Winner: Manger Musikklag (Siddis Entertainment Championship)
2. Eikanger Bjorsvik ('Partita' — Norwegian National Championship)
3. Valaisia Brass Band ('The Turing Test': Own Choice — European Championship)
There were any number of outstanding performances to choose this year that fitting together a 'long list' of nominations was hard enough — let alone picking a winner.
However, when bands are struggling to think of new and inventive way to entertain audiences — especially in a contest format, Manger's quite remarkable 'In Time with Cubism' concept inspired by conductor Martin Winter, and delivered with such polished elan, wit and musical insight was a sheer delight.
It gained 4 first preference votes and 3 podium votes.
An almost surreal homage to Picasso and Stravinsky (including a ragtime xylophone solo inspired by 'The Rite of Spring') via Howard Snell and Kurt Weill, it was brilliantly executed and fully deserved its Siddis title victory.
Monumental
Just behind came Eikanger Bjorsvik's stunning account of Wilfred Heaton's monumental 'Partita' at the Norwegian National Championships early in the year, which gained 2 first preference choices and 4 podium votes.
Brilliant
Valaisia Brass Band completed the European clean-sweep thanks to their brilliant performance of Simon Dobson's intricate 'The Turing Test' as their own-choice at the European Championships in Utrecht — one that did enough to claim that particular title.
It gained 2 first choice preferences and 2 podium votes.
An almost surreal homage to Picasso and Stravinsky (including a ragtime xylophone solo inspired by 'The Rite of Spring') via Howard Snell and Kurt Weill, it was brilliantly executed and fully deserved its Siddis title victory4BR
Past Winners:
2017: Eikanger Bjorsvik — Fraternity (European Championship)
2016: Cory — The Triumph of Time (British Open Championships)
2015: Cory — Spiriti (National Championship)
2014: Brass Band Bugermusik Luzern — Trance (Swiss National Championship)
2013: Tredegar — Arabian Nights (Fantasy on Rimsky Korsakov's Scheherazade for Brass Band) (British Open Championship)
2012: Foden's — Daphnis et Chloe (National Championship)
2011: Cory — Red Priest (British Open Championship)
2010: Fairey (Geneva) — Eden (English National Championships)
2009: Fountain City Brass Band — Dreams (Scottish Open Championship)
2008: Eikanger Bjorsvik — Riffs & Interludes (Norwegian Championship)
2007: Brass Band Oberosterreich — Titan's Progress (European Championship)
2006: Black Dyke — Vienna Nights (British Open)
2005: Black Dyke — Journey to the Centre of the Earth (European Championship)
2004: Black Dyke — Montage (British Open)
2003: Buy As You View Cory — Revelation (European Championship)
2002: Yorkshire Building Society — Concerto Grosso (European Championship)
2001: Foden's — Les Preludes (British Open)
Panel:
The Awards Panel consisted of : Iwan Fox (Editor 4BR); Malcolm Wood (Chief Contributor); Steven Mead (euphonium soloist); Gordon Simpson (statistician Brass Band World magazine); Chris Thomas (Chief Contributor Brass Band World magazine); Kenny Crookston (CEO, Brass Bands England); Frode Rydland (EBBA Music Commission/soprano cornet Bjorsvik Brass); Alexander Zwann (Chief contributor CU Brass); Tom Davoren (conductor/composer); Tim Mutum (writer/brass band recording and history specialist).
