Peter Graham's 'The Triumph of Time' has been chosen as the set-work for the 164th British Open Brass Band Championship.

The contest will take place at Symphony Hall in Birmingham on Saturday 10th September 2016, and for the first time will see bands from Belgium and New Zealand battle alongside the very best British ensembles in a bid to claim the famous Open Trophy.

Elite level

'The Triumph of Time' was originally commissioned by Prof Nicholas Childs and Black Dyke Band to be used as their own-choice selection at the 2014 European Championships, whilst the work was most recently utilised as an elite level set-work at the 2015 Swiss National Championships.

It will be Professor Graham's third work to be selection for the world's oldest major competition, and takes its inspiration from the 25th anniversary in 2014 of his composition, 'The Essence of Time', which was used as the set-work at the 1990 European Championships.

Whilst not using any of its musical content, it does draw upon some of the structural elements to try and capture the spirit of the original in a set of variations which follow similar moods and characteristics. The piece is dedicated to Dr Ronald W Holz.

No clocks

The performances at Symphony Hall will not however include the pre-recorded opening sequence of chiming clocks, and it is anticipated that a set percussion layout will be provided to help with the running time of the event, which this year will include two extra competitors in Brass Band Willebroek and Wellington Brass.

Willebroek take their place as the leading European band at the 2015 European Championships in Freiburg, whilst Wellington, the 2015 New Zealand and Australian National Champion, continues the long tradition of welcoming antipodean visitors to the contest — something which in 1924 saw the Newcastle Steel Works Band become the very first winners of the famous golden shield.

The contest, which is once again sponsored by Besson, will commence at 10.00am.

Whilst not using any of its musical content, it does draw upon some of the structural elements to try and capture the spirit of the original4BR

Details

'The Triumph of Time' is published by Gramercy Music and is available from:

Gramercy Music (UK)
PO Box 41
Cheadle Hulme
Cheshire SK8 5HF
Tel./Fax: + 44 (0) 161-486 1959

E-mail: info@gramercymusic.com
http://www.gramercymusic.com/image/TriumphT.pdf

Tickets

Tickets for this year's contest will go on sale at Symphony Hall Box Office on Tuesday 17th May.

Further information:

Further information on the British Open can be obtained from the British Open website: www.thebritishopen.net