The line-ups for the Grand Shield, Senior Cup and Senior Trophy which make up the series of qualification contests at the 2023 British Open Spring Festival have been announced.

The event takes place at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool on Saturday 13th May.

Grand Shield

As has become customary, the British Open test piece, 'The World Rejoicing — Symphonic Variations on a Lutheran Chorale' will be used as the set work for the Grand Shield. Two bands will qualify for the 2023 British Open Championships.

Senior Cup

Philip Sparke's popular 'A London Overture' will face the bands in the Senior Cup.

Commissioned for the Dutch National Championships in 1984 it has been performed at numerous major events around the world since — including the 1991 European Championship, the First Section National Finals in 1992 and the First Section Regional Championships in 2015.

Senior Trophy

Edrich Siebert's exciting arrangement of Cesar Franck's symphonic poem 'The Accursed Huntsman' (Le Chasseur Maudit) will face the bands in the Senior Trophy.

First used at the 1973 British Open Championship, but rarely played in intervening years, it was also used at the Grand Shield in 1987.

The original tale, not unlike that which inspired 'Tam O'Shanter's Ride', is inspired by the balled 'The Wild Hunter', and of a German nobleman who defies the teachings of the Sabbath to go hunting on a Sunday morning — resulting in the hunter becoming the hunted by demons for all eternity.

Bands have been informed which segment of the draw they will compete in.

The Parc & Dare band replaced Burry Port as the qualifying band to the Senior Trophy from the recent Welsh Open Championships.

Bands have been informed which segment of the draw they will compete in4BR

Grand Shield:

Test-piece: The World Rejoicing — Symphonic Variations on a Lutheran Chorale (Edward Gregson)
Draw: 9.00am/12.40pm
Start: 10.00am

Ashton under Lyne
Camborne Town
Carlton Main Frickley Colliery
City of Bradford
City of Hull
Dalmellington
Friary Brass
Hepworth
Milnrow
NASUWT Riverside
Oldham Band (Lees)
Pemberton Old Wigan DW
Rainford
Ratby Co-operative
Reg Vardy
Skelmanthorpe
The GUS Band
Wantage
Whitburn
Wingates

Senior Cup:

Test-piece: A London Overture (Philip Sparke)
Draw: 10.30am/1.20pm
Start: 11.30am

Acceler8 Band
Aveley & Newham
Boarshurst Silver
Brass Band of Central England
City of Cardiff (Melingriffith) M1
Derwent Brass
East London Brass
Elland Silver
Fishburn
Kingdom Brass
Kirkintilloch
Llwydcoed
Newtongrange Silver
Redbridge
Roche Brass
Shepherd Group
St Dennis
Unite the Union
Verwood Concert Brass
Woodfalls

Senior Trophy:

Test-piece: The Accursed Huntsman (Cesar Franck arr. Edrich Siebert)
Draw: 10.00am/1.00pm
Start: 11.00am

Amersham
Blackburn & Darwen
Easington Colliery
Ebbw Valley Brass
Eccles Borough
Enderby
Filton Concert Brass
Granite City Brass
Hatfield & Askern Colliery
Haverhill Silver
Longridge
Parc & Dare
Pontardulais
Stannington Brass
Thoresby Colliery
Thundersley Brass
Tongwynlais Temperance
Tylorstown
Unison Kinneil
Vernon Building Society
Yorkshire Imperial