One of banding world's most respected soprano players is offering instrumental lessons in exchange for a donation to Prostate Cancer UK.

Martin Britt, who has played for many of the world's finest bands across the globe is hoping to raise £2,000 for the charity, and is already halfway there after just two months.

More to do

He told 4BR: "Every family is touched by cancer at some point in their lives. I've enjoyed a long association with the cancer charity Bloodwise for 20 or so years and have seen the incredible improvements in prognosis. However, as the charity itself says, there is still so much that can be done."

With that in mind he came up with the idea of raising money by using his expertise as an elite level performer in the most effective manner.

Specialist advice

Martin added: "Having met lots of players over the past couple of months, from age 13 to 70 with a wide range of experience from learners to graduates and military professionals, I'm keen to open the offer up to all soprano players and to other high brass players.

Reading soprano cornet groups on Facebook (they do exist) over recent months, it's become clear that there is a need for specialist advice, whether that be about airflow, chops, articulation, musicality, performance anxiety and the instruments best suited for the job."

Martin told 4BR that all players have to do is get in touch with him to arrange a time and place, and after the lesson they can make a donation direct to Prostate Cancer UK, which enables the charity to claim Gift Aid, boosting the donation by 22%.

Martin said: "I have a recommended donation rate but I want to try and raise as much money for the charity so that it can have a positive impact on the ongoing work to eliminate the disease."

Contact:

Martin can be contacted on Facebook or Facebook Messenger or at

The West Midlands Brass Bands Association recently held their annual 'Big Brass Band' concert at Cradley Heath Salvation Army.

The band was conducted by Dave Lea and comprised 65 players from 23 different bands, with players travelling from as far as Stoke on Trent Hitchin and Humberside.

Varied programme

The varied programme included the popular overture 'Tancredi', and the T. J. Powell march 'The Bombardier', as well as 'Valero' by Jim Swearingen.

The cornets of Karl Slater, Luke Barker, Alister Rowe, Bob James, Byron Tucker and Rachel Dickens from six of the contributing bands gave a blistering performance of 'Twelfth Street Rag' before concert concluded with William Himes majestic arrangement of Wagner's 'Procession to the Cathedral'.

The band's contribution was interspersed with items by the excellent guest vocalist Hilary Crowhurst.

Horwich RMI Band has announced the appointment of the vastly experienced David W Ashworth as their new Musical Director.

As well as notching up years of success with numerous bands, David is also an Executive Officer with the Association of Brass Band Adjudicators.

Catalyst

The move will hopefully provide the catalyst for rejuvenation as the band, which was reformed just over two years ago was unable to attend the recent North West Area contest in Blackpool, although with a group of dedicated players providing a very strong core the future now looks much brighter.

Hard work

Band Manager, Andrea Moss told 4BR: "We're delighted to welcome David. His passion and ability are unquestionable and we see him as the final piece in the jigsaw to make for a successful future. We're all now looking forward to a lot of hard work!"

They added: "The band enjoys great local support for concerts and from sponsorship from local estate agents Miller Metcalfe who have supported and followed the bands progress since we reformed."

Three lucky members of the Reg Vardy Band recently took hold of their brand new Oldroyd Cardinal GVL euphonium and their new EEb Symphony Tubas.

Solo euphonium Andrew Hedley and tuba players Will Tom and Alistair Storey were presented with their instruments recently and put them to good use at the band's concert appearance at Middlesbrough Town Hall.

Find out more about Geneva Instruments:

https:/­/­genevainstruments.com/

The Lindley Band has announced the appointment of Mike Golding as their new Musical Director.

Mike was assistant principal cornet at Brighouse & Rastrick Band for 5 years and is currently Head of Brass at Bury Music Service.

Delighted

A spokesperson for the Huddersfield based band told 4BR: "Mike joins Lindley from the Pemberton Old Wigan DW B Band and we are delighted to have him at the helm. We are now looking forward to a long and successful partnership together."

Dinnington Colliery Band is looking forward to a very special anniversary celebration.

2020 marks 10 years since the Yorkshire band took part in the popular television series 'A Band for Britain', which saw them catapulted to national fame thanks to presenter Sue Perkins' attempts to rejuvenate their competitive spirits.

Rumours

The comedian and broadcaster still serves as a proud Band President and there is more than a strong rumour that something extraordinary maybe in the pipeline once again for the band based in the ex-mining town just off junction 31 in South Yorkshire.

The band is currently enjoying an extended period of stability and was encouraged by their fourth place finish at the Yorkshire Area Second Section contest under MD Lee Dunkley.

Plans are now being put in place for further contest appearances and high profile events.

Members of the Dronfield Genquip Band have been pushing themselves not only musically but physically of late as they prepare to take part in the gruelling 'Dronfield 10k Run' this Sunday (7th April).

Musical Director Damian Wileman will be joined players Cathy, Gemma, Maria and Rosie, all of whom are looking to make it to the finish line in one piece but more importantly, raise some money for the band's chosen charity for 2019, Macmillan Cancer Support.

Fast or slow

Damien told 4BR: "It's been tough getting back into the habit of running, particularly with a busy Christmas schedule and preparing for the Butlins and Yorkshire Area contests.

However, it promises to be a great day out and no matter how fast or slow we end up being, we will be delighted to have been able to raise some money for a charity that is close to all of our hearts."

The 10k run kick starts the first of a number of fundraising events that will take place this year.

Sponsor

To sponsor the runners and find out more about what Macmillan cancer support do, go to: https:/­/­www.justgiving.com/­fundraising/­Dronfield-Genquip-Band-10k-Team?utm_campaign=lc_frp_share_transaction_fundraiser_page_launched&utm_content=c14a5dc5-9186-4e05-91fb-b10ccd31cafa&utm_medium=email&utm_source=postoffice&utm_term=1552055510281

Rising Blidworth Welfare Band cornet star Corey Kohut has gained his latest accolade on the road to what is hoped will become a hugely successful brass banding career.

Corey recently won the Selston Music Festival Special Award Trophy, as well as sponsorship from the festival, as the performer under the age of 18 considered to be committed, talented and showing great promise.

He will now officially receive the award at a special Patrons & Friends event at the festival and will perform a couple of pieces for those attending.

Cornet lesson

As well as making excellent progress with Blidworth Welfare Corey recently received a cornet lesson with Black Dyke principal cornet, Richard Marshall and expanded his experience by playing flugel on the recent North East Midlands Brass Band Association Youth Course.

Excellent promise

Blidworth Welfare MD, Simon Oates, told 4BR: "Corey is showing excellent promise and is already an integral part of the band.

We're also aware of our responsibility to encourage young players to progress and reach their full potential by giving them every opportunity to play to the very best of their capabilities, and see Corey as someone who will surely do just that."

The line-up of adjudicators who will make the all important decisions at the 2019 Netherlands National Brass Band Championships has been announced.

The 39th event takes place at the TivoliVredenburg in Utrecht on the 25th & 26th October and will see an international panel comprising Sheona White (UK), Patrik Randefalk (Norway), Keven Houben (Belgium), Arsène Duc (Switzerland), Steven Mead (UK) and Tijmen Botma (Netherlands) make the all important decisions.

Sheona White, Patrik Randefalk and Kevin Houben will make the decisions in Divisions 2, 3 and 4. The First and Championship Section decisions will be in the hands of Arsène Duc, Steven Mead and Tijmen Botma.

The latest move to try and ensure that children in Scotland can receive free musical instrument tuition is set to be undertaken.

A crowd funding appeal is set to go live on April 6th (7.00am) to raise the £15,000 to pay for legal fees for the necessary first steps in a potential judicial review of the lawfulness of the fees in Scotland's state schools.

Breaking the law

The campaign believes that local authorities are breaking the law that requires state schools to provide education without charging fees.

This case follows on from numerous local and national petitions and campaigns that have so far failed to secure the funding for instrumental music services in schools with the result that the number of children taking up the lessons is in decline.

A recent report into music education estimated that up to 100,000 children are now missing out on being able to play a musical instrument

Fight goes on

Campaign activist Ralph Riddiough told 4BR. "The fight goes on. The benefits of specialist musical instrument tuition are well known. Fees in state schools are wrong. They are divisive. They exclude some children.

Children who have access to the specialist tuition in small groups will arrive in their fourth year at secondary school with a huge advantage over children who have been priced out."

He added: "More than this, there is a strong argument that the fees are unlawful. Section 3 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 says that local authorities shall not charge fees for the provision of education.

Teaching children to play musical instruments is education, and this was confirmed by the report of the Scottish Parliament's Education and Skills Committee issued in January 2019, which also recommended that these lessons be provided without levying fees."

Blame

Ralph concluded: "These recommendations have not been acted upon. The Scottish Government and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) have responded to this report with entrenched positions that the blame lies at the door of the other.

It is not right that an important education service is allowed to fall through the cracks of our public finances. There is now no option but to invoke the judgement of the courts to protect this education service. We hope as many people as possible help us in this fight."

Appeal

https:/­/­www.crowdjustice.com/­case/­changethetune/

Once again there has been a great deal of change to the All Brass Radio 'Top 20' list in the past month.

With a much more easily manageable 250 tracks, listeners are getting to hear many more pieces on a much more regular basis, and this has had a big effect on movements up and down the charts. Each month listeners get new musical experiences with the station — and more and more people are enjoying them!

All Brass Radio works hard to bring tracks from current CDs and to blend them with traditional favorites. The listeners voting on the website is a huge help. Also a large contribution comes from the bands that donate CDs.

Chart toppers

At the top of the list this month is 'Country Roads' played by the Las Vegas Brass Band. This track often makes the Top 20, but rarely as high on the list. It's testament to the idea that good melodies are lasting and enduring.

Meanwhile, across the Atlantic Ocean comes 'The Orient Express' played by the Paris Brass Band, which isn't the theme from the most recent adaptation of the famous Agatha Christie film, but a piece from the 1970's. It's great to see a wonderful European band being appreciated right at the top end of the charts.

That's always the case with the great Kirsty Abbotts — a brilliant player very well respected by the listeners of All Brass Radio. Kirsty sits in third place withher beautifully haunting rendition of 'You Raise Me Up'.

Other noteworthy tracks making a move this month are 'Bolero' by Brighouse & Rastrick off their recent CD, 'Tis a Gift' by one of the top US bands, Brass Band of Central Florida, and the short and funny 'Keystone Kartoon' by Hammonds Saltaire.

Always available

All Brass Radio is a commercial-free internet radio station that plays 'All Brass Bands, All the Time.'

The station is always available. The listeners can listen and vote on tracks at no cost as the station runs on donations. If you like listening to the latest and the best of the past brass bands tracks, please consider becoming a donor.

Listen in at www.allbrassradio.com

Top 20:

1. Country Roads (Las Vegas Brass Band)
2. Orient Express (Paris Brass Band)
3. You Raise Me Up (Carlton Main Frickley Colliery)
Soloist: Kirsty Abbotts (cornet)
4. Tis a Gift (Brass Band of Central Florida)
5. Bolero (Brighouse & Rastrick)
6. Quest Trilogy (International Staff Band)
7. 76 Trombones (Hammonds Saltaire)
8. Soundtrack Highlights from 'The Lion King' (Black Dyke)
9. Marriage of Figaro (Sun Life Stanshawe)
10. A Carmen Fantasy (Brighouse & Rastrick)

11. Great Gate of Kiev (Ever Ready)
12. King Cotton (Georgia Brass Band)
13. Festive Overture (Clacton on Sea Band)
14. Great Balls of Fire (Brass Band Willebroek)
15. A Pittsburgh Overture (Rigid Containers Group)
16. Gettysburg: Reunion and Finale (Atlantic Brass Band)
17. Festival March Celebration (Waitakere Brass)
18. Keystone Kartoon (Hammonds Saltaire)
19. Here They Come (International Staff Band)
20. The Lord of the Rings (Brass Band Willebroek)

Following the departure of Musical Director David Nicholson due to international work commitments, St Austell Town Band has appointed Garry Lannie as their new MD.

Garry has been working with the Cornish band since the beginning of the year but has an association going back to the 1980s. Hugely experienced, he has also enjoyed tenures at St Dennis, Bodmin, St Breward, Launceston and St Pinnock as well as being a tutor at the Cornwall Youth Brass Band.

Home

He told 4BR: "I'm delighted to be back at St Austell. I've so many memories and friends here, and although I've played and conducted elsewhere its always been home for me.

We have exciting things planned and with a great mix of youthful enthusiasm and experience I can't wait to get stuck in."

Working alongside Garry will be newly appointed Musical Advisor Derek Greenwood — one of Cornish bandings most respected musical figures.

Thrilled

He added: "I'm thrilled to be back at St Austell, a band that is bursting with young talent and enthusiastic, experienced players who really work as a team. They display great commitment, motivation and ambition. I'm thoroughly enjoying my involvement and I'm looking forward to working with Garry."

Formidable team

Reflecting on the appointments Band Chairman Rob Faro added: "We're grateful for the hard work and leadership offered by David Nicholson, someone who will remain a good friend of the band, as well as Iain McKnight who stepped in at short notice to lead us at the Area contest.

Garry and Derek make a formidable team, and combined with our talented players and an outstanding youth programme led by Anna Minear, Hannah Hawken and David Mumford we are looking forward to a great future."

Talented Welsh trumpet player Michael Triggs has become the 2019 winner of the prestigious Richard Fice Memorial Award.

Held annually by Cardiff County & Vale of Glamorgan Music Service (CCVGMS) and this year hosted by Ty Cerdd — Music Centre Wales, it rewards the county's leading brass player aged 19 and under.

Memory

The award was created in memory of Richard Fice, former principal cornet of South Glamorgan Youth Brass Band, who was killed in the bombing of the Royal Marines School of Music in 1989.

Since its inception in 1991, the annual £2,000 prize has helped 27 promising local players to further their careers by enabling them to purchase instruments, pay for tuition or attend residential courses.

Many previous winners have gone on to become professional musicians, including tuba player, Daniel Trodden (BBC National Orchestra of Wales) and trumpet player Simon Cox (Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra and Aurora Orchestra).

Former recipients, Meilyr Hughes (BBC National Orchestra of Wales) and Stephanie Dyer (trombonist and member of His Majesty's Sagbutts & Cornetts) joined Head of CCVGMS Emma Coulthard to form the adjudicating panel.

The four competitors: Daniel Rees (trombone), Jacques Segrott (trumpet), Ben Andrews (trombone) and Michael Triggs (trumpet) each performed a 15-minute recital as followed by 10 minute interview at the Ty Cerdd Recording Studio in the Wales Millennium Centre.

Impressed

Adjudication Panel Chair, Emma Coulthard told 4BR: ""We were impressed by the high standards of musicianship being displayed but were unanimous about the choice of winner.

Michael's performance displayed genuine range and demonstrated an ability to play both flashy, technically demanding passages and also to phrase in a sensitive and lyrical style."

Michael, a sixth form pupil at Whitchurch High School, currently holds principal positions in the County's Youth Brass Band, Youth Orchestra and Symphonic Brass and is also a member of the National Youth Brass Band of Wales.

Following A levels he hopes to study music at conservatoire or university and plans to put the prize money towards the purchase of an Eb trumpet.

Well known British euphonium player and Sterling Instruments artist Mark Glover has just given a ground breaking solo recital at the Mazda Hall in Pune, India.

Commenting on the occasion Mark told 4BR that it has become something of a mission of his to try and get the euphonium projected to new audiences around the world, with the opportunity to perform at the acclaimed concert venue coming as a great honour through the Poona Music Society.

Fascinated

"I was delighted to be asked to perform and the audience certainly enjoyed the recital. So many people told me that it was the first time they had heard the instrument and were fascinated to find out more about it and its performance history."

Such was the popularity that Mark soon sold out of his latest CD 'Hustle', with highlights of the recital which saw him accompanied by pianist Nadine Crasto, being Wesley Kendrick's arrangement of Faure's 'Pavane', new compositions by Dubai based composers Tamara Sirius and Assad Hamzy, 'Lullaby for Lucy' written as a gift to Mark's daughter by Singaporean Alex Thio, plus a triple tongue polka called 'The Devil's Tongue'.

Mark is now looking ahead to his recital at the 2019 International Tuba and Euphonium Conference in the USA in May.

The British Army Brass Band will be making a welcome return to the concert stage next week as they celebrate the 70th birthday of composer Philip Wilby.

The event takes place at St Peter's Church of England in Harrogate on Thursday 11th April (7.30pm) and will see the ensemble made up of the cream of British Army brass banding talent directed by Capt Brenden Wheeler, Director of Music of The Band of the Royal Armoured Corps.

Iconic works

No stranger to the civilian world of brass banding, Capt Wheeler will lead the band through a number of iconic works written for the medium by Prof Wilby during his distinguished composing career, including the imposing test-pieces, 'Masquerade' and 'Revelation'.

Capt Wheeler told 4BR that he is delighted that the British Army Brass Band will be able to join in the birthday celebrations in this way.

"Prof Wilby revolutionised major brass band compositions, opening perhaps the most exciting new chapter to the medium in half a century or more.

To be able to pay our tribute to him is a great honour and I'm sure the audience will be thrilled to hear his magnificent music in an equally magnificent surrounding."

Solo spot

Also on the programme will be his 'Scipio — Fanfare & Fugue' and his wonderful setting of 'The Day Thou Gavest', whilst Cory' star tenor horn player and Army Musician Ailsa Russell will perform his 'Fantasie Concertante'.

The event will be rounded off with an evocative rendition of the narrated 'The Pilgrims Progress', with Philip Wilby joining in on the church organ.

Concert details:

The British Army Brass Band
St Peter's Church
Harrogate
HG1 1PB
Thursday 11th April (7.30pm)

The own-choice selections that will be performed by the competing bands at the forthcoming European Championships in Montreux have been announced.

As always there is sure to be plenty of speculation to which band will be playing what piece in both the Challenge and Championship Sections on Saturday 27th April.

Little wonder then that the day has long been sold-out.

One world premiere

Interestingly there is only one premiere work — 'Explorers on the Moon' written under the pseudonym Paul Raphael, whilst works first used in 2018 come with 'Glass' by Simon Dobson and 'King Kong on Rue Igor-Stravinsky' by Paul McGhee.

Compositions that were originally written as the set-piece for the Championships will be heard with 'Extreme Make-Over' by Johan de Meij (2005), 'From Ancient Times' by Jan van der Roost (2009), and 'Vita Aeterna Variations' by Ed de Boer under his compositional pseudonym Alexander Comitas (2012).

Meanwhile, works that have been successfully used to top the own-choice discipline of the contest are also to be heard with 'Concerto Grosso' by Derek Bourgeois (2002) and 'Music of the Spheres' by Philip Sparke (2004).

In addition, 'Old Licks Bluesed Up', which helped Manger to claim the overall title in 2011 and 'A Brussels Requiem' which was first performed at the Championships in 2017 and was later used as the British Open test-piece in 2018, will also be played.

There will also be two performances of Peter Graham's 'The 39th Parallel' written for the National Band of New Zealand and first premiered at the World Music Contest in Kerkrade in 2017, with a first performance of Roland Szentpali's 'Concerto for Brass Band' which has been played at both the Swiss and Belgian National Championships.

Challenge Section

In the Challenge Section there will be the opportunity to hear the former Championship Section set-work, 'A London Overture' by Philip Sparke (1991), as well as two performances of Gilbert Vinter's 'Spectrum', Edward Gregson's 'Essay' and 'Sinfonietta No. 3' by Etienne Crausaz.

Virtuoso performances

Commenting on the choices, Paul Hindmarsh, Chair of the EBBA Music Commission said: "Own-choice day at the Europeans is one of the special times in the brass band calendar, where high-octane virtuoso performance is guaranteed alongside some inspiring repertoire.

I'm particularly pleased to see in this year's varied selection that bands have been delving in the archive to freshen up some significant turning points in the evolution of the band test piece — two performances of Gilbert Vinter's vibrant 'Spectrum', Derek Bourgeois' incisive and witty 'Concerto Grosso', Johan de Meij's wacky 'Extreme Make-Over'of Tchaikovsky, Jan Van der Roost's ever popular 'From Ancient Times' and Philip Sparke's expansive soundscape 'Music of the Spheres'."

Fascinating

He added: "It will be fascinating to hear how these works will sound against crop of truly imaginative and stylistically varied new pieces that have impressed so many in recent contest seasons.

We also have two opportunities to hear Peter Graham's latest test piece, 'The 39th Parallel', used at the New Zealand championships, and after 'Destination Moon' in Ostend (2017), the enigmatic pen of Paul Raphael has produced a sequel, 'Explorers of the Moon'."

The 13 bands in the Championship will perform their choice of test piece after the Challenge Section bands have completed their performances, which will also include the set test piece TerezIn by Mario BUrki.

Championship Section:

A Brussels Requiem (Bert Appermont)
Concerto for Brass Band (Roland Szentpali)
Concerto Grosso (Derek Bourgeois)
Explorers on the Moon (Paul Raphael)
Extreme Make-Over (Johan de Meij)
From Ancient Times (Jan Van der Roost)
Glass (Simon Dobson)
King Kong on Rue Igor-Stravinsky (Paul McGhee)
Music of the Spheres (Philip Sparke)
Old Licks Bluesed Up (Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen)
The 39th Parallel (2x) (Peter Graham)
Vita Aeterna Variations (Alexander Comitas)

Challenge Section:

Sinfonietta No. 3 (Etienne Crausaz)
A London Overture (Philip Sparke)
Essay (Edward Gregson)
Spectrum (2x) (Gilbert Vinter)

The 'Musicians Optician', Allegro Optical has been claiming yet more awards for its market leading excellence.

Fresh from being presented with the 'Scale-Up Business of the Year' accolade at the regional finals of the Federation of Small Business awards in March, and then claiming the National 'Best New Arts & Entertainment Business of the Year' honours in London, they have just made it a memorable hat-trick with Managing Director Sheryl Doe becoming the 2019 'Dispensing Optician of the Year'.

National reputation

Allegro Optical is an independent family business that has two outlets in Meltham and Greenfield, and which has gained a national reputation for its professional excellence as well as its inventive approach to meeting customer needs.

It has also become internationally known as the 'Musicians Opticians' for its ground breaking work with performers, players and conductors which has resulted in them being the only opticians registered British Association for Performing Arts Medicine (BAPAM).

Hat-trick

The hat-trick came at the recent annual Optician Awards in Birmingham where the industry rewards the best in the business.

Allegro Optical were finalists in two categories, and there was a huge cheer as Managing Director Sheryl Doe was awarded the prestigious 'National Dispensing Optician of the Year 2019'.

Sheryl later told 4BR: "We were really surprised, but thrilled to have won all these awards. It's very encouraging for all the members of the Allegro Optical team. This award acknowledges the high standard of service we strive to provide every client with."

Special pride

She added: "We take a very special pride in being able to work closely with musicians; understanding their optical needs and requirements and being able to help them enjoy their music making.

It that specialised help and professional care that has helped win these awards, and we hope we can continue to help musicians and all our customers for many more years to come."

Find out more

To find out more about Allegro Optical and what they can do for you, go to:

https:/­/­www.allegrooptical.co.uk/

After an absence over 60 years, a joint initiative between the Cadishead Public Band and the Andrew Cooke Music Trust will see the return of a contest to the famous banding area of Irlam in Manchester.

The 'Steelfesitval of Brass', is a new outdoor entertainment contest specifically for Third and Fourth Section band that will take place on Saturday 25th May on the Pavilion Stage at the Irlam Steel Club in Irlam, Manchester.

Six decades

A popular contest was held in Irlam from the mid 1880s to the 1920s, but it now makes a welcome return for the first time in over six decades with the attraction of a first prize of £750 and a prize fund of over £1000.

The event will form part of the Steelfest 2019 'Festival of Music' on the site, with the following day seeing music making from all genres of bands entertaining the crowds and raising funds and awareness of the Andrew Cooke Music Trust.

The Trust was established in 2012 as a memorial to Andrew Cooke who was a member of the Cadishead Public Band who passed away in 2001. It helps people in Salford by offering financial support for those wanting to pursue a career in the music industry, especially those experiencing financial difficulties in their studies.

Own-choice

Each band will be required to perform an own-choice programme of 25 minutes to include at least one piece arranged by Goff Richards.

The music adjudicator will be Wingates MD Paul Andrews, whilst Goff's wife Sue will judge the entertainment element.

Relaxed

The relaxed atmosphere means no registration requirements, although a list of players should be submitted to the contest organiser 7 days before the event, and players may play for more than one band if required. A maximum (but no minimum) of 30 players will be allowed to compete including percussion.

At the end of the contest, all the bands will be invited perform together for massed band performance of two pieces of music which will be issued to them before the event.

The closing date for entries is Thursday 2nd May.

More details

For more details contact:

Contest Organiser
David Dee

Kapitol Promotions has announced the list of set-works that will test the bands at London (12th October) and Cheltenham (14th/15th September) in search of National titles.

Championship Section:

The 20 Championship Section bands at the Royal Albert Hall will be faced with Hermann Pallhuber's 'Titan's Progress', which was originally commissioned by Brass Band Oberosterreich as their own-choice work for the 2007 European Championships.

Inspired by the four-volume 'Titan' novel written by author Jean Paul between 1800 and 1803, it tells the story of the education of the hero, Albano de Cesara, and his transformation from a passionate youth into the mature man who ascends to the throne of the small principality of Pestitz.

It also pays homage to the composer Gustav Mahler (who was an admirer of Paul's writing), whose First Symphony is subtitled 'The Titan'.

Pallhuber cleverly entwines the narrative scope of the novel with heroic marital elements alongside a stylised chorale, impudent Landler, dancing Farandole and effervescent fugue to draw a complex portrait of man who finds greatness despite his obvious flaws.

Following its acclaimed premiere it was subsequently amended for use at the 2008 Swiss National and 2009 British Open Championships.

First Section:

The First Section contenders at Cheltenham will perform Philip Sparke's 'Endeavour', which was commissioned in 1988 for the Bicentennial World Brass Band Championships in Brisbane.

It is named after the ship on which Captain Cook set sail on his first voyage of discovery between 1768 and 1771, and which subsequently reached the east coast of Australia in April 1770.

Written in three parts, the opening 'The Unknown Continent' charts the anticipation of finding 'Terra Australis'. The pioneering spirit of early settlers in evoked in the central 'The New Challenge', whilst the eventual development of the nation is marked in the final 'Celebration'.

It has been used at various competitions, including the Championship Section of the Australian National Championships in 2000.

Second Section:

Edward Gregson's four movement 'Occasion' will test the Second Section contenders.
Commissioned for the 1986 National Youth Championships of Great Britain it is an amalgam of three earlier inspirations and one new section — each fit for a special 'occasion': 'Fanfare', 'Festivities', 'Elegy' and 'Dance'.

The opening 'Fanfare' movement was originally written as a fanfare for the 1981 wedding of Edward Gregson's great friend and fellow composer Paul Patterson, while 'Elegy' and 'Dance' were commissioned as a test-piece for a Scottish invitation contest in 1982. The second movement 'Festivities' was added to complete the work for the 1986 event.

It has previously been used as the Third Section National Finals work in 1989.

Third Section:

Thierry Deleruyelle's evocative 'Viking Age' will provide a compact (around 10 and half minutes), and exciting test for the Third Section bands.

The four sections reflect on the 'Viking Age' that lasted from the 8th to the 11th century — from the arrival of 'The Northern Men' with their shrewd insight and mercantile prowess, to their 'Explorer' desires to seek new lands, the fearsome nature of their 'Raids' and finally, their lasting 'Heritage' which is still with us today.

The thematic material is based on an initial four note cell that appears in different forms; thematic, contrapuntal or as accompaniment.

It was used as the set-work at the 2018 Third Section Dutch National Championships.

Fourth Section:

Stephen Bulla's beautifully crafted 'Beecher Variations' will test the bands in the Fourth Section. It was written in 2015 as a joint commission for the Fourth Division of Netherlands National Championships and the Buffalo Silver Band from New York in celebration of its centenary.

It takes the form of a theme and variations on the 1870 hymn tune 'Beecher' by John Zundel, which was named in honour of his pastor, Henry Ward Beecher. It elegantly captures different styles and emotions — from the expressive to the triumphant and features solo excerpts for cornet, soprano, flugel and euphonium.

It was published as a setting for Charles Wesley's 'Love Divine, All Loves Excelling' and is also known as 'Zundel'.

Test Pieces:

Championship Section: Titan's Progress (Hermann Pallhuber)
First Section: Endeavour (Philip Sparke)
Second Section: Occasion (Edward Gregson)
Third Section: Viking Age (Thierry Deleruyelle)
Fourth Section: Beecher Variations (Stephen Bulla)

The Scottish Brass Band Association (SBBA) has announced that a revised version of Howard Snell's evocative arrangement of the Hector Berlioz overture 'Waverley' will test the competitors at the Scottish Open Championship in November.

In an inventive move, each band will also be asked to perform a fanfare and concert march arranged by Howard, who will be one of the adjudicators for the event on Saturday 23rd November at Perth Concert Hall.

150th anniversary

The decision was made as 2019 is the 150th anniversary of the death of Berlioz, who was born in La Cote-St —Andre in 1803 and who died in Paris in March 1869.

The 'Grande Overture: Waverley' was first performed at the Paris Conservatoire in the May 1828. It bears the quotation: "Dreams of love and Lady's charms/Give place to honour and to arms", and is dedicated to the composer's maternal uncle Colonel Felix Marmion.

It is loosely inspired by Walter Scott's fictional novel of the same name, written in 1814 (the quotation comes from Scott), concerning the admirable honour shown both in battle and love by it eponymous hero Edward Waverley, during the time of 1745 Jacobite uprising. A huge literary success it sealed its author's reputation.

'Waverley' was written just four years before Scott's death (Berlioz also wrote the overture 'Rob Roy' inspired by Scott's later novel) after the composer first read it in 1825.

In his memoirs Berlioz stated that he started it sometime in 1826, abandoning it and then returning to complete it in February 1828.

New commission

Howard Snell's arrangement was used as the Championship Section Area test-piece in 1984 and a revised version will be used for this contest.

It was also confirmed that he will write a new commission for 2020 Scottish Open to celebrate 125 years of the Scottish Brass Band Association.

Challenge Shield

SBBA also confirmed that the Band Supplies Scottish Challenge Shield will take place at Perth Concert Hall on Saturday 30th November, with bands from Section 1-4 performing own-choice works.

In another inventive move, and with the contest falling on St Andrew's Day, competitors are asked to perform works by Scottish composers.

Details of the Scottish Youth Band Championships on 23rd/24th November will be announced shortly.

Entry forms:

Scottish Open Championship:
Scottish Challenge Shield: www.sbba.org.uk or