The Irish Association of Brass & Concert Bands (IABCB) has announced a sponsorship agreement with Besson for the forthcoming 43rd National Band Championships of Ireland.

The 'Besson 43rd National Band Championships of Ireland' will be held in the University Concert Hall, Limerick on 29th & 30th March.

This year the Championships will see over a thousand musicians from all parts of the country compete for the title of National Band Champions 2008.

There is no question but the Championships will benefit enormously from the quality of this relationship with Besson, who have been synonymous with brass bands for over a centuryIABCB

Strong heritage

Commenting on the deal, IABCB public relations officer John Kelly told 4BR: "The National Band Championships of Ireland is the premier event for brass and concert bands. It was therefore important for us to find a main sponsor with a strong band heritage and a reputation
for quality.

There is no question but the Championships will benefit enormously from the quality of this relationship with Besson, who have been synonymous with brass bands for over a century."

The 2008 Championships will be the biggest such event in Ireland since the WASBE world conference in Killarney last summer.

Thrilling weekend

John added: "We are looking forward to welcoming as many of our international friends and colleagues back to Limerick for what promises to be a thrilling weekend of music-making.

As is usual, there will be an extensive trade display at the Championships where the new range of highly acclaimed Besson instruments will be on display."

Further details

The Championships begin at 10am on Saturday 29th March. Tickets are available on the day at the UCH, Limerick with special discounts available too. Further details of the Championships can be found on the IABCB website www.iabcb.ie