*
banner

North West to kick start National qualification

81 bands will head to the Winter Gardens in Blackpool at the end of February to start the National Finals qualification process.

Nationals
  The first round of National qualification contests takes place in Blackpool in February

81 bands will travel to the Winter Gardens in Blackpool on Sunday 26th February to kick start the opening round of the 2017 Regional Championships.

Busy day

As always it promises to be a busy day (with three extra competitors this year) for the excellent Regional Committee team lead by Peter Bates to administer in the Opera House, Arena and Pavilion Theatre, with the action starting promptly at 9.30am with the first of thirteen bands in the First Section.

A dozen bands will battle it out on 'Pageantry' to claim one of the three places on offer for the Royal Albert Hall (Fairey is pre-qualified), with two qualification places on offer in the First Section and three each in the Second, Third and Fourth.

As always it promises to be a busy day (with three extra competitors this year) for the excellent Regional Committee team lead by Peter Bates to administer in the Opera House, Arena and Pavilion Theatre4BR

Competing bands:

Championship Section:


Opera House
Draw 1.45pm
Commence after Fourth Section results
Adjudicators: David Lancaster & Roger Webster

Ashton-Under-Lyne (Phil Chalk)
Blackburn & Darwen (Neil Samuel)
Co-operative Funeralcare North West (Jeff Sparkes)
Diggle (Steven Walsh)
Fairey (Garry Cutt)
Foden's (Prof Nicholas Childs)
Leyland (Thomas Wyss)
Longridge (Mark Peacock)
Milnrow (Mark Bentham)
Roberts Bakery (Simon Stonehouse)
Vernon Building Society Poynton (TBC)
Wingates (Paul Andrews)


First Section:


The Arena
Draw: 8.30am
Commence: 9.30am
Adjudicators: Paul Holland & David Roberts

Bollington Brass (Peter Christian)
Eccles Borough (Mareika Gray)
Freckleton (Paul Dalton)
Haslingden & Helmshore (Simon Cowen)
Manx Concert Brass (Ian Clague MBE)
Mossley (Duncan Byers)
Oldham (Lees) (John Collins)
Pemberton Old Wigan DW (Ben Dixon)
Poulton-Le-Fylde (Matthew Ryan)
Rainford (Gareth Brindle)
Silk Brass (Tony Wyatt)
Tyldesley (Robert Taylor)
Wardle Anderson Brass (Sean Conway)


Second Section:


Pavilion Theatre
Split Draw: 10.00am & 12.15pm
Commence: 11.00am
Adjudicators: Stephen Roberts & Kevin Wadsworth

Besses Boys (James Holt)
Besses o'th' Barn (Mark Wildie)
Blackpool Brass (John Pearson)
Boarshurst Silver (James Garlick)
Cheshire Constabulary (TBC)
Crewe Brass (Jamie Meredith)
Darwen Brass (Steve Hartley)
Delph (Philip Goodwin)
Flixton (Jason M. Smith)
Golborne (Mark Harrison)
Haydock (Mark Quinn)
Hazel Grove (Nigel Beasley)
Hoover Bolton (Craig Mann)
Horwich RMI (Matt Ryan)
Marple (Stephen Curtis)
Middleton (Kevin Gibbs)
Old Hall Brass (John North)
Pemberton Old Wigan DW 'B' (Michael Golding)
Uppermill (Dean Redfern)
Valley Brass (Haydock) (David Chapman)
Whitworth Vale & Healey (Christopher Binns)


Third Section:


The Arena
Split Draw: 1.00pm & 3.00pm
Commence: After results of First Section
Adjudicators: Steve Pritchard-Jones & Glyn Williams

City of Chester (Ewan Easton)
Coppull & Standish (Matt Stringer)
Dobcross Silver (Grenville Moore)
Douglas Town (Ken Mitchell)
Eagley (Chris Wormald)
Eccleston Brass (John Wood)
Farnworth & Walkden (Matt Shaw)
Formby (Louise Hough MBE)
Greenalls (Phil Boardman)
Greenfield (Tom Haslam)
Hawk Green (Neil Hewson)
Littleborough (Adrian Woodhead)
Pilling Jubilee Silver (Len Charnock)
Rivington & Adlington (Matt Whitfield)
Skelmersdale Prize (James Hall)
Stacksteads (Fred Bowker)
Stalybridge Old (David Ashworth)
Trinity Girls (Ryan Watkins)


Fourth Section:


Opera House
Split Draw: 9.00am & 11.00am
Commence: 10.00 a.m.
Adjudicators: Gary Davies & Simone Rebello

Allerton Brass (Adam Taylor)
Blackley (John Atkinson)
BMP Europe Goodshaw (Joshua Hughes)
Brindle (Keith Richmond)
Cadishead Public (Craig McFarland)
Denton Brass (Matthew Bailey)
Dobcross Youth (Matt Hindle)
Heyrod Brass (Lee Dunkley)
Lees (Adam Nield)
Lostock Hall Memorial (Phil Edwards)
Parr St. Helens (John Ludden)
Ramsey Town (Robert Quane)
Rode Hall Silver (Nigel Butler)
Sale Brass (Alan Seymour)
Stockport Silver (Ian Colwell)
Tarleton Brass (Gillian Bould)
Thornton Cleveleys (Stephen Craig)

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    


Norwegian Championships

Final musical touches being put in their Bergen place

February 4 • 80 will be putting their own-choice and set-work pieces under final scrutiny ahead of the Norwegian National Championships this weekend.


Jamie Smith

Smith looking forward to Japanese tour

February 4 • Grimethorpe Colliery Band principal cornet Jamie Smith will head to Japan for a performance tour this Easter.


East Midlands

New march and hymn contest to fill gap in East Midlands

February 4 • A brand new event will take on 13th June at the Braybrooke Brewery and Taproom, North Northamptonshire.


gLYN AND hLEN

Busy January enjoyment for Williams duo

February 4 • Glyn and Helen Williams have enjoyed a busy start to 2026.


Dobcross Silver Band - Whitburn Band

Sunday 1 February • c/o Dobcross Band Club. Platt Lane. Dobcross Saddleworth OL3 5AD


Contest: Norwegian National Brass Band Championships

Friday 6 February • Grieghallen, Bergen, N-5015 N-5015


Contest: Norwegian National Brass Band Championships

Saturday 7 February • Grieghallen, Bergen, N-5015 N-5015


Regent Hall Concerts - Royal Greenwich Brass Band

Friday 27 February • Regent Hall. (The Salvation Army). 275 Oxford Street. London W1C2DJ


Regent Hall Concerts - Oompah Brass XXL

Friday 27 February • Regent Hall. (The Salvation Army). 275 Oxford Street. London W1C2DJ


Welwyn Garden City Band

February 5 • We are a friendly & sociable Second Section Band. We have vacancies for a FRONT ROW CORNET player and PERCUSSIONISTS. Our MD is Will Douglas and we rehearse in Welwyn Garden City on Sunday evenings from 7.00-9.00pm.


Waltham St. Lawrence Silver Band

February 4 • Our inclusive non-contesting community band, based near Maidenhead, Bracknell and Reading, has vacancies for: . . Solo Cornet. Soprano Cornet. 2/3 Cornet.


Waltham St. Lawrence Silver Band

February 4 • Our non-contesting community band, based near Maidenhead, Bracknell and Reading, seeks:. . Solo Euphonium . 1st Horn . 2nd Baritone .


Andreas Kratz

Mus.B (hons)
Conductor, Adjudicator, Teacher


               

 © 2026 4barsrest.com Ltd