*
banner

Brilliant brass in Brighouse

10th Festival of Brass proves to be a roaring success for Lions Charity.

 

The 10th Brighouse Festival of Brass, organised by the Brighouse Lions provided brass at its best for many local charities on the weekend.

Friday evening’s opening celebrity concert in the Central Methodist Church got this annual brass spectacular off to a great start.

2008 Brighouse Champions, Marsden Silver, under guest conductor, Paul Andrews, played to a full house with a programme of exciting music, whilst guest soloist's Richard Marshall and Helen Williams delighted the audience.

...the first Brighouse Youth Solo Championships in Bailiff Bridge where a very friendly atmosphere helped to encourage the young people to show their talents4BR

Youth Solos

Saturday morning saw the first Brighouse Youth Solo Championships in Bailiff Bridge where a very friendly atmosphere helped to encourage the young people to show their talents.

This event sponsored by Kershaw’s Garden Centre of Brighouse and Brigitte Matthews of Holmfirth saw a very good standard in the three classes.

Results:
Under 11:

1. Charlotte Horsfield (trombone)
2. Nadia Long (Tenor Horn)
3. Alex Smith (Euphonium)
Youngest player: Aaron Kerwin (Euphonium)
All members of Clifton & Lightcliffe Juniors

Under 14:
1. Lewis Bettles (Trombone) Stannington Brass Band
2. Alexander Crisp (Tenor Horn) Clifton & Lightcliffe
3. Joseph Martin (Cornet) Knaresborough Silver Band

Under 17:
1. Jonathan Bates (Tenor Horn) Carlton Main Frickley Colliery
2. Alexander Crisp (Tenor Horn) Clifton & Lightcliffe
3. Lewis Bettles (Trombone) Stannington Brass Band

Adjudicator Roy Curran gave a talk on the art of lyrical playing and praised all the competitors for their efforts which were rewarded with Certificates of Merit.

Evening Concert

The Evening Gala Concert featured Easington Colliery Band under Roy Curran, with a programme of popular music which delighted a full house.

There were many musical highlights, whilst Carl Jenkins, a Brighouse resident, who was the Channel 4 'Secret Millionaire' with Easington Band chosen as his favourite charity, was present to chat with band secretary Scott Meikle during the concert.

A nice gesture by the band was to donate their fee for the concert to The British Heart Foundation (Scotland) in memory of Scott Meikle’s mother Helen, who recently passed away.

Become a supporter and help make our future secure.

4barsrest continues to be a proudly independent voice. There are no paywalls to overcome to be able to enjoy what we do to keep our journalism at the heart of the brass banding world. Support us with a one-off donation or subscribe from just £2.50 per month.

Support us    


Spring Festival

Spring Festival feedback welcomed by Mortimers

May 5 • If you have constructive feedback to offer on the recent Spring Festival weekend, then the organisers welcome your responses.


podcast

4BR Review podcast — European and Spring Festival focus

May 5 • Plenty of issues to discuss on the live podcast this Wednesday at 7.00pm — and you can have your say.


jOHN gILLAM

Death of John Gillam

May 4 • The death has been announced of the hugely respected player and administrator.


British Open

Result: 2026 Spring Festival Grand Shield

May 3 • Milnrow claims the Grand Shield honours to return to the British Open with Hepworth joining them.


Regent Hall Concerts - FiveBy5 Trumpet Quintet

Tuesday 5 May • Charlton House and Gardens. Charlton Road, . London. . SE7 8RE


Regent Hall Concerts - Royal Greenwich Brass Band

Friday 8 May • Regent Hall. (The Salvation Army). 275 Oxford Street. London W1C2DJ


Wardle Anderson Brass Band - Wardle Junior Blast

Friday 8 May • Milnrow Parish Church, 16 Westward Ho, Milnrow, Rochdale OL16 3JX


Regent Brass - Woodbridge Excelsior Band and Russell Gray

Saturday 9 May • The Salvation Army (Regent Hall), Oxford Street, London W1C 2DJ


Regent Hall Concerts - Woodbridge Excelsior Band

Saturday 9 May • Regent Hall. (The Salvation Army). 275 Oxford Street. London W1C2DJ


Glossop Old Band

May 5 • Our friendly second section band are looking for a BB bass player to join us for contests, concerts and exciting new projects. Glossop Old Band is situated between Manchester and Sheffield and rich in history


East London Brass

May 5 • Solo Cornet: fresh off the back of our promotion to the Grand Shield, ELB are on the look out for a solo cornet player to complement our existing section. The band is ambitious and has an exciting second half of the year ahead.


Chinnor Silver

May 5 • Our COMMUNITY BAND are meeting again on Monday (11th) at 11am and welcome players of all abilities.. Come and enjoy a relaxed rehearsal mixed genres of music with some very friendly folks with tea and cake. It does not impact your own band and its free


James McLeod

BMus (hons)
Euphonium Soloist, Teacher and Conductor


               

 © 2026 4barsrest.com Ltd