Winner: Richard Poole (Foden's)
2. Tom Smith (Brighouse & Rastrick)
3. Tom Hutchinson (Cory)
After year in which he was the standout major contest performer as well as producing a series of superb concert appearances and releasing an excellent debut solo CD, Foden's Richard Poole is the richly deserved 4BR Player of the Year.
He was the first-choice preference of 8 of the panel with numerous other votes to add to his personal British Open, National Championship of Great Britain and Brass in Concert honours.
Tom Smith of Brighouse & Rastrick (3 first preference votes) also made a huge impression in 2022 as he grew into his role with increasing maturity, whilst the continued excellence of Cory's Tom Hutchinson also saw him gain 2 first preference votes to come third.
There were also first preference votes for Grethe Tonheim, Murray Borthwick, Andy Moore and Kirsty Abbotts, with the judges also noting the excellence of Will Norman, Dennis Vork and Mathilde Roh.
Panel:
The Awards Panel consisted of:
Iwan Fox (editor 4BR); Michael Bach (conductor/adjudicator); Kerry Baldwin (player/regional development executive ABRSM); Sarah Groarke Booth (conductor/adjudicator); Anne Crookston (conductor/adjudicator); David Gallaher (conductor/adjudicator); David Hirst (player/conductor/adjudicator); Owen Melhuish (New Zealand BBA); Tim Mutum (writer/brass band recording and history specialist); Gordon Simpson (statistician Brass Band World magazine); Stein Skorpholm (Norwegian broadcaster/presenter); Chris Thomas (chief contributor BBW magazine/4BR contributor); Camilla Soderstrom Tveit (player/adjudicator); Luc Vertommen (conductor/adjudicator/arranger); Andrew Wainwright (composer/arranger/designer); Malcolm Wood (4BR chief contributor); Alexander Zwann (chief contributor CU Brass).
Past Winners:
2021: Isobel Daws
2020: Yu-Han Yang
2019: Tom Hutchinson
2018: Chris Thomas
2017: David Morton
2016: Helen Williams
2015: David Childs
2014: David Childs
2013: Glenn Van Looy
2012: Steve Stewart
2011: Glen Van Looy
2010: David Childs
2009: Mark Wilkinson
2008: Peter Moore
2007: Hans Gansch
2006: Katrina Marzella
2005: David Childs
2004: David Childs
2003: Martin Winter
2002: Morgan Griffiths
2001: Peter Roberts