*
banner

Bands ready for Rochdale Contest

The North West Area Brass Bands Association will host the welcome return of its annual Rochdale Contest this weekend.

nwabba
  The contest will be held at Wardle Academy

Wardle Academy in Rochdale will host a full day of brass band music making as the North West Area Brass Bands Association (NWABBA) Contest returns to the calendar this weekend (Saturday 28th October).

The own-choice test-piece event had been missing from the calendar since 2019 but now makes a welcome return with 16 bands performing in the four sections.

10.00am start:

It starts at 10.00am with the Fourth Section, followed by the Third (11.30am), Second (1.45pm) and finally the joint First/Championship Section at 3.45pm.

The adjudicator is Andrea Price who will compare 16 different test-piece selections from Thierry Deleruyelle to Vaughan Williams.

Refreshments will be provided by the school with trade stands from retailers and manufacturers such as Geneva Instruments, Larch Music, Mercer & Barker and Pennine Music.

Entry for the day is £8.00.

Contest address:

Wardle Academy
Birch Road,
Wardle
Rochdale
OL12 9RD

Championship/First Section:

Start time: 3.45pm

Hade Edge (Lewis Bettles)
Longridge (Mark Peacock)
Marsden Silver (Andrew Lofthouse)
Skelmanthorpe (Martin Heartfield)

Second Section:

Start Time: 1.45pm

Barnsley Brass (Ben Brickles)
Besses Boys (James Holt)
Delph (Phil Goodwin)
Tewit Silver (Martin Hall)
Uppermill (James Garlick)

Third Section:

Start Time: 11.30am

BMP (Europe) Goodshaw (Dean Redfern)
Dobcross Silver (Jason M. Smith)
Thornton Cleveleys (Steve Terry)
Trinity Girls (Anna Hughes Williams)

Fourth Section:

Start Time: 10.00am

Littleborough (Ashley Higgins)
Stalybridge (Nigel Lawless)
St. John's Mossley (David Ashworth)

Become a supporter and help make our future secure.

4barsrest continues to be a proudly independent voice. There are no paywalls to overcome to be able to enjoy what we do to keep our journalism at the heart of the brass banding world. Support us with a one-off donation or subscribe from just £2.50 per month.

Support us    


Yorkshire

Yorkshire Committee issues Third Section statement

March 8 • The Yorkshire Regional Championship Committee has clarified the reason behind the delay in the announcement of the Third Section results in Huddersfield.


Market Rasen

Results: 2026 Midlands Regional Championships

March 7 • Area title success for GUS, Rushden Town, Market Rasen and Cubbington Silver Band in Bedworth.


Perth

Results: 2026 Scottish Championships

March 7 • Whitburn claim the domestic honours as Kirkintilloch Kelvin, Johnstone, Selkirk Silver and Bon-Accord B take section titles in Perth.


South Yorkshire Police

Report & Results: 2026 Yorkshire Regional Championships

March 7 • Area title success for Hepworth, South Yorkshire Police, Hatfield & Askern Colliery, Drighlington and Queensbury Music Centre on a weekend of memorable individual and collective excellence.


Regent Hall Concerts - London Central Fellowship Band

Saturday 7 March • Regent Hall. (The Salvation Army). 275 Oxford Street. London W1C2DJ


Regent Hall Concerts - Regent Hall Band of the Salvation Army

Tuesday 10 March • Regent Hall. (The Salvation Army). 275 Oxford Street. London W1C2DJ


Regent Hall Concerts - Queen Victorias Consort

Friday 13 March • Regent Hall. (The Salvation Army). 275 Oxford Street. London W1C2DJ


Regent Hall Concerts - Slide Effect Trombone Quartet

Friday 20 March • Regent Hall. (The Salvation Army). 275 Oxford Street. London. . W1C2DJ


Regent Hall Concerts - Welsh Guards Band Septet

Friday 20 March • Regent Hall. (The Salvation Army). 275 Oxford Street. London W1C2DJ


Rushden Town Band

March 8 • 2nd Trombone for Midlands Area First Section Champions 2026.


Glossop Old Band

March 7 • Our friendly second section band are looking for a principal cornet player to join us for contests, concerts and exciting new projects. Glossop Old Band is situated between Manchester and Sheffield and rich in history.


Waltham St. Lawrence Silver Band

March 6 • Our non-contesting community band, based near Maidenhead, Bracknell and Reading, seeks:. . Solo Euphonium . 1st Horn . 2nd Baritone .


Kevin Wadsworth


Conductor, adjudicator, teacher (ABBA)


               

 © 2026 4barsrest.com Ltd