Saddleworth set for Whit Friday
May 28
Brighouse & Rastrick defend their title on what promises to be a packed day of great march entertainment in the sun.
Tameside ready to welcome Whit Friday visitors
May 28 • Tameside will offer a warm welcome to competitors and visitors alike for their Whit Friday contests.
National Youth Orchestra set to transcend with summer concerts
May 28 • Thomas Ades will lead the National Youth Orchestra this summer with an intoxicating world of sound, energy, transformation — and free tickets for teenagers.
Brabbins takes quartet chair at Royal College of Music
May 28 • Martyn Brabbins is to become Personal Chair in Conducting at the Royal College of Music.
Spennymoor boosted by local Mayor
May 28 • The Spennymoor Town and Youth bands will benefit to the tune of over £11,300 thanks to their local Mayor.
Places still up for grabs for Red Admiral Hymn & March contest
May 28 • If you want to try and get your hands on a share of a big prize pot in Croston in July, you had better be quick.
A curious banding link...
May 27 • A BBC television programme from 2023 had a slightly curious, but very timely link to the banding world...
World Championship perc to be provided by Adams
May 27 • Adams Musical Instruments will provide all the percussion requirements for bands in Kerkrade in July.
Podcast: Smith & Grezzy
May 27 • The latest podcast is now out — with plenty to chew on...
Still Glides the Stream
£11.25
4BR Review - Episode 18
May 21 • Iwan Fox and Chris Thomas are joined by Edward Gregson and Paul Hindmarsh to discuss how the wider musical world perceives the banding movement, and what we must do to reinvigorate our artistic vision.
4BR Review - Episode 17
May 11 • Iwan and Chris look at the wider contest issues that have arisen from the recent European Championships in Linz and Spring Festival in Birmingham.
4BR Review - Episode 16
February 26 • Iwan and Chris look forward to the 2026 Regional Championships - the issues, music and tips for victory...
4BR Review - Episode 15
February 1 • Iwan Fox and Chris Thomas look back at the RNCM International Brass Band Festival as well as forward to the Norwegian Nationals and more...
Opinion debate: The luck of the draw or data driven evidence?
May 18 • Is it a myth that the winning of a contest can in part be down to the luck of the draw, or does new research add statistical substance to back up the belief?
Kathleen Gaspoz has been drilling into the stats to back her opinion.
2026 European Brass Band Championships: Test piece reviews
April 23 • 4BR Editor Iwan Fox takes a closer look at the set-works to be played this weekend from Thomas Doss, Andreas Ziegelback, Otto M Schwarz and Thomas Murauer.
2026 European Brass Band Championships: Own choice selections
April 21 • 4BR finds out more about the own-choice works to be performed by the bands in the Championship and Challenge Sections in Linz.
2026 European Brass Band Championships: Welcome to Linz
April 20 • Increased size and wider vision underpins EBBA's ethos behind its flagship event — but concerns about the direction of future travel remain...
CD review: The Hall of Healing
May 26 • Japanese percussionist Yasuaki Fukuhara breaks down barriers to provide a totally absorbing display of virtuosity.
Concert: Flowers Band
May 24 • The newly crowned European champion bastes an appreciative Newbury audience in the juices of its musical quality.
LP review: Granada Festival '71
May 23 • Looking back to the prototype brass band entertainment contest, as just like today, both organisers and bands try to predict new trends. .
| # | Band | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eikanger-Bjørsvik | 971.10 |
| 2 | Brighouse and Rastrick | 860.34 |
| 3 | Brass Band Treize Etoiles | 822.07 |
| 4 | Cory | 791.88 |
| 5 | Foden's | 711.59 |
| 6 | Flowers | 586.54 |
| 7 | Black Dyke | 547.59 |
| 8 | Brass Band Willebroek | 517.67 |
| 9 | Valaisia Brass Band | 471.82 |
| 10 | the cooperation band | 469.21 |
Contest: Whit Friday March Contests
Friday 29 May • Saddleworth & Tameside OL3
The Hepworth Band - Brassband Burgermusik Luzern
Saturday 30 May • Dewsbury Minster, Vicarage Road, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire WF12 8DD
Regent Hall Concerts - Ithaca Brass
Tuesday 2 June • Regent Hall (The Salvation Army). 275 Oxford Street. London W1C2DJ
Fulham Brass Band - Summer Concert
Friday 5 June • St Dionis Church, Parsons Green SW6 4UH
Yorkshire Imperial - Roger Webster & The Colne Valley Male Voice Choir
Saturday 6 June • St George's Hall, Bridge Street, Bradford BD1 1JT
Otley Brass Association
May 26 • Otley Brass Band are keen to recruit a new member for their front row cornets (position negotiable).. . This is an exciting opportunity to join a thriving band of 30+ players under the leadership of our MD, Martyn Beecham.
Otley Brass Association
May 26 • Front Row Cornet: . Otley Brass Band are keen to recruit a new member for their front row cornets (position negotiable).. . This is an exciting opportunity to join a thriving band of 30+ players under the leadership of our MD, Martyn Beecham..
CLEETHORPES BAND CIO
May 25 • Cleethorpes Band are seeking a Musical Director
Alan Duguid
BA (Hons), PGDipMus, PGCE
Conductor, Composer, Adjudicator (ABBA)