The British Open Solo and Quartet Championships will take place on Sunday 2nd November at Dukinfield Town Hall.

Tameside support

Promoted by Tameside Council and the British Open, the contest has attracted 80 competitors and will feature the finest junior and senior musicians from the world of brass, competing in five Championship sections of Senior Solo, Intermediate Slow Melody, Junior Slow Melody, Junior Quartets and Senior Quartets.

There will be £3,000 in prize money up for grabs to supplement the titles that have long and glorious pedigrees. They were founded by Harry Mortimer at Oxford during the 1940s and have since produced any number of illustrious winners over the years.

The winner of the Open Solo Championship will head to Australia next year to compete in the Ern Keller International Soloist of the Year Contest thanks to the support of Tameside Council4BR

10.30am start

The Senior Solo Championships will commence at 10.30am with around 30 entrants in a preliminary competition for a place in the final.

There they will compete against Mark Howcroft, the 2008 Ern Keller International Soloist of the Year Champion from Australia and Katrina Marzella, the reigning British Open Solo winner who will be defending her title for the second year running.

If succesful, Katrina will become the first person since the great James Shepherd in 1962/3/4 to win the contest three years in a row.

Generous support

Contest Organiser, Frank Hodges, told 4BR: "Once again the generous support of Tameside Council, for the eighth successive year, has ensured that we will be able to send the winner of the Open Solo title to Australia to compete in the 2009 Ern Keller ‘International Soloist of the Year’ competition."

Also at 10.30am, 21 entrants will compete in the Intermediate Preliminary Championships for a place in the final later in the day.

The judges

This year’s judging panel will consist of Paul Andrews, Michael Fowles, Helen Williams, Glyn Williams, Major Peter Parkes and David Read, many of whom have tasted success at various levels in the event over the years. Accompanists will once again be Roderick Barrand and David Jones.

Tickets will be on sale on the door priced £4.00 adults and £3.00 children/concessions.

4BR will be present at the competition and a review of the day's proceedings will appear next week.