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European Countdown: 4 days to go

It's all about being popular in Europe...

Sparke
  Philip Sparke has notched up more performances on more pieces than anyone elese

Thanks to Gordon Simpson for providing these great facts from the European contest for us today…

Here's the top-10 most popular own-choice selections made at the European Championships...

16 — Music of the Spheres (Philip Sparke)
15 — Contest Music (Wilfred Heaton) — last played in 2009
14 — Harmony Music (Philip Sparke) — 2010
13 — Pageantry (Herbert Howells) — 1997
13 — Connotations (Edward Gregson) — 1998
13 — Dances and Arias (Edward Gregson) — 2000
12 — Blitz (Derek Bourgeois) — 1998
12 — Revelation (Philip Wilby) — 2012
10 — Paganini Variations (Philip Wilby) — 2001
10 — Montage (Peter Graham) — 2011

And here are the most popular composers and the number of times their pieces have been performed...

79 — Philip Sparke (14 different pieces)
47 — Philip Wilby (7)
40 — Edward Gregson (8)
36 — Gilbert Vinter (7)
36 — Peter Graham (9)
22 — Derek Bourgeois (3)
17 — Wilfred Heaton (2)
14 — Herbert Howells (2)
12 — Thomas Doss (5)
11 — Eric Ball (4)

To find out more about the stats of brass banding go to: http://www.brassstats.com/

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jOHN gILLAM

Death of John Gillam

May 4 • The death has been announced of the hugely respected player and administrator.


British Open

Result: 2026 Spring Festival Grand Shield

May 3 • Milnrow claims the Grand Shield honours to return to the British Open with Hepworth joining them.


British Open

Result: 2026 Spring Festival Senior Cup

May 2 • Kirkintilloch claims the Senior Cup honours as Rainford, Tongwynlais Temperance and East London Brass join them in the Grand Shield in 2027.


2026 Spring Festival

Result: 2026 Spring Festival Senior Trophy

May 2 • Sandhurst Silver claims the Senior Trophy honours as Sovereign Brass, Unite Scotland Kinneil and Yorkshire Imperial are also promoted to the Senior Cup.


Regent Hall Concerts - Royal Greenwich Brass Band

Sunday 3 May • St Alfege Church. Greenwich Church Street SE10 9BJ


Regent Hall Concerts - FiveBy5 Trumpet Quintet

Tuesday 5 May • Charlton House and Gardens. Charlton Road, . London. . SE7 8RE


Regent Hall Concerts - Royal Greenwich Brass Band

Friday 8 May • Regent Hall. (The Salvation Army). 275 Oxford Street. London W1C2DJ


Wardle Anderson Brass Band - Wardle Junior Blast

Friday 8 May • Milnrow Parish Church, 16 Westward Ho, Milnrow, Rochdale OL16 3JX


Regent Brass - Woodbridge Excelsior Band and Russell Gray

Saturday 9 May • The Salvation Army (Regent Hall), Oxford Street, London W1C 2DJ


Bilton Silver Rugby Band

May 3 • The band requires an Eb bass player for our First section band conducted by Jack Fisher. . We have a varied and expanding programme of events throughout the year, including our very well attended, themed concerts.


Bilton Silver Rugby Band

May 3 • The band requires a Cornet player (Position negotiable) for our First section band conducted by Jack Fisher.. We have a varied and expanding programme of events throughout the year, including our very well attended, themed concerts.


Wellington Silver Band (Somerset)

May 2 • Bb Basses. With Colin Dance now appointed as our MD and our other Bb Bass leaving due to work commitments, we have openings for two Bb basses. We are a friendly community (4th section?) band with a variety of gigs including our own Proms in the Park.


Mark Wilkinson


Cornet Soloist, Teacher, Adjudicator, Conductor


               

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