December 23, 2014
Now that you have had time to digest the very last wafer thin mint into you ever expanding festive waistline, we thought we had better get you exercising you banding minds.
December 23, 2014
Who do you think should be awarded the accolade of 2014 Band of the Year?
December 23, 2014
Which conductor made the biggest impression on the collective consciousness in 2014?
There were hundreds of them plying their trade - although some more successfully than others.
December 23, 2014
Which individual performer showed us their brilliance to best effect in 2014?
December 23, 2014
It is becoming ever more difficult for brass bands to come up with recordings that justify their high price. However a few did just that and more in 2014.
December 23, 2014
Which solo performer tickled your fancy in 2014 with their latest release?
December 23, 2014
So many bands had a 2014 to remember - so which one deserves the accolade as Lower Section/Youth Band of the Year?
December 23, 2014
There was plenty of new talent on show in 2014 from players, conductors and bands, to composers, instruments and even new ways of presenting brass band contests.
December 23, 2014
Lots and lots of test pieces were performed in 2014 - some better than others it must be said. So which one was the best of the bunch though?
December 23, 2014
Perhaps the most difficult of all the categories to choose the best from? Which contest performance stood out for you in 2014 - and it may not have been a winner
December 23, 2014
Our 4BR Special Award this year goes to the great Mike Shenton, the Secretary of Black Dyke Band.
December 17, 2014
Paul Hindmarsh, Artistic Director of the RNCM Festival of Brass, introduces the themes, music and musicians who will be performing at the brass band world's leading spotlight event in January.
December 17, 2014
4BR's Malcolm Wood talks to Foden's flugel star Helen Williams about her decision to start taking up the conductor's baton....
November 27, 2014
Chris Thomas talks to composer Liz Lane to find out more about her work, inspiration and future musical plans involving brass bands...
November 27, 2014
Malcolm Wood looks back at the interactive Brass in Concert events that had something for everyone to enjoy - from great youth band playing and American swing to tasty Dutch cookies.
November 20, 2014
4BR Editor Iwan Fox wonders if Brass in Concert may need a bit of help from Nucky Thompson to cure a curious self inflicted hang over problem...
November 18, 2014
Steve Jack was at The Sage on the weekend to record the entertainment and awards at 2014 Brass in Concert Championship
November 18, 2014
Steve Jack was at The Sage on the weekend to record the action from 2014 Brass in Concert Championship
November 14, 2014
4BR Editor Iwan Fox looks forward to the increasingly serious approach to providing top class brass band contest entertainment at The Sage this weekend.
October 7, 2014
Ahead of the National Final in London, 4BR's Malcolm Wood catches up with the British Open Stanley Wainwright Memorial Trophy winner, Zoe Hancock of Black Dyke.
October 16, 2014
4BR Editor Iwan Fox wonders just how historic Black Dyke's seventh 'Double' triumph at the Albert Hall will eventually prove to be...
October 14, 2014
Ian Clowes was on stage at Royal Albert Hall on the weekend to record the action from 2014 National Championships of Great Britain
October 14, 2014
Ian Clowes was on stage at Royal Albert Hall on the weekend to record the action from 2014 National Championships of Great Britain
October 14, 2014
Ian Clowes was on stage at Royal Albert Hall on the weekend to record the awards for 2014 National Championships of Great Britain
October 9, 2014
20 bands line up at the Royal Albert Hall on Saturday to see who will be crowned Champion Band of Great Britain
October 8, 2014
4BR Editor Iwan Fox looks forward to the Arthurian battle to become the undisputed champion of Great Britain.
October 8, 2014
4BR Editor Iwan Fox takes a closer look at Peter Meechan's musical take on a fateful regal menage a trois...
September 23, 2014
Steve Jack was at Middlesbrough Town Hall to capture a some images from the 2014 Dr Martin Trust Contest
September 27, 2014
4BR Editor Iwan Fox looks back at how Filton Concert's latest project approach to banding claimed the First Section National title in Cheltenham.
September 27, 2014
Malcolm Wood looks back at Marple's victory at Cheltenham - and the message it sends out to those in times of strife...
September 27, 2014
Malcolm Wood looks back at Ebbw Valley's supreme victory at Cheltenham...
September 27, 2014
Matthew Shaw looks back at a victory for brass band basics in the Fourth Section for Northop Brass.
September 23, 2014
4br were on stage and around Cheltenham on the weekend to capture a some images from the 2014 National Championships of Great Britain.
September 23, 2014
4br were on stage and around Cheltenham on the weekend to record the awards for 2014 National Championships of Great Britain.
September 18, 2014
All you wanted to know about the 17 bands taking part in the First Section contest this weekend in Cheltenham.
September 18, 2014
All you wanted to know about the 17 bands taking part in the Second Section contest this weekend in Cheltenham.
September 18, 2014
All you wanted to know about the 18 bands taking part in the Third Section contest this weekend in Cheltenham.
September 18, 2014
All you wanted to know about the 19 bands taking part in the Fourth Section contest this weekend in Cheltenham.
September 16, 2014
4BR Editor Iwan Fox looks forward to a possible mass photo finish at the end of a contest full of well backed fancied runners on Sunday afternoon...
September 16, 2014
4BR Editor Iwan Fox looks at the Alpine inspired links that need to be connected together to claim the Second Section title thanks to a cracker of a test piece from Oliver Waespi.
September 15, 2014
4BR Editor Iwan Fox previews the Third Section battle to overcome the melancholic soberness of Victor Ewald's 'Symphony for Brass'
September 15, 2014
4BR Editor Iwan Fox previews the Narnia inspired battle to claim the Fourth Section National title...
September 11, 2014
Just days before his new work 'Velocity' opens the Last Night of the Proms', Chris Thomas talks to composer Gavin Higgins.
September 11, 2014
It seems that the brass band general public has fallen in love again with major contesting at the British Open after a memorable day in Birmingham
September 10, 2014
A touch of stubborn Gallic footballing philosophy came gloriously to fruition at Symphony Hall as Prof Nicholas Childs and his youthful tyros came of age...
September 9, 2014
Ian Clowes was out and about in Symphony Hall to record the atmosphere at 2014 British Open Championship
September 9, 2014
Ian Clowes was on stage at Symphony Hall on the weekend to record the awards for 2014 British Open Championship
September 8, 2014
This is what the judges thought of the performances of the top three bands on 'Vita Aeterna Variations' at Symphony Hall on the weekend.
September 4, 2014
17 bands will be looking to claim the iconic Golden Trophy on the weekend at Symphony Hall.
September 3, 2014
It could all be a question of intimate maturity in deciding who delights the most at Symphony Hall on the weekend...
September 1, 2014
Rhetorician Mette Hojen, an expert in executive performance, gives a fascinating insight into why the gaps between music making in a concert are just as important as the playing itself.
August 21, 2014
Malcolm Wood catches up with Clara Catt to find out more about a very individual compositional talent who is quickly making a name for herself..
August 5, 2014
4BR finds out more about a young cornet player making a name for herself in the banding world.
July 31, 2014
40 years ago the musical establishment opened the Proms doors to brass bands for the very first time...
July 30, 2014
Malcolm Wood catches up with Dave Hanson - just before the Foden's Composer Competition winner takes a six month working cruise around the Cayman Islands!
July 26, 2014
Roy Terry looks back on 20 years of the French Open contest in the beautiful Loire Valley town of Amboise and finds a great deal of optimism for a Gallic brass banding future.
July 20, 2014
With the British Open Championship soon to open its borders to Europe, have we seen the last of the great antipodean challengers?
July 19, 2014
Iwan Fox talks to Val Trim to find out more about the secret of success behind the Pershore Festival of Brass.
July 9, 2014
Mette Hojen, MA in Rhetorics and an expert in executive performance, gives a fascinating insight into why a brass band conductor needs to have a strong sense of personal branding.
July 8, 2014
Former Grimethorpe resident conductor and tenor horn star Sandy Smith argues his case for reform of national grading and test piece selections.
July 8, 2014
Goldy Solutions Ian Clowes was on hand to provide the images of yet another innovative course led by Allan Withington.
July 8, 2014
Images from the recent unique concert given in Cardiff by the number 1 & 2 ranked bands in the world, Cory and Tredegar in aid of Velindre Cancer Care.
June 23, 2014
4BR looks back at this year's Whit Friday contests, where history was made despite the spirit of the day being stretched a little uncomfortably in places...
June 19, 2014
Images from around this year's Whit Friday contests...
June 11, 2014
Malcolm Wood previews the later than usual Whit Friday extravaganza, with bands great and small hoping for fine weather and hefty payouts on the march...
June 1, 2014
40 years after it all first started, 4BR Editor Iwan Fox looks back at an event that changed the contesting face of banding in the UK.
May 4, 2014
All the action from the 2014 European Brass Band Championship - European Youth Contest - as it happened.
May 3, 2014
All the action from the 2014 European Brass Band Championship - Championship Section - as it happened.
May 3, 2014
All the action from the 2014 European Brass Band Championship - Challenge Section - as it happened.
May 1, 2014
All the action from the 2014 European Brass Band Championship Solo Competition as it happened.
May 12, 2014
Galley of images of the 2014 European Youth Brass Band in Concert with photography by Ian Clowes
May 12, 2014
Galley of images from the 2014 European Youth Competition with photography by Ian Clowes
May 12, 2014
Galley of images from the 2014 European Challenge Section with photography by Ian Clowes
May 11, 2014
By the time the European Championship returns to the UK, the British relationship with the event may have changed forever.
May 11, 2014
Chris Thomas looks back on a remarkable Swiss conquering of the apex of European banding by Brass Band Bugermusik Luzern
May 11, 2014
Malcolm Wood wonders if a wonderful Italian victory will still be enough to secure the long term future of a rebranded Challenge Section.
May 11, 2014
4BR Editor Iwan Fox looks back on a day of youth contesting that put forward a pretty good case to be repeated at the European Championship Festival.
May 6, 2014
Galley of images from the 2014 European Championship Festival with photography by Ian Clowes
May 6, 2014
Galley of images from the 2014 European Awards Ceremony with photography by Ian Clowes
May 2, 2014
Galley of images from the 2014 European Solo Competition with photography by Ian Clowes
May 1, 2014
There is a great line up of bands, an intriguing test piece and the usual selection of brilliant Billy bonkers blockbusters to enjoy in Perth.
May 1, 2014
4BR Editor Iwan Fox wonders if there may be trouble ahead for both the hosts and governing if things do not go well in Perth this weekend.
May 1, 2014
Chris Thomas looks back at they type of commanding victory for Flowers that should see them as a band to fear come Symphony Hall.
May 1, 2014
Malcolm Wood looks back at a contest where where a famous banding name returned to winning ways beneath the stars...
May 1, 2014
Matthew Shaw looks back at a contest that had an enjoyable sting in its tail from the Judges of the Secret Court
April 26, 2014
All the action from the 2014 Spring Festival Grand Shield - as it happened.
April 26, 2014
All the action from the 2014 Spring Festival Senior Cup - as it happened.
April 26, 2014
All the action from the 2014 Spring Festival Senior Trophy - as it happened.
April 26, 2014
Gallery of the prize winners from the Grand Shield, Senior Cup and Senior Trophy at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool.
April 26, 2014
Plenty of images from the action at the Winter Gardens as the bands battled for the Grand Shield.
April 23, 2014
4BR Editor Iwan Fox looks forward to the operatic drama of myth, mystery, Weber and wolves that lie in store for the Grand Shield contenders.
April 23, 2014
4BR Editor Iwan Fox looks forward to the musical heritage that will be on display in a tricky acoustic in the Senior Cup.
April 23, 2014
4BR Editor Iwan Fox looks forward to the Senior Trophy action that will unfold before the brass band judges of the secret court.
April 19, 2014
Tom Sutcliffe looks back on a remarkable day of all inclusive brass band playing at Leeds Town Hall led by the reigning English National champion.
April 13, 2014
All the action from the 2014 North American Brass Band Championship - as it happened.
April 16, 2014
There was plenty to both see and and listen to at the recent North American Brass Band Championship in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
April 18, 2014
Malcolm Wood looks back at an event that saw the best result possible for an invaluable championship.
April 9, 2014
4BR's Malcolm Wood looks forward to this weekend's National Youth Championships in Salford.
April 2, 2014
Malcolm Wood finds out why Richard Scott is the man the performers all want to be in a musical working partnership with.
May 24, 2014
In the final part of our major interview with composer Nigel Clarke, Chris Thomas finds out more about his compositional involvement with brass bands.
April 22, 2014
In the second part of our major interview with composer Nigel Clarke, Chris Thomas finds out more about his compositional processes and the different musical genres he has written for.
April 2, 2014
In the first of a major three part interview, Chris Thomas talks to composer Nigel Clarke about his early life and musical influences
March 16, 2014
All the action from the 2014 Welsh Regional Championships - as it happened.
March 22, 2014
4BR Editor Iwan Fox looks back at a battle to find the Higgs boson particle between Cory and Tredegar to decide the Welsh tile in Llandudno.
March 19, 2014
Images for the prize winners and awards at Venue Cymru in Llandudno.
March 13, 2014
4BR Editor Iwan Fox looks forward to the battle for qualification places on offer at Venue Cymru in Llandudno this weekend.
March 16, 2014
All the action from the 2014 North of England Regional Championships - as it happened.
March 21, 2014
Malcolm Wood looks back on how Reg Vardy refilled their trophy cabinet with Area silverware once more in Darlington.
March 16, 2014
Steve Jack was at the Dolphin Centre taking a selection of images from the 2014 Regional Championships
March 12, 2014
4BR Editor Iwan Fox looks forward to the battles for qualification places for London and Cheltenham in Darlington this weekend.
March 16, 2014
All the action from the 2014 London & Southern Counties Regional Championships - as it happened.
March 23, 2014
David Ruel looks back on how Wantage rose to the top of a state of high class flux at Stevenage to claim their first regional title.
March 11, 2014
4BR Editor Iwan Fox looks forward to the battles for London and Cheltenham qualification places in Stevenage this weekend.
March 21, 2014
Gordon Simpson looks back at Co-operative Funeralcare's emphatic victory at the Scottish Championship in Perth.
March 9, 2014
All the action from the 2014 Scottish Championships - as it happened.
March 5, 2014
4BR Editor Iwan Fox looks forward to the qualification battles in Perth this weekend.
March 14, 2014
4BR Editor Iwan Fox looks back at how Flowers made it a hat trick of Torquay victories with an impressive lack of hubris.
March 9, 2014
All the action from the 2014 West of England Regional Championships - as it happened.
March 10, 2014
Images by 4BR of the gallery of the successful prize winners at Torquay
March 5, 2014
4BR Editor Iwan Fox looks forward to battle for qualification places at Torquay on the weekend.
March 14, 2014
Chris Thomas looks back on how a very impressive Virtuosi GUS and MD Adam Cooke came of symbiotic age at Bedworth.
March 9, 2014
All the action from the 2014 Midlands Regional Championships - as it happened.
March 5, 2014
4BR Editor Iwan Fox looks forward to the battle for qualification places in Bedworth this weekend.
March 14, 2014
Malcolm Wood looks back at how thirteen years of Fairey near misses and disappointments came to a glorious end at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool.
March 9, 2014
All the action from the 2014 North West Regional Championships - as it happened.
March 11, 2014
The prize winners from the recent North West Regional Championships
March 11, 2014
Steve Jack was at the Winter Gardens taking a selection of images from the Championship, Third & Fourth Section.
March 5, 2014
4BR Editor Iwan Fox looks forward to the battle for qualification places at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool this weekend.
March 2, 2014
All the action from the 2014 Yorkshire Regional Championships - as it happened.
March 6, 2014
4BR Editor Iwan Fox looks back at an out of this world heavyweight battle at Bradford's St George's Hall.
March 6, 2014
4BR'S Malcolm Wood looks back on the action in the First, Second, Third and Fourth Sections at St George's Hall last weekend.
March 6, 2014
All the prize winners at Bradford...
March 6, 2014
Some of the more memorable images caught in the lens of the 4BR camera at St George's Hall on the weekend.
February 25, 2014
4BR Editor Iwan Fox looks forward to the slugfest battles at St George's Hall on the weekend to claim a place in the final eliminator rings at Cheltenham and London.
February 24, 2014
4BR Editor Iwan Fox looks into the counterfeit link between Adolf Hitler, the Mormon Church and Kenneth Downie's 'St Magnus' test piece.
February 19, 2014
Gavin Pritchard and Karen Beth Sulzinski Sweat discuss how percussion practice makes perfect...
February 13, 2014
Malcolm Wood looks back at the 30th Action Medical Research Youth Entertainment Championship in Blackpool, where newly crowned champion Seindorf Beaumaris left everybody breathless...
February 6, 2014
4BR previews the Action Medical Research Youth Entertainment Championships of Great Britain as it celebrates its 30th birthday.
February 8, 2014
All the action from the 2014 Norwegian National Championship - as it happened.
February 14, 2014
4BR Editor Iwan Fox looks back at how Eikanger retained its domestic supremacy in Bergen yet still seemed ultimately unfulfilled....
February 13, 2014
Gallery of the action as it unfolded in the set work and own choice disciplines in the Elite Division of the recent Norwegian National Championship at the Grieg Hall.
February 13, 2014
Gallery of images of the prize winners in all the divisions at the recent Norwegian National Championships in Bergen.
February 5, 2014
The sonorous sounds of successful Norwegian mutation will be heard all weekend in Bergen.
February 5, 2014
4BR will be in Bergen to witness mutant Nordic contesting in the raw.....
February 5, 2014
4BR casts its eye over the other sections this weekend in Bergen and takes a stab in the dark to pick some potential winners.
February 4, 2014
Brass Band England's Chairman Mike Kilroy has been presenting the brass band case to the political classes in Westminster.
January 28, 2014
Ian Clowes was in and around the Bridgewater Hall making sure he snapped plenty of memorable images from the RNCM Festival of Brass
January 25, 2014
4BR Editor Iwan Fox looks back at how the Championship title and all the cash was won and lost at Skegness.
January 25, 2014
Malcolm Wood and John James look back at how the First and Second Section titles were won and lost at Butlins.
January 25, 2014
Davy Jack and Iwan Fox look back at how the Third and Fourth Butlins titles were won and lost at Skegness.
January 25, 2014
Malcolm Wood looks back at the wonderful brass band entertainment provided by the next generation of young stars at Butlins.
January 20, 2014
All the action from the 2014 Butlins Mineworkers Championships - Championship Section - as it happened.
January 20, 2014
All the action from the 2014 Butlins Mineworkers Championships - Lower Sections - as it happened.
January 21, 2014
Steve Jack was out and about to capture some great images from the 2014 Butlins Mineworkers Championships
January 21, 2014
Steve Jack was out and about to capture some great images from the 2014 Butlins Mineworkers Championships
January 21, 2014
4br captures some images from the 2014 Butlins Mineworkers Championships - Section 2 Contest
January 21, 2014
Steve Jack was out and about to capture some great images from the 2014 Butlins Mineworkers Championships
January 15, 2014
4BR looks forward to the kick off of the 2014 contesting season at Skegness this weekend.
January 15, 2014
4BR takes a closer look at who and how the biggest pay day in banding may be won this weekend in Skegness.
January 15, 2014
4BR takes a closer look at the First and Second Section contests due to take place in Skegness this weekend.
January 15, 2014
4BR takes a closer look at the Third and Fourth Section competitions taking place at Skegness this weekend.
January 15, 2014
4BR takes a closer look at the two fantastic Youth and Junior Ensemble events.
January 12, 2014
Five of the best of everything not to miss in 2014 given a bit of luck and the dreaded 4BR kiss of death - from bands and players to contests and test pieces...
January 10, 2014
The votes have been counted and the 2013 winners can be revealed...
January 6, 2014
4BR reveals the list of conductors and players who have made it into our 2013 Band of the Year.
January 2, 2014
Now that you have had time to digest the very last wafer thin mint into you ever expanding festive waistline, we thought we had better get you exercising you banding minds.
January 2, 2014
Who do you think should be awarded the accolade of 2013 Band of the Year, after a season in which the majority of major prizes found themselves heading back to Wales?
January 2, 2014
Which conductor made the biggest impression on the collective consciousness in 2013?
There were hundreds of them plying their trade - although some more successfully than others.
January 2, 2014
Which individual performer showed us their brilliance to best effect in 2013?
January 2, 2014
It is becoming ever more difficult to come up with recordings that justify their high price for the high expectations of the listeners. However a few did just that and more in 2013.
January 2, 2014
Which solo performer tickled your fancy in 2013 with their latest release?
January 2, 2014
So many bands had a 2013 to remember - so which one deserves the accolade as Lower Section/Youth Band of the Year?
January 2, 2014
There was plenty of new talent on show in 2012 from players, conductors and bands, to composers, instruments and even new ways of presenting brass band contests.
January 2, 2014
Lots and lots of test pieces were performed in 2013 - some better than others it must be said. So which one was the best of the bunch though?
January 2, 2014
Perhaps the most difficult of all the categories to choose the best from?
Which contest performance stood out for you in 2013 - and it may not have been a winner.
January 2, 2014
Our 4BR Special Award this year goes to the great John Berryman