4BR understands that up to four bands could be about to announce their official withdrawal from this year's Brass in Concert Championship.

It follows a press statement made by the Brass in Concert Management Team earlier today (below), the inference of which concerning both Fairey and Flowers Bands has been strenuously rebuffed by them as being 'factually incorrect with a misleading bias', and being 'completely wrong and inaccurate'.

Two more?

However, 4BR now understands that Tredegar Band has also informed the organisers that they will not be competing at The Sage Gateshead in November, with one other leading band making their position known by tomorrow.

BiC statement

The statement released this morning by the Brass in Concert Management Team reads as follows:

"The management team of the Brass in Concert Championship has been informed that Fairey and Flowers bands are to withdraw from this year's event, to be held at Sage Gateshead on Sunday 15th November.

The band's actions are in response to the offer of draws in the second part of the event to Cory and Grimethorpe Colliery bands, which are due to appear in a charity concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London on the previous evening.

Recognising the significance of two of the finest brass bands in the world having the opportunity to perform in a major event for Cancer Research UK at the Royal Albert Hall, but also to ensure their participation at Brass in Concert, the management team made it clear in a recent communication with all of the bands that, to assist their travelling arrangements between London and Gateshead, we would accommodate Cory and Grimethorpe Colliery in the second half of the draw this year.

Following a meeting with band representatives in Birmingham on 23 June, when concerns were raised at our proposed course of action, we issued a further statement explaining that these draws would now be limited to places outside the first four, as well as outlining the arrangements being made for all bands in the competition to receive payments ensuring that their specific Brass in Concert expenses would be the same as in previous years.

Brass in Concert is one of very few contests in the banding world that doesn't charge an entry fee and, indeed, pays travelling expenses to all competitors, so we are naturally extremely disappointed that our efforts to attract as many of the world's leading bands as possible to this year's event have not met with universal approval.

The paying audience at Sage Gateshead remains our highest priority, closely followed by competitors and all other participants in what has become a two-day festival celebrating the best in brass banding.

While we are sorry to be losing any regular competitors from our line-up, we can assure our audience members that the 2015 Brass in Concert Festival will still boast an outstanding list of participants, including the winners of the past five years' events.

A further announcement of the final line-up for the 2015 Brass in Concert Championship is expected in the next few weeks."

I would like to add that the Fairey Band has no issues with either Cory or Grimethorpe who we believe have acted with honesty and openness throughoutFairey Band spokepserson

Rapid Fairey rebuttal

The statement was met with a rapid rebuttal from the Fairey Band, with their spokesperson repeating to 4BR their public response.

"The Fairey Band believe the statement to be factually incorrect with a misleading bias.

The Fairey Band has not technically withdrawn from the competition as the band is awaiting a response to its communication from the BIC management, and secondly the draw element is only a small issue for our band. The more important part is the lack of transparency with specific regard to expenses.

I would like to add that the Fairey Band has no issues with either Cory or Grimethorpe who we believe have acted with honesty and openness throughout.

We will be issuing a further statement in due course."

Flowers dispute

The Flowers Band also disputes the statement's inference that their action is '...in response to the offer of draws in the second part of the event to Cory and Grimethorpe Colliery bands, which are due to appear in a charity concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London on the previous evening.'

Their spokesperson told 4BR: "This is completely wrong and inaccurate.

There is no issue at all with Cory or Grimethorpe and we have made this clear to the BiC Management Team. Our reasons have been communicated and we stand by them. An official statement will be made in due course."

Tredegar out

A Tredegar Band spokesperson added: "Tredegar Band fully agrees with the statements given by Fairey and Flowers, and that the press release given by the BiC Management Team is both misleading and inaccurate.

We have already informed the BiC Management Team of our decision that we do not wish to take up our invitation to compete at the 2015 event and will also issue a statement in due course."