The Tameside Open will take place at Dukinfield Town Hall on Sunday 29th March.
Tameside Council, with its long established brass band tradition, is once again pledging its support by sponsoring a series of top contests throughout 2009.
Bands
The first of these is the Tameside Open Brass Band Championships and are set to attract approximately 30 bands from around the country.
Each band will compete in one of four sections for total prize money of £4,600 and will play their own choice piece4BR
Prizes
Each band will compete in one of four sections for total prize money of £4,600 and will play their own choice piece.
This year’s two adjudicators have been announced as Paul Andrews and Duncan Beckley.
Tickets for the championships will be on sale on the door, priced at £5 for adults and £4 for concessions.
Tameside will be staging two further contests later in the year; the British Open Solo & Quartet Championships on Sunday 1st November and the Tameside Youth Brass Festival on Sunday 22nd November, both of which will be held at Dukinfield Town Hall.
Starting at 9.30am, there is a healthy turn out of bands in all the sections.
Championship Section:
Adjudicator: Duncan Beckley
Draw: 3.00pm
Start: 4.00pm approx
ASHTON-UNDER-LYNE (Martyn Evans)
BLACKPOOL BRASS (Chris Larder)
MOSSLEY (Duncan Byers)
POULTON-LE-FYLDE (Gareth Westwood)
RAINFORD (Neil Samuel)
Second Section:
Adjudicator: Duncan Beckley
Draw: 1.00pm
Start: 2.00pm approx
DODWORTH COLLIERY M.W. (Eliot Darwin)
FLIXTON (TBA)
HASLINGDEN & HELMSHORE (David Holland)
MIDDLETON (Matt Stringer)
SKELMERSDALE (John Ludden)
TYLDESLEY (Rob Taylor)
OLDHAM BAND (LEES)(John Collins)
Third Section:
Adjudicator: Paul Andrews
Draw: 11.15am
Start: 12.15pm approx
BOARHURST SILVER (David Ashworth)
COPPULL & STANDISH (Andrew Baker)
FARNWORTH & WALKDEN (Peter Ashley)
STALYBRIDGE (J. Binns)
UPPERMILL BRASS (Alan Widdop)
TRINITY GIRLS (TBA)
Fourth Section:
Adjudicator: Paul Andrews
Pre-drawn
Start: 9.30am
BESSES BOYS (James Holt)
BLACKLEY (Adrian Smith)
BRINDLE (John Smith)
CARRBROOK BRASS (Jason Smith)
DARWEN BRASS (Steve Hartley)
DENTON BRASS (Graham Smith)
FORMBY (Louise Hough)
HAZEL GROVE (Nigel Beasley)
LITTLEBOROUGH PUBLIC BRASS (Adrian Woodhead)
PARR (RICHARDSON LTD) ST.HELENS (Russell Prescott)
ST JOHNS BAND (MOSSLEY) (Stephen Corbett)
TARLETON BRASS (Gillian Bould)