The British Open Brass Band Championship has announced its choices of test pieces for the three sections of its Spring Festival to be held at Blackpool on Saturday 9th May next year.

Mindful of quality

A spokesperson told 4BR: "As always in making these choices we are mindful of the quality of the bands involved, the majority of which are of Championship status and capable of delivering the very best of classic brass band composition. That's the basic requirement for invitation to the September Open, the event to which every Spring competitor aspires."

Open and National pedigree

The choices for 2009 include two former Open Championship commissions and one from the Nationals.

Contest Music and Pageantry

The Grand Shield sees Wilfred Heaton's universally admired 'Contest Music', while for the Senior Cup the choice is the Herbert Howells classic, 'Pageantry'.

As always in making these choices we are mindful of the quality of the bands involved, the majority of which are of Championship status and capable of delivering the very best of classic brass band compositionBritish Open spokesperson

Spectrum

With the centenary of Gilbert Viter's birth celebrated in 2009, the Senior Trophy contenders will perform his ground breaking 'Spectrum'.

Selections

'Contest Music' was last used at the British Open in 2004 as one of the three 'own choice' selections at that year's contest, although it was first used at the British Open in 1988 and the National Finals in 1982.

'Pageantry' has a much longer contesting history, first used as far back as 1934 at the British Open. It was used again in 1942 and 1970 and also appeared at the National Finals in 1937 and 1950.

'Spectrum' meanwhile caused a huge stir when it was first played at the British Open in 1969, the year of the composer's death.

Confident

The spokesperson added: "We are confident that these three works will provide more than adequate tests for the bands and a good day for the adjudicators and audience. The most difficult choices, as usual at this event, will be the one made by listeners who must decide which section to hear and when."