports from the RNCM on a night when bucket loads of character and talent saw Matthew White become an extraordinary BBC Young Brass Soloist winner.
2010 Action Research Entertainment Contest - retrospective
Not even a health and safety scare could put a dent in Elland's winning performance at Blackpool's Opera House. Malcolm Wood donned a hard hat to enjoy all the action...
Gizmos & Gadgets - February
4BR looks at some of the best bargains to be had this February...
4BR Time Team - The curious case of the contest that never was?
30 years ago a very curious contest took place in Wales. It is a tale of intrigue, duplicity, shabby politics and even shabbier people. And at its centre there was a crook called Robert D. Alexander.
4BR Dinner Guests - Ian Buckley gives us his ultimate dinner guest list
Stalwart trombonist Ian Buckley tells 4BR just who he would have around his dinner table for a good night out and chin wag...
The X Factor? - Ten composers for the brass band future
With the debate on the future of original brass band music riding high, we thought it was high time to highlight ten composers who we feel could have a serious part to play in new band music in the next few years.
2010 Action Research Entertainment Contest - Preview & Prediction
It's Valentine's Day in Blackpool on Sunday, but which youth band will leave the Winter Gardens blowing victory kisses to their supporters and fans?
2010 Norwegian National Championships - Gallery from Bergen
Just a flavour of the action from Norway's National Championships in Bergen's Grieghallen.
2010 Norwegian National Championships - Postcard from Bergen
There was so much to enjoy about Bergen this year - despite the snow and the smell...
2010 Norwegian National Championships - Elite Division retrospective
Manger return to the top of Norwegian banding - thanks to agnostic adjudication and some X rated playing...
2010 Norwegian National Championships - 1st Division retrospective
There was a commanding win in the 1st Division as Sandefjord took an impressive setp back to the Elite Division of Norwegain banding thanks to a 100% conductor's record.
2010 Norwegian National Championships - Lower Division retrospectives
As always there was plenty to enjoy in the lower divisions - from Orskog, Bjorsvik and Fla to name just three...
2010 Norwegian National Championships - Introduction to Bergen
The first major National Championship takes place this weekend in Norway. 4BR will be there to find out who comes top in Bergen.
2010 Norwegian National Championships - Elite Division preview and prediction
4BR will be in Bergen to listen to the very best bands in Norway battle it out to see who will represent them at the 2011 European Championships. Can Eikanger make it three in a row?
2010 Norwegian National Championships - First Division preview and prediction
4BR casts its eye over the 12 bands hoping to make the step up and join the Elite bands in Norway this weekend.
2010 Norwegian National Championships - Second Division preview and prediction
Another promising contest in store in the Second Division with 13 well matched bands all hoping to do enough to gain another step up the Norwegian promotion ladder.
2010 Norwegian National Championships - Third Division preview and prediction
There is plenty to look forward to in the Third Division - especially as the bands usually have a taste for the classics of the banding repertoire.
2010 Norwegian National Championships - Fourth Division preview and prediction
The foundation base of Norwegian banding continues to grow - now with 24 bands taking part with their eclectic own choices.
2010 Norwegian National Championships - The Champions (1979 - 2009)
Who has won what and when since the Norwegian Nationals started in 1979.
2010 Yeovil Contest - Octagon preview
4BR looks forward to the cross border skirmish in Yeovil for what promises to be an entertaining Wales versus England weekend.
RNCM Festival of Brass - Postcard from Manchester
Chris Thomas looks back over the highlights of the 2010 RNCM Festival of Brass.
2010 Butlins Mineworkers Championship - Postcard from Skegness
It may not be to everyone's taste but Butlins certainly understands the brass band culture.
2010 Butlins Mineworkers Championship - Championship Section retrospective
Desford take their fourth Butlins title - but victory wasn't as clear cut as the record books may suggest...
2010 Butlins Mineworkers Championship - Entertainment innovators?
It's two years since innovation and invention became the brass band buzz words here - so did the 2010 contenders do the entertainment business?
2010 Butlins Mineworkers Championship - First Section retrospective
A Scottish flavour in the First Section, but it was a Midland band who left Skeggy to toast their victory with a wee dram or two.
2010 Butlins Mineworkers Championship - Second Section retrospective
No doubt about the winners in the Second Section as East London once again came up trumps in Skegness.
2010 Butlins Mineworkers Championship - Third Section retrospective
A diamond edged performance gave the Third Section title to Delph and their young MD on the weekend.
2010 Butlins Mineworkers Championship - Fourth Section retrospective
There was a touch of the Roman epic about Dronfield's victory in the Fourth Section.
2010 Butlins Mineworkers Championship - Youth Contest retrospective
Youth Brass 2000 retained their Butlins title, but the Youth Contest was an absolute delight for everyone concerned.
Sleepless in Skegness? - Does PLC deserve a big city bonus with his latest test piece?
4BR takes a forensic look at Paul Lovatt-Cooper's latest test piece. Is it a first class journey to some of the great global destinations, or just a clever musical pastiche of Whicker's World?
2010 Butlins Mineworkers Championship - Introduction & preview
Never mind the weather and the economic climate, Butlins will once again provide a warm welcome to an ever growing number of bands.
2010 Butlins Mineworkers Championship - Championship Section preview
Which band can mix and match their test piece to their entertainment skills to claim the Butlins title this year?
2010 Butlins Mineworkers Championship - The Runners & Riders
11 bands take to the stage on Saturday and Sunday hoping that their mix of city sleeplessness and X Factor entertainment will gain them the seven grand top prize.
2010 Butlins Mineworkers Championship - First Section preview
Which of the competing bands will be able to capture the musical nuances of the Outer Hebrides to take the First Section title?
2010 Butlins Mineworkers Championship - Second Section preview
A well matched field will have to get in touch with their folk music roots if they are to take the Second Section title.
2010 Butlins Mineworkers Championship - Third Section preview
Which of the bands can unearth a diamond of a performance to take the Third Section title on Saturday.
2010 Butlins Mineworkers Championship - Fourth Section preview
A Roman inspiration for glory in the Fourth Section as Leigh Baker's test piece provides the battleground for the 13 gladiator bands.
2010 Butlins Mineworkers Championship - Youth Contest preview
There is sure to be plenty to enjoy at the Youth Championships on Sunday afternoon - with six cracking bands providing the entertainment.
2010 Butlins Mineworkers Championship - The adjudicators
These are the men in the box this year in Skegness.
2010 RNCM Festival of Brass - The Director's Cut
Artistic Director Paul Hindmarsh leads us through what's in store at the RNCM Festival of Brass later this month.
Gizmos & Gadgets - January
4BR looks at some of the post Christams bargains to be had in the January sales...
4BR Time Team - The WD & HO Wills Contests
A contest that profit shared, had open adjudication, pre draws, free bandsmen tickets and took place at the Albert Hall? So why did the WD & HO Wills Contest only last 4 years?.
ABBA's Waterloo? - The judges get new leadership and homework
C Brian Buckley reports from the AGM of the Association of Brass Band Adjudicators, where new leadership and plenty of test piece homework were on the wintery agenda.
The X Factor? - 10 who have it, want it or need it in 2010
These X Factor people and events could well provide the reading on the barometer of the brass band movements general good health in 2010.
4BR End of Term Reports - The top 20 pupils at the 4BR School
The 4BR Headmaster has been writing his 2009 end of term reports on the 20 top ranked pupils in the 4BR school.
4barsrest Classifieds
Vacancies
Meltham & Meltham Mills Band
1st Section Yorkshire Champions invite applications from highly experienced & motivated musicians for the position of MUS...
Contests
Scottish Regional Campionships
Date: 14-Mar-2010
Venue: Rothes Halls, Glenrothes
Concerts
Soundhouse Brass Soundhouse Youth Band and Guests
Date: 20-Mar-2010
Venue: The Soundhouse, Estover Community College, Miller Way, Estover, Plymouth PL6 8UN
Professional Cards
Alan Duguid
BA (hons), PGDipMus
Conductor and composer
