845:
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
323:
278:
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.
256:
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, 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.
879:
34:. 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.
823:
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
338:
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
298:
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
302:
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.
277:
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
268:
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
811:
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
255:
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
844:
There are around 40 university brass bands (or brass ensembles) in the UK,. 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
334:
Founded in 1860, 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
259:
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
272:
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
313:
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).
286:
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.
306:
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
832:
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
335:
England, London & Southern Counties, Midlands, Wales, North West, Yorkshire, North of England, and Scotland. The Area contests usually take place between late February and mid March.
65:
Many of these bands also compete in the British Open Brass Band Championships, established in 1853, and become representatives of their nations in the European Brass Band Championships.
17:
863:
Even those university bands who are not registered often compete in contests which allow "scratch", unregistered, or university bands. Some major competitions (e.g.
68:
The test pieces set for or commissioned by this section are extremely difficult and use complicated musical conventions and techniques to challenge the musicians.
62:
are placed in here. A few of these have professional or semi-professional players, but the contest has always been designed towards amateur musicians.
71:
The top ten bands in the Championship section (ordered by Band Supplies / British Bandsman / 4barsrest.com Ranking, as of 5 June 2022) are;
815:
There are some shortcuts; for example, a band winning the National Title for its section is automatically promoted for the following year.
1048:
260:
musicians trying for their seat (their place in the band). This means that player rivalry exists even within an individual band.
1183:
1164:
191:
1023:
853:
792:
Brass in Concert Championships, Pontin's Brass Band Championships, Scottish Open, Local Association contests
274:
1203:
1124:
766:
611:
592:
478:
161:
51:
29:
668:
59:
1024:"National Championship of Great Britain (Championship Section Final) - Contest - Brass Band Results"
342:
Since the Lower Section Finals in 2011, the Finals of Sections 1 through 4 are held at The Centaur,
1157:
The Musical Salvationist: The World of Richard Slater (1854–1939), 'father of Salvation Army Music'
808:
804:
1076:"Details of the competitions, rules and conditions and the entry form for the brass bands section"
852:
The current National University Brass Band Champions of Great Britain and Northern Ireland are "
846:
343:
322:
857:
252:
27:
As part of the British brass band tradition of contesting, bands are split into five main
8:
1176:
The British Brass Band : A Musical and Social History: A Musical and Social History
42:
This is the section containing the very best bands in the United Kingdom. Bands such as
892:
736:
European Championships, Spring Festival (Grand Shield, Senior Trophy, Senior Cup), All
129:
1179:
1160:
347:
327:
339:
the Area contests have been decided), the set works for the Finals are announced.
1075:
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867:) award a university section prize, but this is even rarer than for youth bands.
649:
630:
573:
535:
459:
421:
402:
389:
381:
307:
113:
47:
1096:
692:
Other organisations' contests and championships are spread out over the year.
1197:
803:
At the end of the competing season, the top two bands from each section are
884:
864:
747:
712:
Local Association contests, UniBrass University Brass Band Championships
701:
317:
288:
235:
55:
1110:
145:
984:"The Rules | National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain"
554:
516:
497:
440:
97:
1049:"Report & Result: 2019 National Championships of Great Britain"
998:"Report & Result: 2018 National Championships of Great Britain"
295:), there is a youth section prize awarded, but this is not common.
983:
958:
292:
824:
points than others, so this also affects who is number one.
1073:
43:
941:
939:
937:
346:, and the Championship Section Finals are held in the
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The National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain
856:
Brass Band", having won the UniBrass Trophy in 2024.
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Cardiff was adopted by Excelsior Rope Works when the
874:
246:
934:
18:National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain
922:
910:
326:2017 champions Brighouse and Rastrick playing at
1195:
807:to the next section up, and the bottom two are
860:Brass Band won the UniBrass Shield in 2024.
776:British Open, Lower Section National Finals
798:
330:2018 with the championship trophy displayed
687:
321:
1173:
945:
827:
812:below before it can make its comeback.
353:
37:
14:
1196:
1125:"Results: 2024 UniBrass Championships"
818:
704:Mineworkers' Brass Band Championships
784:Championship Section National Finals
1154:
928:
916:
839:
192:Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band
24:
1021:
728:National Youth Brass Band Contest
25:
1215:
263:
247:First, Second, and Third sections
877:
281:
1117:
1103:
1089:
1074:National Eisteddfod of Wales.
1067:
1041:
1015:
990:
976:
951:
854:Royal Birmingham Conservatoire
32:sections in the United Kingdom
13:
1:
898:
720:Regional qualifying contests
275:Melingriffith Tin Plate Works
1159:. Boydell & Brewer Ltd.
767:National Eisteddfod of Wales
584:Daphnis et Chloé, 2nd Suite
7:
1178:. Oxford University Press.
870:
660:Concertino for Brass Band
612:Brighouse and Rastrick Band
593:Brighouse and Rastrick Band
479:Brighouse and Rastrick Band
10:
1220:
1097:"List of University Bands"
546:The Legend of King Arthur
669:Grimethorpe Colliery Band
508:Journey of the Lone Wolf
1174:Herbert, Trevor (2000).
799:Promotion and relegation
688:British contesting year
679:Music for Battle Creek
1028:brassbandresults.co.uk
331:
162:Brighouse and Rastrick
52:Brighouse and Rastrick
847:University of Warwick
394:Of Men and Mountains
344:Cheltenham Racecourse
325:
299:by their enthusiasm.
1155:Cox, Gordon (2011).
858:Lancaster University
834:non-contesting bands
828:Non-contesting bands
565:Of Distant Memories
354:Championship Winners
253:degree of difficulty
38:Championship section
1204:British brass bands
819:Brass band rankings
470:Handel in the Band
1131:. 17 February 2024
893:Musical instrument
758:English Nationals
332:
1185:978-0-191-59012-2
1166:978-1-843-83696-4
1055:. 12 October 2019
796:
795:
683:
682:
676:Allan Withington
581:Allan Withington
451:Titan's Progress
348:Royal Albert Hall
328:Towersey Festival
244:
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16:(Redirected from
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959:"World Rankings"
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840:University bands
738:England Masters
695:
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657:Nicholas Childs
641:The Torchbearer
638:Nicholas Childs
622:Terra Australis
603:Breath of Souls
543:Nicholas Childs
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221:Desford Colliery
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650:Black Dyke Band
631:Black Dyke Band
536:Black Dyke Band
390:Nicholas Childs
382:Black Dyke Band
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308:Music for Youth
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562:Philip Harper
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264:Fourth section
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1111:"The Contest"
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282:Youth section
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1133:. Retrieved
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1079:. Retrieved
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1057:. Retrieved
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1043:
1031:. Retrieved
1027:
1017:
1005:. Retrieved
1001:
992:
978:
966:. Retrieved
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948:, p. 7.
946:Herbert 2000
924:
912:
885:Music portal
862:
851:
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833:
831:
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574:Foden's Band
460:Foden's Band
422:Foden's Band
403:Foden's Band
341:
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269:favourites.
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258:
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70:
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41:
28:
26:
1135:19 February
1059:12 February
865:Whit Friday
748:Whit Friday
619:David King
600:David King
486:David King
464:North West
426:North West
407:North West
373:Test Piece
289:Whit Friday
240:North West
236:WFEL Fairey
118:North West
60:Grimethorpe
899:References
773:September
578:North West
413:Hyperlink
386:Yorkshire
370:Conductor
350:, London.
196:Yorkshire
166:Yorkshire
150:Yorkshire
146:Black Dyke
48:Black Dyke
30:brass band
1129:4barsrest
1053:4barsrest
1033:9 October
1007:9 October
1002:4barsrest
963:4barsrest
904:Citations
809:relegated
789:November
709:February
673:Yorkshire
654:Yorkshire
635:Yorkshire
616:Yorkshire
597:Yorkshire
555:Cory Band
540:Yorkshire
517:Cory Band
498:Cory Band
483:Yorkshire
441:Cory Band
224:Midlands
210:Scotland
98:Cory Band
44:Cory Band
1198:Category
1081:4 August
929:Cox 2011
917:Cox 2011
871:See also
805:promoted
781:October
750:Marches
702:Butlin's
698:January
527:Spiriti
489:Gallery
130:Tredegar
1148:Sources
968:14 June
763:August
432:Heroes
293:Pontins
177:Flowers
114:Foden's
86:Region
80:Ranking
1182:
1163:
725:April
717:March
367:Region
134:Wales
102:Wales
56:Fairey
755:July
744:June
559:Wales
521:Wales
502:Wales
456:2018
445:Wales
437:2019
418:2021
399:2022
378:2023
364:Band
180:West
1180:ISBN
1161:ISBN
1137:2024
1083:2019
1061:2020
1035:2018
1009:2018
970:2022
733:May
665:2007
646:2008
627:2009
608:2010
589:2011
570:2012
551:2013
532:2014
513:2015
494:2016
475:2017
361:Year
291:and
251:The
83:Band
58:and
77:Pos
1200::
1127:.
1051:.
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1000:.
961:.
936:^
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836:.
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232:14
229:10
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204:12
54:,
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126:4
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110:2
107:2
94:1
91:1
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
