The test-pieces for the 2011 Regional Championships have been released by the Music Panel for the National Championships.

Speculation

As always there has been a great deal of intrigue and speculation over recent months over the possible choices, and once again a few eyebrows may be raised by the selections – adding a bit more contesting spice into the mix come Spring next year.

Paganini

The Championship Section bands will have to familiarise themselves with one of the great modern classics of contesting, with Philip Wilby’s masterful and highly popular, 'Paganini Variations', to be overcome by competitors wishing to get to the Royal Albert Hall.

Commissioned by the BBC for the Grimethorpe Colliery Band in 1991, it was first performed in a broadcast in May that year, and was subsequently used as the set work for the British Open.

Classic

An older classic arrangement will test the First Section bands with Frank Wright’s take on the Berlioz overture, 'Le Carnaval Romain'.

The piece was originally transcribed for use at the 1966 National Finals and later used at the British Open in 1979.

There will be a great deal of debate over the choice of the Second Section set work – Eric Ball’s iconic 'Resurgam' — a piece that could tax bands to such an extent that only Richard Dawkins may leave the contest a happy man4BR

Debate

There will be a great deal of debate over the choice of the Second Section set work – Eric Ball’s iconic 'Resurgam' — a piece that could tax bands to such an extent that only Richard Dawkins may leave the contest a happy man.

Revered as one of the brass band movement’s finest pieces of musical repertoire, it was first used as the set work for the British Open in 1950.

Light music

The Third Section bands will have to get to grips with another Philip Wilby work – this time his 'A Little Light Music', which was commissioned by the Welsh Brass Arts Festival.

The five section suite starts with features movements entitled, 'Fanfare', 'Clog Dance', 'The Lady of the Fountain', 'Cardiff Bay Ice Cream' and 'Fanfare'.

Return

There is a welcome return for a former National’s test piece in the Fourth Section, with the late John Golland’s, 'Prelude, Song and Dance', which was used as the set work at the Lower Section National Finals in 1992.

Composed in 1981 for the Ustermusiktage in Switzerland it was first used at the Pontins Festival as the Fourth Section set work, and is a contrastin suite of three movements, the last based on the fun and games of a 'Lederhosentanze'.

Regional test pieces:

Championship Section: Paganini Variations (Philip Wilby) Studio Music
Section 1: Le Carnaval Romain (Hector Berlioz) Studio Music
Section 2: Resurgam (Eric Ball) R. Smith & Co
Section 3: A Little Light Music (Philip Wilby) Kirklees Music
Section 4: Prelude, Song and Dance (John Golland) Kirklees Music.

2011 dates

The dates for the 2011 National Finals have also been released as the 1st and 2nd October for the Lower Section Finals in Harrogate International Centre and 15th October for the Championship Section Final in London¹s Royal Albert Hall.