The popular ConsTest Birmingham Open own-choice contest takes place at Bradshaw Hall at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire today (Saturday 6th April).
4BR will be there with Matt Ludford-King to bring you a band by band taste of the action.
To enjoy go to:
https://www.4barsrest.com/articles/2023/2052.asp
Wide choice
Adjudicators Ian Porthouse and Ryan Watkins will have to compare and contrast 13 different contenders with a wide selection of ambitious selections on show.
These include those recent Area test-pieces, 'Corineus', 'Music for Jock Tamson' and 'Triptych' as well as 'Of Distant Memories', 'Pageantry', 'The Saga of Haakon the Good', 'Mountain Views', 'The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea', 'Tournament for Brass', 'Tallis Variations', 'Olympus' and 'Fire in the Blood'.
Live stream
The contest itself will also be live streamed by Next Step Films on their NXTOD platform.
So if you cannot make it to Birmingham, you can still enjoy all 13 performances plus the gala concert with Flowers Band and the results ceremony.
Flowers will perform their award-winning 'Alice in Wonderland' Brass in Concert set featuring soloists Emily Evans and Paul Richards.
You can secure your live streaming ticket for £4.99 at: www.nxtod.com
Prizes
There will also be an equally wide variety of prizes on offer for bands at each level thanks to partnerships created with Geneva, Denis Wick, thecornetshop.com and Alliance.
In addition to the usual musical attractions there will be the opportunity to enjoy the fine on-site facilities which will also include a number of trade stands.
Tickets and information:
Tickets are available at: https://www.bcu.ac.uk/conservatoire/events-calendar/constest2024
After the results ceremony, The Fluorescent Brassolescents will play Arctic Monkeys' hits, followed by the Ambrassadors playing party anthems to close the night, in the Eastside Jazz Club.
For more information, go to: www.constest.co.uk
Draw:
Adjudicators: Ian Porthouse & Ryan Watkins
Commence: 10.00am
1. Amington Band (Chris Barker)
2. City of Chester Bluecoat Band (Ewan Easton)
3. Oddfellows Brass (John Davis)
4. Seindorf Beaumaris (Bari Gwilliam)
5. Sovereign Brass (Alan Gifford)
6. Croft Silver Band (Henry Dunger)
7. Skelmersdale Prize Band (Benjamin Coulson)
BREAK
8. Newstead Brass (Martin Heartfield)
9. Harborough Band (Ben Smith)
10. Clock Face Miners Heritage Brass Band (Will Haw)
11. Jackfield Band (Ryan Richards)
12. Cleobury Mortimer Concert Brass (David Nicholson)
13. Nailsworth Silver Band (Anri Adachi)
