Winner: Ingebjorg Vilhelmsen
2. So Matsukawa
3. Hitchin Band/Richmond Hill East School/BBE
Another exciting young compositional talent to emerge in Norwegian banding is the '4BR Newcomer of the Year'.
Ingebjorg Vilhelmsen brings a freshness of thought processes, evocative colours, texture and engaging melodicism to her works — four of which we heard this year at championships from Australia and the USA to Utrecht and Varnamo.
'Radioactive Discoveries', 'Headland Fantasy' and 'Pegasus' and 'Headland Fantasy' were used at the Swedish National Championships as set-works in the Championship, First and Second Divisions of the Swedish National Championships, whilst 'Headland Fantasy' was also used in the Third Division of the Dutch Nationals.
'The Cosmographic Mystery' (first heard at the Norwegian Nationals in 2023) was used as an own-choice by San Francisco Brass Band in winning the First Division of the North American Championships as well as by bands in the Victorian and Western Australian Championships.
Also a very talented cornet player, she gained 6 first choice nominations and two others from the panel.
The runner-up is the outstanding Japanese born conductor So Matsukawa. The 31-year-old made a remarkable impression with the judges, performers and audience in winning the 2024 Brass Band Conductors' Association competition earlier in the year. He gained 3 first choice nominations and four others.
An assistant to Music Director Robin Ticciati at the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin his only experience of brass banding came from listening to recordings of the YBS Band
As part of his prize he later worked with conductor Russell Gray and Foden's Band and conducted them during their pre-National Finals concert at Regent Hall in London in October.
Third place with 2 first place nominations and four others is the wonderful 'One Size Does Not Fit All' project led by Hitchin Band/Richmond Hill East School/BBE in reaching out to children with Special Education Needs.
Panel:
The Awards Panel consisted of: Iwan Fox (4BR Editor); Malcolm Wood (4BR); Chris Thomas (4BR & BBW); Gordon Simpson (brass band statistician); Anne Crookston (conductor/adjudicator); Sarah Groarke-Booth (conductor/adjudicator); Alexander Zwann (conductor/journalist); Jess Tredrea (conductor/musician); Tim Mutum (brass band historian); Tom Davoren (conductor/composer); Michael Franz (Editor Brass Band News Switzerland); Henk Van Loon (Editor CU Brass); Stein Skorpholm (broadcaster/musician); Camila Soderstrom Tveit (musician/adjudicator); Philippa Edwards AOM (conductor/performing arts producer)
Ingebjorg Vilhelmsen brings a freshness of thought processes, evocative colours, texture and engaging melodicism to her works4BR
Past Winners:
2023: Brass Bands England — Elevate Project
2022: Fredrick Schjelderup
2021: WobPlay.com — In Concert Series
2020: Cory Band Online Championships
2019: Sky Arts — Battle of the Bands television series
2018: Thomas Nielsen
2017: Ingar Bergby
2016: Thierry Deleruyelle
2015: Dark Arteries — Rambert Ballet and Tredegar Band
2014: The Band of the King's Division
2013: Korpsfiksert! — Eikanger Bjorsvik television series
2012: Brass in Concert
2011: Venezuelan Brass Ensemble
2010: Exit Brass
2009: Lucy Pankhurst
2008: Paul Duffy
2007: Proms Brass Day
2006: English National Championship
2005: Brass Band Aid
2004: The National Children's Band of Great Britain
2003: Emma Farrow
2002: Simon Dobson
