A delighted Nicholas Patten from Tewkesbury has won the 2024 4BR Christmas Quiz.

After being contacted he revealed that the prize of a Besson Prodige cornet courtesy of 4BR 's friends at Besson and Band Supplies Ltd will go to a young player at Tewkesbury Training Band.

Thinking cap

"I've entered every year and once again had to put my thinking cap on to find some of the answers. The Quiz is always a great way to learn more about the banding world too, so I was delighted when 4BR called and told me that I won."

Nicholas returned to banding after 40 year break following his retirement as an accountant working in East Africa. He used to play trombone, but as opportunities to play in a brass band in Malawi were limited to say the least, it fell by the wayside as his career developed.

On his return to the UK though he was determined to pick up where he left off and with a choice between bowls and banding it was banding that has got the nod, although at the moment the 68 year old is getting to grips with the Eb bass.

"I'm really enjoy myself,"he said. "Tewkesbury Training Band has a great ethos of being open to all, so I hope the cornet will be given to a young player who can start on a life long journey of brass band enjoyment — without a 40 year break!"

Answers:

1. Why would the inventor Wallace from the 'Wallace and Gromit' 'Vengeance Most Fowl' Christmas Day film have been delighted by the winner of the Swiss National Championship Elite Division this year?

The winners were Brass Band Emmental — and Wallace is renowned cheese lover.

2. What surname connects the actor who plays Mick Shipman in the Christmas Day 'Gavin & Stacey' television special with a former four-time winning conductor of the British Open Championship?

The actor's name is Larry Lamb, whilst the four time British Open winning conductor with the Fairey Band was Leonard Lamb.

3. Which 'Colliery' Band won a National title this year?

Betteshanger Colliery won the Fourth Section National title.

4. What is the musical connection between a Flowers Band victory in 2024, a choral work by Edward Elgar and a famous speech given by Martin Luther King Jr in Washington DC in 1963?

They are all linked by 'Dreams' — Harrison's for Flowers, Gerontius for Elgar and 'I have a dream' in the famous speech by Martin Luther King Jr.

5. Which iconic piece of music written by George Gershwin celebrated its centenary this year? It was first performed in a concert entitled 'An Experiment in Modern Music' at the Aeolian Hall in New York in February 1924, performed by the composer himself.

Rhapsody in Blue

6. A Prime Minister called Ingrida Simonyte attended which major brass band event in 2024?

The then Prime Minister of Lithuania visited the European Championships in Palanga in 2024.

7. Where would you have found a title winning homage this year to the exploits of Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, Robert Vaughn, James Coburn, Brad Dexter and Horst Bucholz?

These were the 'Magnificent Seven' of the film which inspired Cory's Brass in Concert winning programme.

8. Which European conductor won his ninth top section National title in 2024 leading his band to their 16th victory, and their first since 2017 on 'The Lost Circle'?

Rieks Van der Velde with Brass Band Waldsang in The Netherlands.

9. Which Forest of Dean composer, who has written a number of works for the brass band medium, won his second Ivor Novello Classical Music Award for his 'French Horn Concerto' this year?

Gavin Higgins.

10. Which foremost brass band adjudicator (judging at over 700 events), renowned cornet player, conductor and educator died in June 2024, aged 90?

David Read MBE.

11. Brass Band Treize Etoiles used this instrument in their own-choice test-piece, 'Karma' at this year's European Championships, but what is it called?

Handpan.

12. What musical instrument did former F1 World Champion James Hunt, actor Samuel L Jackson and King Charles III all play in their youth?

All played the trumpet.

13. Gilbert Vinter wrote a brass band march to mark the centenary of which organisation in 1968?

The Trades Union Congress in his 'TUC March'.

14. What colours are the chess pieces in 'Checkmate' by Arthur Bliss?

Red and Black

15. In what order are 'The Planets' performed in by Gustav Holst?

Mars; Venus; Mercury; Jupiter; Saturn; Uranus; Neptune

16. Name the composer (below), whose iconic work for the brass band medium will be 40 years old in 2025?

John McCabe

17. Which of these modes is the odd one out?
a. Ionian
b. Dorian
c. Corinthian

Corinthian is an order of classical architecture.

18. Add together the number strings on a concert harp to the number of keys on a Grand piano and multiply by the number of valves on Prestige Besson euphonium, should give you which total?
a. 440
b. 540
c. 640

540. (47 + 88 x 4)

19. Who is current Master of the King's Music?

Errollyn Wallen CBE

20. On what famous pop song would you hear the piccolo trumpet playing of David Mason?

'Penny Lane' by The Beatles.

21. What does the musical term 'tardo' or 'tarda' mean?

According to the Oxford Companion to Music it means 'slow'.

22. Name the champions (below)?

Wardle Academy after winning the 2024 Youth Brass in Concert Championship.

23. Which city is next in the list?
Stavanger, Linz, Montreux, …?

London — venue for the 2028 European Championships

24. Which test-piece to be heard in the UK in early 2025 tells in one of its sections of the cautionary tale of flying to close to the sun?

'I, Daedalus' by Andrea Price — set-work for the Fourth Section Regional Championships.

25. And which is the next in the list here in 2025?
Lancaster, Warwick, York, Bangor, Sheffield, Warwick, …?

Cardiff — venue for the 2025 UniBrass Championships.