Band registration is now open for bands and ensembles wishing to be part of the National Youth Championships of Great Britain.

The 'Youth Champs' are taking place on Saturday 28th March 2026 at King Edward's School, Birmingham.

Great day

The fully inclusive event is open to youth bands and ensembles of all levels and regularly attracts over 1,200 young players in addition to a legion of supporters to enjoy a great day of both non-competitive and competitive music making.

The event comprises four sections: The non-competitive Showcase Section celebrates participation, creativity, and development, whilst the Performance Section, the first of three competitive events provides a supportive, low-pressure environment for bands new to contesting.

Non competitive and competitive

The Showcase Section is aimed at ambitious ensembles aspiring to the highest level which is the Blue Riband Championship Section spotlighting the very best in youth banding.

The highest placed English band will represent England at the 2027 European Brass Band Championships.

The Championship Section's set work is 'Neverland' by Christopher Bond. Commissioned and premiered by the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain in 2013, it combines musical storytelling with the technical and expressive demands ideal for youth bands, and has also been performed as a Fourth Section Regional Championship test-piece.

Further information

Band entry fee is £100, or £50 for BBE Member bands.

Through BBE's Band Ticket Boost scheme, member bands can earn back their entry fee entirely by distributing audience tickets to their supporter network.

Registration is now open, and closes on Monday 1st December 2025.

Prospective participant bands can now download the Pre-Entry Pack, which gives an overview of how Youth Champs works and what to expect on the day.

Prospective participant bands can now download the Pre-Entry Pack, which gives an overview of how Youth Champs works and what to expect on the dayBBE

Registration packs

The pack and registration link can be found on BBE's Youth Champs information page.

https://www.bbe.org.uk/what-we-do/national-youth-brass-band-championships

Adjudicator applications for the contest remain open until 3rd October.
https://www.bbe.org.uk/careers

For further questions, please contact the Youth Champs team at youthchamps@bbe.org.uk