The list of competing bands that will battle it out for the qualification places on offer for the Royal Albert Hall and Cheltenham at the Welsh Championships have been announced.

The contest weekend will take place at the Brangwyn Hall in Swansea on the 18th/19th March.

Places up for grabs

With National Champion, Cory having pre-qualified for The Royal Albert Hall in October, there are two additional places up for grabs in the Championship Section. which features the defending champion, Tredegar.

The First, Second, Third and Fourth Sections will each send two representatives to Cheltenham in September.

A total of 43 bands will perform, whilst the decision making will be in the hands of a judging panel of Derek Broadbent, Mike Kilroy, Stan Lippeatt and John Maines.

The contest starts with the First, Third and Second Sections on the Saturday with the Fourth and Championship Sections the following day.

National Champion Cory will be looking to regain the Welsh Crown from arch rivals, Tredegar on the last weekend of the Regional series 4BR

Competing bands:

Championship Section:

Test Piece: Test Piece: Pageantry (Herbert Howells)
Sunday 19th March
Draw: 11.00am
Commence: After Fourth Section results
Adjudicators: Derek Broadbent and Mike Kilroy

Burry Port Town (Tom Davoren)
City of Cardiff (Melingriffith) (Nigel Seaman)
Cory (Philip Harper)
Goodwick (Matthew Jenkins)
Llwydcoed (Chris Turner)
Northop (Paul Hughes)
Tongwynlais Temperance (Michael Fowles)
Tredegar (Ian Porthouse)

First Section:

Test Piece: The Land of the Long White Cloud (Philip Sparke)
Saturday 18th March
Draw: 2.30pm
Commence: at conclusion of Second Section results
Adjudicators: Stan Lippeatt and John Maines

BTM (Jeff Hutcherson)
Deiniolen (Lois Eifion)
Ebbw Valley (Gareth Ritter)
Lewis Merthyr (Craig Roberts)
Llanrug (Paul Hughes)
Markham & District (Matthew Rowe)
Mid Rhondda (Thomas Coaches) (Alan Gibbs)
Parc & Dare (Leftfield Environmental) (Capt Paul Collis-Smith)
Pontardulais Town (Paul Jenkins)
Tylorstown (Gary Davies)

Second Section:

Test Piece: Rhapsody in Brass (Dean Goffin)
Saturday 18th March
Draw: 12 noon
Commence: At conclusion of Section Three
Adjudicators: Derek Broadbent and Mike Kilroy

Abergavenny Borough (Sean O'Neil)
Ammanford Town (Andrew Jones)
Blaenavon Town (Lynne Turner)
Mellingriffith 2 (Andrew Wareham)
Penclawdd (Tony Small)
Royal Buckley Town (Brett Baker)
Seindorf Arian Crwbin (Craig Roberts)

Third Section:

Test Piece: Darkwood (Dan Price)
Saturday 19th March
Draw: 10.00am
Commence: 11.00am
Adjudicators: Stan Lippeatt and John Maines

Abertillery Youth & District (Josh Ruck)
Briton Ferry (Jeff Pearce)
Crosskeys Silver (Mike Davies)
Newport Borough (Robin Hackett)
Newtown Silver (Steve Edwards)
Ogmore Valley Silver (Alice Jones)
Phoenix (Luke Jenkins)
Severn Tunnel (Grant Jameson)
Usk (Jeff Jones)
Ynyshir (Gary Davies)

Fourth Section:

Test Piece: St Andrews Variations (Alan Fernie)
Sunday 19th March
Draw: 9.00am
Commence: 10.00am
Adjudicators: Stan Lippeatt and John Maines

Buckley Town (Steve Pugh-Jones)
Cwmtawe Youth (Wayne Pedrick)
Gwaen-cae-Gurwen (Jeff Hutcherson)
Oakdale Silver (Kerry Bowden)
RAF St Athan Voluntary (Alan Bourne)
Seindorf Arian yr Oakeley (John Glyn-Jones)
Upper Rhondda (Jayne Thomas)
Vale of Glamorgan (Dave Short)