2007 European Brass Band Championships - Statistical Heaven

All you need to know from the names of the winners to the number of performances of Eric Balls worls to be used at the contest since 1978. Go on - bore your friends to death...

The Champions:

1978: Black Dyke Mills  (England) - Peter Parkes
1979: Black Dyke Mills  (England) – Peter Parkes
1980: Cory Band  (Wales) – Denzil Stephens
1981: Brighouse and Rastrick  (England) – James Scott
1982: Black Dyke Mills  (England) – Peter Parkes
1983: Black Dyke Mills  (England) – Peter Parkes
1984: Black Dyke Mills  (England) – Peter Parkes
1985: Black Dyke Mills  (England) – Peter Parkes
1986: Desford Colliery Dowty  (England) – Howard Snell
1987: Black Dyke Mills  (England) – Peter Parkes
1988: Eikanger Bjorsvik Musikklag  (Norway) – Howard Snell
1989: Eikanger Bjorsvik Musikklag  (Norway) – Howard Snell
1990: John Foster Black Dyke Mills (England) – David King
1991: John Foster Black Dyke Mills (England) – David King
1992: Britannia Building Society  (England) – Howard Snell
1993: Brass Band Willebroek  (Belgium) – Frans Violet 
1994: Williams Fairey  (England) – Peter Parkes
1995: Black Dyke Mills  (England) – James Watson
1996: Yorkshire Building Society  (England) – David King
1997: Yorkshire Building Society  (England) – David King
1998: Brighouse and Rastrick  (England) – Allan Withington
1999: Yorkshire Building Society  (England) – David King
2000: Yorkshire Building Society  (England) – David King
2001: Yorkshire Building Society  (England) – David King
2002: Yorkshire Building Society  (England) – David King
2003: Yorkshire Building Society  (England) – David King
2004: Yorkshire Building Society  (England) – David King
2005: Black Dyke (England) - Nicholas Childs
2006: Brass Band Willebroek (Belgium) – Frans Violet 

Set Work Winners:

1978: Black Dyke Mills
1979: Black Dyke Mills
1980: Cory
1981: N/K
1982: Black Dyke Mills
1983: Black Dyke Mills
1984: Black Dyke Mills
1985: Sun Life
1986: Desford Colliery
1987: Black Dyke Mills
1988: Eikanger Bjorsvik Musikklag
1989: Cory
1990: Black Dyke Mills
1991: Britannia Building Society
1992: Britannia Building Society
1993: Brass Band Berner Oberland
1994: Midden Brabant
1995: Black Dyke Mills
1996: Yorkshire Building Society
1997: Grimethorpe Colliery
1998: Yorkshire Building Society
1999: Brighouse and Rastrick
2000: Yorkshire Building Society
2001: Buy As You View Cory
2002: Yorkshire Building Society
2003: Yorkshire Building Society
2004: Yorkshire Building Society
2005: Black Dyke
2006: Brass Band Willebroek 

Own Choice Winners:

1978: Black Dyke Mills - Connotations
1979: Black Dyke Mills – John O'Gaunt and CWS Glasgow – Triumphant Rhapsody
1980: Black Dyke Mills – Journey Into Freedm
1981: N/K
1982: Black Dyke Mills - Pageantry
1983: Black Dyke Mills – Epic Symphony
1984: Black Dyke Mills - Blitz
1985: Cory – Dances and Arias
1986: Black Dyke Mills – Contest Music
1987: Desford Colliery – Year of the Dragon
1988: Eikanger Bjorsvik Musikklag – Variations on an Enigma (Sparke)
 and Black Dyke Mills – Cloudcatcher Fells  (McCabe)
1989: Eikanger Bjorsvik Musikklag – Variations on an Enigma (Sparke)
1990: John Foster Black Dyke Mills – Harmony Music (Sparke)
1991: Brass Band Willebroek – Variations on an Enigma (Sparke)
1992: Britannia Building Society – Year of the Dragon (Sparke)
1993: Williams Fairey – Cambridge Variations (Sparke)
1994: Williams Fairey – Masquerade (Wilby)
1995: Williams Fairey – Cambridge Variations (Sparke)
1996: Black Dyke Mills – Revelations (Wilby)
1997: Tredegar – Freedom (Bath)
1998: Brighouse and Ratsrick – Contest Music (Heaton)
1999: Yorkshire Building Society – Harmony Music (Sparke)
2000: Eikanger Bjorsvik Musikklag – Concerto Grosso (Bourgeois)
2001: Yorkshire Building Society – Montage (Graham)
2002: Yorkshire Building Society – Concerto Grosso (Bourgeois)
2003: BAYV Cory – Revelation (Wilby)
2004: Yorkshire Building Society – Music of the Spheres (Sparke)
2005: Black Dyke - Journey to the Centre of the Earth (Graham)
2006: Buy As You View – The Promised Land (Downie) 

Test Pieces:

There has been a whole list of test pieces over the years from a variety of composers. This year's comes from the pen of Martin Ellerby (pictured right)

1978: Introduction, Elegy and Caprice – Morley Calvert
1979: Symphonic Music – Paul Huber
1980: The Land of the Long White cloud – Philip Sparke
1981: Caliban – Arthur Butterworth
1982: Journey into Freedom – Eric Ball
1983: Ciacona Seria – Hank Badens
1984: Refrains and Cadenzas – Thomsas Wilson
1985: Royal Parks – George Lloyd
1986: The Year of the Dragon – Philip Sparke
1987: Frontier – Michael Ball
1988: Connotations – Edward Gregson
1989: Trittico – James Curnow
1990: The Essence of Time – Peter Graham
1991: A London Overture – Philip Sparke
1992: Five Blooms in a Welsh Garden – Gareth Wood
1993: Sounds – John Golland
1994: Le Chant de l'Alpe – Jean Balissat
1995: Red Earth – Roland Wiltgen
1996: Seid – Torstein Aagaard - Nilsen
1997: Salamander – John McCabe
1998: Burlesque for Brass Band – Rob Goorhuis
1999: Odyssey – Kevin Norbury
2000: Tallis Variations – Philip Sparke
2001: Montreux Wind Dances – Carl Rutti
2002: Chain – Piet Swerts
2003: Aubade – Torstein Aagaard Nilsen
2004: St. Magnus – Kenneth Downie
2005: Extreme Makeover - Johan de Meij
2006: Seascape with High Cliffs - Ian Wilson
2007: Elgar Variations – Martin Ellerby 

The First Section

Champions:
1994: Frosch Hall (Austria) – Hannes Buchegger
1995: Brass Band Oberschwaben – Allgau (Germany) – Gerd Kurat
1996: Brass Band Normandie (France) – Phillipe Gervais
1997: Frosch Hall (Austria) – Hannes Buchegger
1998: Frosch Hall (Austria) – Hannes Buchegger
1999: Frosch Hall (Austria) – Hannes Buchegger
2000: Brass Band Normandie (France) – Phillipe Gervais
2001: Ensemble de Cuivres Euphonia (Switzerland) – Adrian Scheider
2002: Brass Band Nord–Pas–de-Calais (France) – Phillippe Lorthios
2003: Brottum Brass (Norway) – Erling Myserth
2004: Torshavn Brass Band (Faroe Islands) - Ove Olsen
2005: Oberosterreich Brass Band (Austria) - Hannes Buchegger
2006: Oberosterreich Brass Band (Austria) - Hannes Buchegger 

Set Works:

This year's set work is by the English composer Simon Dobson (right)

1994: Resurgam – Eric Ball
1995: The Three Musketeers – George Hespe
1996: Occasion – Edward Gregson
1997: Entertainments – Philip Sparke
1998: Fantasy – Joop van Dijk
1999: The Bandsman's Challenge – Bertrand Moren
2000: Corpus Christie – Robert Redhead
2001: Symphonic Music – Paul Huber
2002: Excalibur – Jan van der Roost
2003: Own Choice Programme
2004: Airs and Dances – Alan Fernie
2005: Match-Rhythm - Jan Bosveld
2006: Little Christmas- Elaine Agnew
2007: The Drop – Simon Dobson 

Most Appearances (including 2007):

76 bands have competed at the European Championships since its inception in 1978. The number of times these bands have competed are as follows:

Black Dyke Mills – 18 times
Cory – 18

BB De Waldsang - 17

BB Willebroek – 16

Eikanger Bjorsvik Musikklag – 14

BB Treize Etoiles – 12
Scottish Co-op – 12
 
Whitburn – 11

Manger Musikklag – 10
BB Midden Brabant – 10
Yorkshire Building Society – 10

BB Berneroberland – 9

Stavanger – 8

Tredegar – 7
Gothenburg - 7
Lyngby – Taarbaek – 7

Solna Brass – 6
Desford Colliery – 6
Conservatoire d'Esch – 6
Burgermusik Luzern – 6
Soli Deo Gloria – 6

Fairey FP(Muisc) – 5
Strabane – 5
Kirkintilloch - 5
Fodens Richardson – 5

Templemore – 4
BB Bienne – 4
Brighouse and Rastrick – 4
Parc and Dare – 4
BB Bazuin Oenkerk – 4
BB Rijnmond – 4
Kortrijk – 4

Grimethopre Colliery – 3
Silkeborg Blaesene – 3
Hjorreng Blaesene – 3
BB Limburg – 3
CWA Brass – 3
1st Old Boys - 3
Newtongrange – 3

Agnes Street – 2
Ila Brass – 2
Nordsjfjord – 2
Krohnengen – 2
BTM – 2
Point of Ayr -2
Sandefjord Brass – 2
Aarhus – 2
BB Normandie – 2
BB Fribourg - 2
Brass Band Aeolus - 2

The following bands have made 1 appearance at the Championships under these original names:

Bo'ness and Carriden; St. Cecilia; Kobenhave; Steadfast; Metronome 66; Felduus; Yorkshire Imperial; De Stiche Concord; MGL Lommiswil; Concord Brass; Musik Mump; Imperial Lenzburg; Terpsichore; Brodsworth Colliery; GUS; Sun Life; Lewis Merthyr; Toolo Brass; BB Frictal; Tertnes; Laganvale; BB De Cuivre; BB Odense; Ransome Band; BB Groeningen; Leyland Band; Oberosterreich Brass Band  

Most Appearances – Conductors (including 2007)

116 conductors have tried to win the European title with the 75 bands that have taken part in the contest since its inception. The conductors have made the following appearances up to and including 2006, with Peter Parkes (right) leading the way with 19 appearances at the helm.

P. Parkes – 19 appearances
F. Violet – 16

H. Snell – 14

D. King – 13

N. Childs – 11

R. Farr – 10

B. Wiame – 8
R. Van der Velde – 8

L.G. Bjorklund – 7
A. Withington – 7 
G.P. Moren – 7

T. Brevik – 6
A. Kenney – 6
R. Evans – 6
F. Harles – 6
R. Childs – 6

J. Watson – 5
J. Gourlay – 5
A. Swainson – 5
D. Stephens – 5
J. Burch – 5
M. Antrobus – 5
J. De Haan – 5
B. Eklund - 5

J.P. Leveugle – 4
T. Brouwer – 4
P. Eicher – 4
H. Haukas – 4
M. Bach – 4
K. Van der Woude – 4

M. Fowles – 3
H. Moller – 3
J. Sorensen – 3
H. Gault – 3
K. Larsen – 3
B. Ijlstra – 3
F. Renton – 3
L. Martens – 3
G. Cutt – 3

P. Christian – 2
J. Scott – 2
G. Whitham – 2
Y. Illi – 2
D. Lautenbach – 2
E. Ruddock – 2
J. Hudson – 2
R. Wiffen – 2
N. Weeks – 2
M. Hamers – 2
P. Christiansen – 2
P. Gervais – 2
S. Bastable – 2
L. Wicki – 2
A. Duc -2
R. Gray -2
B. Stil - 2
A. Ramsay – 2

The following have all made one appearance:

H. Koivulas; N. Seaman; A. Bachmann; B. Howard; O. Midtbo; P.E. Larsen; A. Appelo; W. Shields; M. White; S. Sykes; H. Christiansen; S. Roberts; D. Maplestone; C. Keenan; G. Jones; B. Sagstad; J. Kitchen; P. Anne; E. Muller; K. Dennison; K. Wilkinson; G. Brand; W. Hargreaves; E.B. Lund; L. Niesten; S. Boddington; B. Thompson; W.D. Thomas; F. Rasmusen; O. Jensen; G. Dyke; H. Gulbrandsen; A. Winkler; M. Janson; D. Carr; E. Obrecht; N. Boddice; V. Lonstead; W. Roelstraate; B. Zaal; R. Franks; K. Bolton; A. Brunner; R. Newsome;  S. Hoekstra; F. Amundsen; I. McElligott; C. Balmelli; B. Connelly; J. Wise; G. Pritchard; P. McCann; C. Jeanborquin; J. Frederiksen; S. Cairns; E. Janssen; A. Duncan;; B. Sagstad; F. Burghgraef; Hannes Buchegger; Christian Schmiedescamp;

Most Own Choice Performances of test pieces: (inc 2007)

The following composers have had their works performed. Arrangements are credited to the original composer.

Philip Sparke – 61
Philip Wilby – 37
Edward Gregson – 36
Gibert Vinter – 36
Peter Graham – 23
Derek Bourgeois – 17
Herbert Howells – 14
Wilfred Heaton – 13
George Lloyd – 12
Eric Ball – 11

James Curnow – 6

Malcolm Arnold – 5
Percy Fletcher – 5
Joseph Horovitz – 5

Sir Arthur Bliss – 4

Martin Ellerby - 3
Gustav Holst – 3
John McCabe - 3
Robert Simpson – 3

Michael Ball - 2
Hubert Bath - 2
Hector Berlioz - 2
Jan de Haan - 2
Kenneth Downie - 2
Edward Elgar - 2
Dean Goffin - 2
John Pickard - 2

The following composers have one composition each:
Price; Segers; Pallson; Wright; Brevik; Hamner; Benz; Svedsen; Clundell; Howarth; Dvorak; Ravel; Butterworth; Richards; Golland; Redhead; Evanopoel; De Meij; Aagaard-Nilsen; Kelly; Alliston.

There are currently two works – 'Changing Cells' used in 1985, 'A Danish Folk Song Suite' used in 1979 to which we do not know the composer. 

Most Wins – Band and Conductor:

The most by a band are by Black Dyke and by a conductor David King (pictured right)

Black Dyke Mills – 11 wins – 1978, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1995, 2005.

David King – 10 wins – 1990, 1991, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004


Most Wins:
Black Dyke – 11
Yorkshire Building Society – 8
Eikanger Bjorsvik Musikklag – 2
Brighouse and Rastrick – 2
BB Willebroek – 2
BAYV Cory - 1
Desford Colliery Dowty - 1
BBS Fodens – 1
Williams Fairey – 1

Winning Conductors:
David King – 10
Peter Parkes – 8
Howard Snell – 4
Frans Violet – 2
Denzil Stephens – 1
James Scott – 1
James Watson –1
Allan Withington - 1
Nicholas Childs - 1 

Most Consecutive appearances – Band and Conductor

Band: 9 consecutive years - The Cory Band 1979 – 1987 and Yorkshire Building Society 1996 - 2004
Conductor: 11 consecutive years – Peter Parkes 1978 - 1988

Highest aggregate winning score: 
198pts – Black Dyke Mills 1990

The band scored 99pts for both the set work and own choice selection.
 

Bands winning title by winning both sections of the contest:

1978 – Black Dyke Mills
1979 – Black Dyke Mills
1982 – Black Dyke Mills
1983 – Black Dyke Mills
1984  - Black Dyke Mills
1988 – Eikanger Bjorsvik Musikklag
1990 – Black Dyke Mills
1992 – BBS Fodens
2002 – Yorkshire Building Society
2004 – Yorkshire Building Society
2005 -  Black Dyke 

Bands winning title without winning either section of the contest:

1985 – Black Dyke came 2nd on the set work and 4th on the own choice. Sun Life won the set work section whilst Cory won the own choice.

1991 – Black Dyke came 2nd in both sections of the contest. BBS Foden won the set work and BB Willebroek won the own choice.

1993 – BB Willebroek came 5th in the set work and 2nd in the own choice. BB Bernerorberland won the set work section and Williams Fairey won the own choice.

1997 – Yorkshire Building Society came 2nd in the set work and 3rd in the own choice. Grimethorpe won the set work section and Tredegar won the own choice.   

Venues:
There have been many great, some good and couple of duff venues over the years, but the Royal Albert Hall holds the record with five, although it has yet to come back to it since 1982. This year the contest is being held at Symphony Hall, Birmingham.

1978: England - Albert Hall, London 
1979: England – Albert Hall, London
1980: England – Albert Hall, London
1981: England – Albert Hall, London
1982: England – Albert Hall, London
1983: Netherlands - Kerkrade
1984: Scotland - Edinburgh
1985: Denmark - Copenhagen
1986: Wales - Cardiff
1987: England - Nottingham
1988: Switzerland - Lucerne
1989: Norway – Bergen
1990: Scotland - Falkirk
1991: Netherlands - Rotterdam
1992: Wales - Cardiff
1993: England - Plymouth
1994: Switzerland - Montreux
1995: Luxembourg – Luxembourg City
1996: Norway – Bergen
1997: England – Barbican, London
1998: Netherlands - Kerkrade
1999: Germany - Munich
2000: England - Birmingham
2001: Switzerland - Montreux
2002: Belgium - Brussels
2003: Norway - Bergen
2004: Scotland - Glasgow
2005: Netherlands - Groningen
2006: Northern Ireland – Belfast
2007: England - Birmingham 

Adjudicators:
1978:
(Set Work) William Relton, Johannes Laro, Trevor Ford
(Own Choice)  Geoffrey Brand, Paul Huber, Herbert Moller
1979:
(Set Work) Herbert Moller, Buxton Orr, William Relton
(Own Choice) Trevor Ford, Henk Van Lijnschoten, Albert Chappell
1980:
(Set Work) Hank Van Lijnschooten, Eric Bravington, Trevor Sharpe
(Own Choice) Edward Nilsen, Eric Wetherell, Norman Goffin
1981: Jean Ballisat, Arthur Butterworth, Per Ohlsson
1982: Henk Van Lijnschoten, John Fletcher, William Relton
1983: Henk Badings, Harry Mortimer, William Relton
1984: Paul Huber, Henk Van Lijnschooten, James Scott
1985: Meindert Boeckel, Paul Huber, William Relton
1986: James Scott, Bram Gay, Marcus Bach
1987: Michael Ball, Pascal Eicher, William Relton
1988: Martin Casentieri, Edward Gregson, William Relton
1989: William Relton, Jan Segers, Nils Eivind Nikolaisen
1990: Peter Graham, Jappie Dijkstra, Roy Newsome
1991: Bram Gay, Henk Van Lijnschooten, William Relton
1992: Roy Newsome, Markus Bach, Gareth Wood
1993:
(Set Work) Herbert Moller, William Relton, James Scott
(Own Choice) Kenneth Dennison, Jappie Dijkstra, Goff Richards
1994:
(Set Work) William Relton, Michel Barras, Jan de Haan
(Own Choice) Yves Illi, Roy Newsome, Tom Brevik
1995:
(Set Test) Jean Baily, Yvon Ducene, William Relton
(Own Choice) Markus Bach, Philip Jones, Karl Ole Midtbo
1996:
(Set Work) Jappie Dijkstra, Rod Franks, Sverre Stakston
(Own Choice) Pascal Eicher, Nils Eivind Nikolaisen, James Scott     
1997:
(Set Work) Tom Brevik, Eric Crees, Jacob Slagter
(Own Choice) Nigel Boddice, Yves Illi, David Read
1998:
(Set Work) Markus Bach, Peter Graham, Jan van der Roost
(Own Choice) Jan de Haan, Hakon Hesthammer, Peter Parkes
1999:
(Set Work) Jappie Dijkstra, Pascal Favre, Bob Ross
(Own Choice) Karl Ole Midtbo, Kevin Norbury, Goff Richards
2000:
(Set Work) Michel Barras, Tom Brevik, Torgny Hanson
(Own Choice) Nigel Boddice, Dirk Lautenbach, Martin Winter
2001:
(Set Work) Jappie Dijkstra, Maurice Hamers, Thomas Wyss
(Own Choice) Pascal Eicher, Roy Newsome, Allan Withington
2002:
(Set Work) Herbert Moller, Philip Sparke, Jan van der Roost
(Own Choice) James Gourlay, Yves Illi, Manu Mallaerts
2003: 
(Set Work) Torgny Hanson, Goff Richards, Jan Van der Roost
(Own Choice) Jens T. Larsen, Isabelle Ruf Weber, Thomas Wyss            
2004: 
(Set Work) Tom Brevik, Nigel Bodice, Johan de Meij
(Own Choice) Frode Amundsen, Armin Bachmann, James Gourlay
2005:
(Set Work) Roman Brogli, Jan Van der Roost, Dirk Lautenbach
(Own Choice) Philip Sparke, Per Kristian Svensen, Liik Tuinstra
2006:
(Set Work) Torstein Aagaard Nilsen, Maurice Hamers, Jappie Dijkstra
(Own Choice) Goff Richards, Paul Young, Blaise Heritier
2007:
(Set Work) Thomas Doss, Philip Sparke, Jan de Haan
(Own Choice) James Gourlay, Alan Morrison, Oliver Waspi 

European Composers Competition:

1998: Bertrand Moren (Switzerland)
2002: Simon Dobson (England)
2006: Kevin Houben (Belgium)

European Solo Competition:

1999: Thomas Ruedi (Switzerland)
2001: Hannes Holzl (Austria)
2004: Raf Van Looveren (Belgium)

European Conductors Competition:

2000: Jose-Raphael Pascual (Spain)
2003: Jesper Juul Sørensen (Denmark)
2005: Christian Radner (Austria)

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