Winner: Foden's (Sand and Stars: British Open Championship)
2. Brass Band Treize Etoiles (Sand and Stars: European Championship)
3. Black Dyke (Antiphones: European Championship)
A neck and neck battle between two fantastic bands playing a fantastic test-piece, but in two different major championships.
In the end it was the incredibly evocative performance of Thierry Deleruyelle's adventurous score in claiming the British Open title at Symphony Hall under the baton of Russell Gray that won the day with 7 first choice nominations from the panel.
Just behind with 6 first choice nominations came the fantastically exciting version of Brass Band Treize Etoiles led by Frederic Theodoloz in winning the European Championship in Malmo.
There was also a neck and neck battle for the final podium spot as Black Dyke's 'Antiphones' led by Prof Nicholas Childs also at the European just pipped Eikanger's 'HorrorShow' under Florent Didier at the Norwegian Championships.
Panel:
The Awards Panel consisted of: Iwan Fox (4BR Editor); Malcolm Wood; Paul Hindmarsh; Andrew Wainwright; Chris Thomas; Gordon Simpson; Annie Crookston; Steven Mead; Sarah Groarke-Booth; Alexander Zwann; Jess Tredrea; Tim Mutum; Katrina Marzella; Stein Skorpholm; Camila Soderstrom Tveit.
Past Winners:
2022: Tredegar — So Spoke Albion (European Championship)
2021: Foden's — Heroes (National Championship of Great Britain)
2020: Manger Musikklag — Midnight's Butterflies (Norwegian National Championship)
2019: Cory — Titan's Progress (National Championship of Great Britain)
2018: Manger Musikklag (Siddis Entertainment Championship)
2017: Eikanger Bjorsvik — Fraternity (European Championship)
2016: Cory — The Triumph of Time (British Open Championship)
2015: Cory — Spiriti (National Championship of Great Britain)
2014: Brass Band Bugermusik Luzern — Trance (Swiss National Championship)
2013: Tredegar — Arabian Nights: Fantasy on Rimsky Korsakov's Scheherazade for Brass Band (British Open Championship)
2012: Foden's — Daphnis et Chloe (National Championship of Great Britain)
2011: Cory — Red Priest (British Open Championship)
2010: Fairey (Geneva) — Eden (English National Championship)
2009: Fountain City Brass Band — Dreams (Scottish Open Championship)
2008: Eikanger Bjorsvik — Riffs & Interludes (Norwegian Championship)
2007: Brass Band Oberosterreich — Titan's Progress (European Championship)
2006: Black Dyke — Vienna Nights (British Open Championship)
2005: Black Dyke — Journey to the Centre of the Earth (European Championship)
2004: Black Dyke — Montage (British Open Championship)
2003: Buy As You View Cory — Revelation (European Championship)
2002: Yorkshire Building Society — Concerto Grosso (European Championship)
2001: Foden's — Les Preludes (British Open Championship)