2025 4BR Lower Section/Youth Band of the Year

Such a wide range of bands doing great work on and off the contest stage this year — with a remarkable young band taking the honours.

BML Talents won the Elite Division at the Swiss National and came runner-up at the European Youth Championships

Thursday, 25 December 2025

Winner: BML Talents

2. Regent Brass
3. Hordaland Ungdoms Brass Band

The closest battle between nominees made by the panel to finally decide upon a winner in this hugely diverse category. In the end no fewer than five gained at least one first choice preference vote.

However, it was the remarkable BML Talents, the youth packed Swiss band from Lucerne that crossed the finishing line first.

This after a year in which their players under MD Patrick Ottiger won the Elite Division of the Swiss National Championships as well as coming runner-up in the Premier Section of the European Youth Championships in Stavanger in addition to their inventive project work and player development.

Close behind came Regent Brass — the band from the London & Southern Area that continues to be a leading explorer and champion of contemporary brass band works on the concert platform under MD Alan Duguid.

And just a short neck behind them both came Hordaland Ungdoms Brass Band — the stunning Norwegian winners of the Premier Section of the European Youth Championships in Stavanger.

Panel:

The Awards Panel consisted of: Iwan Fox (4BR Editor); Chris Thomas (4BR & BBW); Malcolm Wood (4BR & BBW); Josie Sleigh (musician); Gordon Simpson (brass band statistician); Sarah Groarke-Booth (conductor/adjudicator); Michael Franz (Editor Brass Band News Switzerland); Liv Appleton (Content Creator/itsnotatrumpet.com); Camila Soderstrom Tveit (musician/adjudicator); Alexander Zwann (conductor/journalist); Tim Mutum (brass band historian); Henk Van Loon (Editor Emotions on Stage); Philippa Edwards AOM (conductor/performing arts producer); Stein Skorpholm (broadcaster/musician).

Past Winners:

2024: Brass LT
2023: Smoras Skolemusikk
2022: Campbeltown Brass
2021: Youth Brass 2000
2020: Tewit Silver Band
2019: Wardle Academy Youth
2018: Oldham Band (Lees)
2017: BD1 Brass
2016: Youth Brass 2000
2015: Ebbw Valley
2014: Manger Skulemusikklag
2013: National Children's Band of Great Britain
2012: National Youth Band of Great Britain
2011: Bjorsvik Brass
2010: Hazel Grove Band
2009: Oldham (Lees) Band
2008: Smithills Schools Senior Band
2007: Sellers International Youth Band
2006: Pennine Brass
2005: Marsden Riverhead Brewery Band
2004: Smithills School Senior Band
2003: Smithills School Senior Band
2002: St. Dennis Band
2001: Peter Hawke Garages Lindley Band

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