Brass Bands England has said that it has been "blown away" by the response from bands and ensembles which has seen them fill all available entry places for its 2027 National Youth Championships of Great Britain in just a month.

The unprecedented demand to secure a playing spot means that the event at King Edward's School in Birmingham on Saturday 17th April will be packed with vibrant music making with 40 competitors taking part.

BBE stated that it believes that the surge in demand which follows on from the success of the 2026 event at the same venue underlines the value that bands place on reliable, high-quality opportunities delivered by them.

Blown away

BBE's Interim CEO Sarah Baumann said: "We knew that a change in our usual date may have not been suitable for some of our regular attendees due to where Easter Holidays land this year.

However, our youth bands have completely blown us away with their enthusiasm for attending the event, and we're particularly delighted that, across the four sections, eight bands will be performing at Youth Champs for the first time."

Growing in strength and consultation

Sarah added: "We're grateful to Arts Council England and long-standing sponsors such as ABRSM and Yamaha for their continued support, which allows this essential event to keep growing in strength."

BBE also confirmed that it will now enter a phase of open consultation with youth bands leaders to shape and develop the future of the event.

This will see all youth bands, from regular attendees to those who would like to register in years to come, invited to share their thoughts and opinions on how potential changes to future events could impact their attendance and experience.

This can be done at: https://airtable.com/appnx0XU1M3Dm2gQx/pagCbDdrQsZL0B9P3/form

BBE will also be consulting with young people invested in the event through its Youth Voice Working Group.