As part of the British brass band tradition of contesting, bands are split into five main brass band sections in the United Kingdom. These are the Championship, First, Second, Third, and Fourth sections. In some contests, a Youth section is also used, but this is not graded. The adjudicator for qualifying contests sits enclosed and unable to see the bands as they play, and then judges them on various points, one of which is interpretation.
This is the section containing the very best bands in the United Kingdom. Bands such as Cory Band, Black Dyke,[1]Brighouse and Rastrick, Fairey[2] and Grimethorpe are placed in here. A few of these have professional or semi-professional players, but the contest has always been designed towards amateur musicians.[3]
Many of these bands also compete in the British Open Brass Band Championships, established in 1853,[3] and become representatives of their nations in the European Brass Band Championships.
The test pieces set for or commissioned by this section are extremely difficult and use complicated musical conventions and techniques to challenge the musicians.
The top ten bands in the Championship section (ordered by Band Supplies / British Bandsman / 4barsrest.com Ranking,[4] as at October 2024) are:
The degree of difficulty of the music used in competitions is progressively less for each section. Many individual players in the First section can match the virtuosity of Championship section players, and the gap between the two sections is always hotly contested, as indeed it is between Second and First. Very often the only reason a band from the top of one section does not successfully migrate up to the next section lies in their interpretation of a test piece at a contest, where their fate lies in the hands of an adjudicator. In the past,[when?] deportment was one of the judgeable factors, but this is no longer part of contest judgement. On many occasions success or failure will depend on very small matters or mistakes, and this closeness between bands often increases in the higher sections.
Although many of the players at the top are truly virtuoso musicians, outside the genre they are seldom well known. All are amateurs (players pay for the privilege of being allowed to play with a band), and every player knows that if his or her musicianship is not up to standard, there are other musicians trying for their seat (their place in the band). This means that player rivalry exists even within an individual band.
Fourth section
Most Fourth section bands try to move up the ranks to Third section, and so they set themselves musical tasks to enable them to improve. These tend to include the simpler marches and old test pieces. The marches and other compositions of the Welsh composer and conductor T. J. Powell remain constant favourites[citation needed].
One of the principal reasons for a decline into Fourth section status lies in the difficulties of recruiting new players. In the past when Britain had extensive heavy industries, these would sponsor brass bands, who would then bear their name. For example, the once-great Melin Griffith Band of Cardiff was adopted by Excelsior Rope Works when the Melingriffith Tin Plate Works closed down, and then they became the Excelsior Rope Works Band. The decline in industrial sponsorship removed the financial backing which supported such vital items as a practice room, uniforms, instruments, stands, chairs, and music, which taken together cost far more than a subscription band can ever afford. However, with very few exceptions, these bands have been struggling to get by supported only by the members' subscriptions, the occasional sponsored concerts, and playing Christmas carols. Not infrequently, practice rooms become unavailable, adding still more to the pressure to disband, and many bands have disappeared or amalgamated in recent years. A further problem is that players of ability would normally rather play in a band which stretches them, so it becomes hard to recruit good players for a lower section band, and this increases the problem.
Youth section
Youth bands are not usually registered and are not graded, and so they do not really compare with the above sections. However, Youth bands may be permitted to perform in competitions. At some major competitions (e.g. Whit Friday), there is a youth section prize awarded, but this is not common.
Youth bands suffer from some perennial problems, because players grow too old for the band and leave, causing the strength of the band to wane and then grow again. Also, as many youth band players are not fully-grown, they do not have the sound capacity of the adult bands; however, this may be offset by their enthusiasm.
The very best three or four youth bands will be around the standard of the top First section and lower Championship section bands. However, their strength undulates, so a youth band could sweep all before them in August, and then collapse in September when all the top players leave for university.
The main competitions for youth bands are the Action Medical Research Youth Entertainment Championships, the National Youth Brass Band Championships of Great Britain, and the brass band section of Music for Youth.
The National Youth Brass Band Champions of Great Britain are "Youth Brass 2000" who have won this award for 4 consecutive years. They have also come second in the Europeans top section for 3 consecutive years (the latest 2 have also won best soloist).
The National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain
2017 champions Brighouse and Rastrick playing at Towersey Festival 2018 with the championship trophy displayed
Founded in 1860,[3] the National Brass Band Championships are the annual national competition where bands compete against each other. The first round of the championships are the Area contests where bands across all sections compete to qualify for the national Finals. There are eight Areas: West of England, London & Southern Counties, Midlands, Wales, North West, Yorkshire, North of England, and Scotland.[5] The Area contests usually take place between late February and mid March.
The second part of the competition – the Finals – takes place the following September or October. Each section is assigned its own test piece. The Area test pieces are usually announced at the lower section Finals in September (or sometimes even before). In early June (after the qualifying bands from the Area contests have been decided), the set works for the Finals are announced.
Since the Lower Section Finals in 2011, the Finals of Sections 1 through 4 are held at The Centaur, Cheltenham Racecourse, and the Championship Section Finals are held in the Royal Albert Hall, London.
Local Association Contests: Dr Martin Trust, Fife, Red Admiral, SCABA
October
Championship Section National Finals
Local Association Contests: Challenging Brass, ODBBA, Rochdale, Stanley, West Wales BBA
November
Brass in Concert
Scottish Open
Local Association Contests: DCBBA, GBBA, LBBA, NEMBBA, SBBA, SEWBBA, SWBBA, Wessex BBA, Wychavon
Promotion and relegation
At the end of the competing season, the top two bands from each section are promoted to the next section up, and the bottom two are relegated to the section below. Several factors are used in determining who is promoted and relegated, and a band must perform consistently for three years, because the scores are aggregated over the previous two years. Therefore, a relegated band will usually have to spend at least two years in the section below before it can make its comeback.
There are some shortcuts; for example, a band winning the National Title for its section is automatically promoted for the following year.
Brass band rankings
Controversial rankings of the bands are published by 4BarsRest and Brass Band World; however, each should be compared by how they compile their rankings. Often it is the band which has competed successfully in the most competitions that wins the highest ranking. However, some competitions give more points than others, so this also affects who is number one.
Non-contesting bands
Participation in the whole contesting and ranking exercise is not compulsory, and there exist brass bands in the UK which for any number of reasons choose not to do so; these are known as non-contesting bands.
University bands
There are around 40 university brass bands (or brass ensembles) in the UK,.[10] Like Youth bands, University bands are usually not registered, as many players also play with nearby registered bands. Furthermore, the standard of many university brass bands oscillates widely every year when a third of their players graduate and are replaced. This means the standard contesting sections can struggle to reflect the actual standard of the bands. The main inter-university brass band contest is UniBrass, the National University Brass Band Championships of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. UniBrass is an annual entertainment contest organised by students, supported by the UniBrass Foundation (a registered charity in England and Wales). University bands are separated into two sections, the Trophy and the Shield, which run concurrently over one day in February. The first UniBrass contest took place in Lancaster in 2011. UniBrass 2024 was hosted by the University of Warwick.[11]
The current National University Brass Band Champions of Great Britain and Northern Ireland are "Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Brass Band", having won the UniBrass Trophy in 2024. Lancaster University Brass Band won the UniBrass Shield in 2024.[12]
Even those university bands who are not registered often compete in contests which allow "scratch", unregistered, or university bands. Some major competitions (e.g. Whit Friday) award a university section prize, but this is even rarer than for youth bands.
A pipe band is a musical ensemble consisting of pipers and drummers. The term pipes and drums, used by military pipe bands is also common.
In Britain, a brass band is a musical ensemble comprising a standardized range of brass and percussion instruments. The modern form of the brass band in the United Kingdom dates back to the 19th century, with a vibrant tradition of competition based around communities and local industry, with colliery bands being particularly notable. The Stalybridge Old Band, for example, first performed in 1815 and is still in existence, although it did not become a brass band until the 1840s.
Philip Allen Sparke is an English composer and musician born in London, noted for his concert band and brass band music. His early major works include The Land of the Long White Cloud – "Aotearoa", written for the 1980 Centennial New Zealand Brass Band championship. He subsequently went on to win the EBU New Music for Band Competition three times, including in 1986 with a commission from the BBC called Orient Express.
Philip Wilby is a British composer, organist and choir director.
The Lions Youth Brass is a youth band based in Sandbach, England. Founded in 1989, the band is named after several Lions Clubs in the region that have sponsored it since its founding. With over 100 members, the organisation contains three bands for players of different skill levels; in ascending order, these are the Debut band, the Academy band, and the Youth band. The age range of the organisation ranges between 6 and 18 and rehearse at Sandbach School every Tuesday.
The Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band is a British brass band formed in 1881. The band is based in Brighouse, in Calderdale, West Yorkshire, England. The band is known across the world, and is regarded by many as the best and most consistent "public subscription band" in the world. They were the 2022 British Open champions, the current Brass in Concert, and Saddleworth Whit Friday champions, and were voted 2022 4Barsrest Band of the Year. The band are regarded as one of the finest brass bands in history, and are in high demand across the globe.
Wardle Academy is a coeducational secondary school with academy status, located in Wardle, Greater Manchester, England. It was founded in September 1977.
The Tasmanian Bands League (TBL) is the governing body of community banding in Tasmania. It is also an affiliated banding association of the National Band Council of Australia (NBCA). The Tasmanian Bands League's operations include the running of music camps and workshops within the state, as well as the organisation of local band-related competitions.
Foden's Band is a brass band from Sandbach in Cheshire. The band derives its name from the Foden manufacturer of trucks in Sandbach. Foden's Band are one of the top brass bands in the world; regularly appearing at the top of the "World of Brass – World Rankings" In 2012, Foden's became double winners of both the National Championships and the British Open.
Rothwell Temperance Band (RTB) are a Championship Section brass band in Yorkshire. Although they do not rehearse in Rothwell itself, they have strong connections with the town and hold many concerts for the local community.
Percy Eastman Fletcher was a British composer of classical music best known today for his brass and military band music. He also worked as a highly successful musical director at London theatres.
Simon Dobson is an English composer particularly noted for his brass band compositions.
Eric Walter John Ball OBE was a British composer, arranger and conductor of brass band music, described as "one of the most prolific writers and influential figures in the brass band and choral world".
The GUS Band is a world-famous brass band, based in Kettering, England. Originally known as the Munn and Felton Works Band, it was formed by Fred Felton in 1933 in Kettering, England. Since then, the band has won many prizes and competitions over the years.
The Wellington Brass Band is a British-style brass band based in Wellington, New Zealand. The 28-piece ensemble is registered contesting band in the New Zealand A Grade. The band performs extensively throughout New Zealand and Australia, and is the current champion band of New Zealand.
Nicholas John Childs is a Welsh musician, conductor, composer and brass educator.
The Lewes, Glynde and Beddingham Brass Band, or LGB Brass, is a brass band from Sussex. It was formed in the village of Glynde, but is now based in nearby Lewes, the county town of East Sussex.
Jordan Ashman is a British multi-percussionist born in 2004 in Bury St Edmunds, and is the winner of the BBC Young Musician of the Year award in 2022.
Nigel Boddice MBE, hon. ARAM was a British trumpet player, conductor and band leader who was prominent in the UK brass band scene. He performed and recorded with many orchestras and bands over his lifetime, including a 20-year tenure as the Section Principal Trumpet of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.
James Shepherd was an English cornet player from Northumbria, described as one of the world's most respected players of the instrument, having won the Championship Soloist of Great Britain Prize in three consecutive years (1962-4). He was principal cornet of Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band from 1960 to 1963, then the Black Dyke Band from 1963 to 1973, before forming a brass ensemble, James Shepherd Versatile Brass, which he led until 1989. He was also principal cornet of the Virtuosi Brass Band, a recording ensemble assembled by Eric Ball.
Cox, Gordon (2011). The Musical Salvationist: The World of Richard Slater (1854–1939), 'father of Salvation Army Music'. Boydell & Brewer Ltd. ISBN978-1-843-83696-4.
Herbert, Trevor (2000). The British Brass Band: A Musical and Social History: A Musical and Social History. Oxford University Press. ISBN978-0-191-59012-2.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
