Winner: Frans Violet
2. Katrina Marzella-Wheeler
3. David Morton
A fine multiple-choice battle for the honour of claiming the Blue Riband conducting award, but one that was deservedly won by the iconic founding conductor of Brass Band Willebroek, Frans Violet. He gained 7 first choice preference votes from the panel.
2025 saw him lead his band to its fourth European title, 32 years after his first with them — and then went on to add a 24th Belgian National title to cap the year off.
In between he directed both band and solo CD productions, made his annual trip to Norway, adjudicated at the Austrian National Championships, and continued to inspire players both young and old to play in a way that reflects his outstanding musicality and adherence to making them sound quite magnificent as a collective whole.
Yet another accolade for Katrina Marzella-Wheeler as runner-up, as she capped a superb personal year in which she inspired her band (and others) to new heights on and off the contest stage, whilst David Morton will certainly not forget 2025 in a hurry after he enjoyed major contesting success at both home and abroad with Oslofjord and Desford.
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: Paul Holland
2023: Frederic Theodoloz
2022: Russell Gray
2021: Arsene Duc
2020: Philip Harper
2019: Philip Harper
2018: Arsene Duc
2017: Ingar Bergby
2016: Philip Harper
2015: Philip Harper
2014: Nicholas Childs
2013: Philip Harper
2012: Allan Withington
2011: David King
2010: Ian Porthouse
2009: Robert Childs
2008: Robert Childs
2007: Allan Withington
2006: Allan Withington
2005: Nicholas Childs
2004: Ray Farr
2003: David King
2002: Russell Gray
2001: David King
