The 2023 Australian National Championships will take place this weekend in the city of Newcastle, New South Wales.

They will start on Friday 7th April and last over the Easter weekend to Monday 10th April, hosted by the Band Association of NSW and held at Newcastle City Hall, Civic Theatre and Conservatorium of Music.

Return

The event marks the return of the Championships for the first time since 2019 following the Covid-19 hiatus and has attracted an excellent competitive turn out of bands, ensembles and soloists, all keen to claim a 'National' title.

Bands must perform the set-work as well as hymn (or sacred item), own-choice march and own-choice test-piece.

The adjudicators for the main brass band events are Dr Robert Childs (A & D Grade) and David Bremner (B & C Grade). Andrew Snell will adjudicate the Junior Grade Brass events.

Live broadcast

In addition, the main competitions will be live-broadcast by Tim Kelly at www.brassbanned.com — so make sure you tune in to enjoy the playing.

Test Pieces:

Open A Grade: Siege (Jared McCunnie)
Open B Grade: Hope (Dorothy Gates)
Open C Grade: The Viking Age (Thierry Deleruyelle)
Open D Grade: Music for Greenwich (Edward Gregson)

Junior A Grade: A Moorside Suite (Gustav Holst)
Junior B Grade: Capriol Suite (Peter Warlock arr. Phillip Littlemore)
Junior C Grade: Fanfare, Theme and Finale for HPs! (Mark Ford)

Championship set-work

Jared McCunnie's 'Siege' was written in response to a terrorist attack in Sydney in December 2014, where a man held 18 hostages for over 16 hours in the Lindt Chocolate Cafe in the city.

It is the composer's emotional response to what he says was "the tension, unease and hurt caused by the event" which resulted in three people being killed (including the perpetrator).

The final 'Elegy' section is dedicated to the lives of hostages Tori Johnson and Katrina Dawson, who were tragically killed. It also captures Australia's heartfelt response to the victims of the attack.

Schedule

Friday will see the 12 Grade A bands (set-work) take to the stage at the Civic Theatre starting at 9.30am, followed by the 4 D Grade bands.

Friday at City Hall will see the start of the band competitions with the Grade C contest of 8 bands followed by the 14 bands in the Grade B event.

Saturday will see the Junior C Grade and Junior B Grade Brass events take place at the Conservatorium of Music.

Sunday will see the Open C Grade Brass followed by the Open B Grade Brass competitions at City Hall with the Civic Theatre hosting the Open D Grade Brass followed by the own choice selections of the Championship A Grade competitors.

Monday will see the various solo and ensemble competitions take place.

In addition, the main competitions will be live-broadcast by Tim Kelly at www.brassbanned.com — so make sure you tune in to enjoy the playing4BR

Competing bands:

A Grade:
Adjudicator: Dr Robert Childs
Set Work: Siege (Jared McCunnie) & Own Choice

Brisbane Brass
Brisbane Excelsior
Central Coast Brass
Darebin City Brass — Preston
Footscray-Yarraville City
Glenferrie Brass
Glenorchy City Concert Brass
Holroyd Brass
Sydney City Brass
Waratah Brass — Newcastle
Warringah Concert Brass
Willoughby City

B Grade:

Adjudicator: David Bremner
Set Work: Hope (Dorothy Gates)

Boroondara Brass
Box Hill City
Brisbane Brass 2
Cairns Brass No 1
Canberra Brass
City of Greater Dandenong
Darebin City Brass — Northern Brass
Geelong West Brass
Gunnedah Shire Band
Maamaloa Brass Band
Parramatta City Band
Surfers Paradise Brass
Toronto Brass
Windsor Brass

C Grade:

Adjudicator: David Bremner
Set Work: The Viking Age (Thierry Deleruyelle)

Bankstown and Yagoona Brass
City of Wollongong Brass Band
Moonee Valley Brass
Newcastle PCYC Brass
Sunshine Brass
Willoughby Band No.2
Wonthaggi Citizens' Band

D Grade:

Adjudicator: Dr Robert Childs
Set Work: Music for Greenwich (Edward Gregson)

Boroondara Harmony Brass
Far Northern Brass
Hyde Street Youth Band
Waratah Brass Academy Band

Junior B Brass:

Adjudicator: Andrew Snell
Set Work: Capriol Suite (Peter Warlock arr. Phillip Littlemore)

Hyde St Youth Band
St George Brass Band

Junior C Brass:

Adjudicator: Andrew Snell
Set Work: Fanfare, Theme and Finale for HPs! (Mark Ford)

City of Wollongong Junior Brass Band
Northcote High School Brass Band

Schedule:

(local timings)

Friday 7th April:

City Hall
10.00am: Open C Grade Brass
2.30pm (approx.): Open B Grade Brass

Civic Theatre
9.30am: Open A Grade Brass
6.00pm (approx.): Open D Grade Brass

Saturday 8th April:

Conservatorium of Music
11.00am: Junior C Grade and Junior B Grade Brass

Sunday 9th April:

City Hall
9.00am: Open C Grade Brass
4.30pm (approx.): Open B Grade Brass

Civic Theatre
9.30am: Open D Grade Brass
Noon (approx.): Open A Grade Brass (Own Choice)

Monday 10th April:

9.30am: Solo competitions