The details for the National Youth Brass Band Championships to be held at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester on Sunday 13th April have been announced.

5 sections

Once again the contest is run by the BFBB and will comprise of five sections with over 9 hours of music to be heard. The Schools Section gets underway at 9.30am in the Haden Freeman Concert Hall followed at 11am by the Junior Section.

Once the Premier Section is completed just before 2pm, the County Section will round things off in that hall with an expected finish around 6.30pm.

17 in Community Section

The Community Section has the biggest turn out of the whole day with seventeen bands competing in the Bruntwood Theatre. The 9 hour marathon starts at 9.45am and is expected to be completed by 7.30pm after the announcement of the results.

Debutants

34 bands will compete in the various sections and amongst them will be debutants from City of Leeds, Carnoustie and District, Dalmellington Junior Band, Shirland Youth and Worcestershire Intermediate.

Judges

The judges who sit in the open to make the all important decisions have been announced. Brett Baker, David Hirst, Alan Morrison, Major Peter Parkes, James Scott, Sheona White and Mark Wilkinson will be on duty across the five sections throughout the day.

Sponsorship boost

The good news for the BFBB is the continued sponsorship from The Co-operative, who continue to offer their support to the Youth Contest and it is a relationship that is valued highly by the organisers.

Full details

The full details for the National Youth Brass Band Championships promoted by the BFBB on Sunday 13th April are as follows:

Schools Section

Haden Freeman Concert Hall
Start: 9.30am
Test Piece: Music for Kantara (Kenneth Downie)
Adjudicators: David Hirst and Brett Baker
(20 minutes playing time each band)

Competing Bands:

Wardle High School Senior Band: (Lee Rigg)
Smithills High School Senior Band (Chris Wormald)

Results and prize presentation at 10.30am

Junior Section:

Haden Freeman Concert Hall
Start time: 11.00am
Test Piece: Own Choice, but must include one piece of music composed for brass bands.
Adjudicators: Sheona White and Alan Morrison
(15 minutes playing time each band)

Competing bands:

Shirland Youth (Peter Rhodes)
Fred Longworth High School Junior Band (Helen Robinson)
Wire Youth (Jo Sherry)
Gwynedd Mon William Mathias Junior Band (John Glyn Jones)
City of Leeds Junior Band (Gordon Eddison)
Worcestershire Intermediate Band (Mark Oldham)

Results and prize presentation at 1.50pm approx

Please note that the Junior Section results will be given at the same time as the Premier Section results. There is only one band taking part in the Premier section.

Premier Section

Haden Freeman Concert Hall
Start time: 1.20pm
Test Piece: Essay for Brass Band (Edward Gregson)
Adjudicators: Major Peter Parkes and David Hirst
(25 minutes playing time each band)

Competing Bands:

West Lothian Schools (Nigel Boddice, MBE)

Results and prize presentations at 1.50pm approx

County Section:

Haden Freeman Concert Hall
Start time: 2.30pm
Test Piece: Music for a Festival (Philip Sparke)
Adjudicators: Alan Morrison and Mark Wilkinson
(20 minutes playing time each band)

Competing Bands:

Oldham Music Centre (Martyn Evans)
Gloucestershire Youth, (Steve Legge)
Birmingham Schools Band (James Cunningham)
Stockport Schools (Colin Duxbury)
Hampshire Youth (Jock McKenzie)
Bolton Youth (Helen Minshall)
Rochdale Borough Youth (Eric Landon)
Worcestershire Youth (Nicky Daw)

Results and prize presentations at 6.15pm

Community Section:

Bruntwood Theatre
Start time: 9.45am
Test Piece: Dimensions (Peter Graham)
Adjudicators: James Scott and Simone Rebello
(20 minutes playing time each band)

Competing bands:

Aberystwyth Youth (Alan Phillips)
Horbury Victoria Youth (Tom Greatorex)
Tewitt Youth (Craig Ratcliffe)
Lions Youth (Nigel Birch)
Poynton Youth (Andy Hirst)
Sellers International Youth (Mark Bousie)
Enderby Youth (Trevor Hounsome)
Mount Charles Youth (Simon Dobson)
Astley Youth (Helen Minshall)
Chalford Youth (Steve Tubb)
Youth Brass 2000 (Chris Jeans)
Carnoustie & District Youth (Richard Evans)
Macclesfield Youth (Louise Renshaw)
Elland Silver Youth (Samantha Harrison)
Camborne Youth (Alan Pope)
Dobcross Youth (Brian Lamb)
Dalmellington Junior Band (Ian Taylor)

Results and prize presentation at 7.10pm

Ticket Details

Adults: £8.00

Young Persons/Concessions: £4.00

Under 11's £2.00

Programmes: £3.00

Transfer Fee to other Sections: £1.00