2004 US Open Brass Band Championships - Contest information and preview

4BR will be off to the USA this weekend to report on the US Open Championships. We are looking forward to it - as long as they have sorted out that Presidential thing.

US Open Brass Band Championships
Entertainment Programme
Adjudicators: Alan Morrison, Nick Hudson and Alan Wycherly
Saturday 06 November
Commence: 10.00am

Your intrepid correspondents from 4BR are off across the wide blue Atlantic Ocean to the USA this weekend to report on the US Open Brass Band Championships that are taking place in the St. Viator High School Theatre, Arlington Heights, Chicago, Illinois. 

Now that we know who is in the White House (unless they all go to court again) we can travel safe in the knowledge that the only thing on the Americans minds is who is going to win the US Open here.

We will take in the sights and sounds of Chicago, travel around and meet the movers and the shakers in the banding world there, and report on what should be a very interesting experience. There are some other Brits out here as well, what with Alan Morrison, Nick Hudson and Alan Wycherly on the adjudication panels and Frank Renton lending some gravitas to the occasion with his wonderful BBC pronunciation. There is also the Dearham Band from the UK as well.

Peggy Kinnane's Pub for the Busker's Preview at 8pm on Friday night the 5th November will see the start of the whole weekend, before the main contest the next day.
 
We are looking forward to the playing as well, what with some interesting contests (including that great Buskers Event) and some pretty good bands on show as well. We'll send get you the results, then give a report and even a few pictures and interviews, although we may fail to get a word from John Kerry or George "Dubya".

November 6th will be adjudicated by Alan Morrison and Nick Hudson who will have similar scoring sheets as last year:

100 points to award for Musical proficiency and 20 points for G.E. (General effect or Entertainment) Alan Wycherly will also have an additional 20 points for G.E. This means a total possible score of 260. Alan Wycherly will also be the sole adjudicator for the special captions of Best Soloist, Best Performance of a March, Best New Arrangement/Original Composition for Brass Band.

The contest timetable for the 6th of November is as follows:

10:00 AM - Introductions
10:15 AM - Prairie Brass Band
11:00 AM - Dearham Brass Band (UK)
11:45 AM - Illinois Brass Band
12:30 PM - Lunch Break
1:15 PM - Brass Band Central Florida
2:00 PM - Motor City Brass Band
2:45 PM - Fountain City Brass Band
3:30 PM - Done

4BR Prediction:

1. George Bush
2. John Kerry

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