Winner: Dear Cassandra... (Ludovic Neurohr)
2. Titan's Progress (Hermann Pallhuber)
3. Vienna Nights (Philip Wilby)
One of the most innovative compositional voices in the banding world produced a test-piece that required much more than mere virtuosity for it to be mastered and understood at the European Championships in Montreux this year.
Ludovic Neurohr has already produced a number of major works of inventive brilliance, but 'Dear Cassandra...' was imbued with a deep seated arc of musicality that made for the most satisfying listening and playing experience.
It gained 7 first choice preferences and three top 3 mentions from our panel.
Hermann Pallhuber's 'Titan's Progress' won this award in 2009 and it once again proved to be a very popular choice after being used at the National Championship at the Albert Hall, gaining 2 first preference choices to pip another former winner 'Vienna Nights' (2006) used at the Dutch National Championships into third.
'Dear Cassandra...' was imbued with a deep seated arc of musicality that made for the most satisfying listening and playing experience4BR Editor Iwan Fox
Past Winners:
2018: Concerto Grosso (Derek Bourgeois)
2017: Fraternity (Thierry Deleruyelle)
2016: Fraternity (Thierry Deleruyelle)
2015: The God Particle (Rolf Rudin)
2014: Vita Aeterna Variations (Ed de Boer writing as Alexander Comitas)
2013: Of Distant Memories (Music in an Olden Style) (Edward Gregson)
2012: Goldberg 2012 (Svein Henrik Giske)
2011: Breath of Souls (Paul Lovatt-Cooper)
2010: Saint Saens Variations (Philip Sparke)
2009: Titan's Progress (Hermann Pallhuber)
2008: The Dark Side of the Moon (Paul Lovatt-Cooper)
2007: Music for Battle Creek (Philip Sparke)
2006: Vienna Nights (Philip Wilby)
2005: Eden (Dr. John Pickard)
2004: St. Magnus (Kenneth Downie)
2003: Festival Music (Eric Ball)
2002: Masquerade (Philip Wilby)
2001: Albion (Jan Van der Roost)
Panel:
The Awards Panel consisted of: Iwan Fox (Editor 4BR); Malcolm Wood (Chief Contributor); Andrew Wainwright (Writer/Composer/Arranger/Graphic Designer/Journalist); 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); David Hirst (Conductor/Association of Brass Band Adjudicators); Alexander Zwann (Chief contributor CU Brass); Tom Davoren (conductor/composer); Tim Mutum (writer/brass band recording and history specialist); Owen Melhuish (President: North Shore Brass New Zealand); David Gallaher (Director of Air Force Music — Royal New Zealand Air Force Band)
