Only time will tell if Brighouse & Rastrick’s victorious performance at the 2025 British Open Championship will be remembered in the same breath as other seminal triumphs in the contest’s long history. 

There is little doubt however that it stands in comparison to the most thrilling heard since the event came to Birmingham in 1998.

Fittingly, the first winning performance at Symphony Hall also came under the baton of David King, as he led the then Yorkshire Building Society Band to a 199-point victory on ‘Whitsun Wakes’.   

Stunning

Whether a similarly inspired, almost perfect rendition of ‘Star Crossed Lovers’  will prove to be the sixth and last of the Australian’s remarkable contesting career we shall have to wait and see. 

You wouldn’t bet against it though. Not after it left the vast majority of people fortunate to have listened to it in all its glory, stunned in admiring acclaim. 

Fewer still though have done it with such a mercurial air of box-office charisma.  

Charisma

Few conductors in the modern banding world have maintained such a span of elite level major title winning achievement – one that began in 1990 with Black Dyke Mills Band at the European Championships.  In the 35 years that have followed he has amassed a multitude of accolades – from Norway to North America, London to Little Rock. 

Fewer still though have done it with such a mercurial air of box-office charisma.  

Indefinable

Even as he approaches his 70th birthday in a few years’ time, he remains in a class of his own.  The Australian continues to defy age and expectations - the brass band equivalent of snooker player Ronnie O’Sullivan and cricketer James Anderson rolled into one - an almost indefinable talent in complete mastery of his art.

Like them, you also need to catch him in action before he finally decides to hang up his baton. You cannot replicate uniqueness.

The Australian continues to defy age and expectations - the brass band equivalent of snooker player Ronnie O’Sullivan and cricketer James Anderson rolled into one - an almost indefinable talent in complete mastery of his art.

Complete understanding

That winning performance of Stephen Roberts’ test-piece brought to mind Andre Previn’s maxim that a great conductor, ‘…combines deep musical knowledge, effective leadership, and clear communication to inspire a cohesive and expressive musical performance'. 

His band, let alone the audience certainly understood him completely. 

Performance experience

Even before the announcement of the results many of his players (both young and slightly older) spoke in awed terms of the performance experience they had just enjoyed.  So too those in the audience, especially those who have seen him lead both Yorkshire Building Society Band and Brighouse to past victories at Symphony Hall (1998, 1999, 2001 and 2003 with YBS and 2022 with B&R).   

No true brass band contest aficionado decides to have a cup of tea when he walks onto the stage with baton in hand.

And so too the judges – the composer, Stephen Roberts writing on his adjudication summary that it had been a performance that had brought him to tears.

Musical identity

He has been at the helm at the West Riding Band for over 15 years now, and whilst the major titles victories have been more sporadically spread than during the peak years with Yorkshire Building Society, the comparisons are not without foundation. 

Both bands have been ultimately forged in his musical identity; exciting, brave and forever absorbing to listen to.  No true brass band contest aficionado decides to have a cup of tea when he walks onto the stage with baton in hand.

Musical personality

The sheer force of his music personality has at times distilled into a mix that hasn’t always appealed in the minds of the adjudicators or maintained lasting associations with bands.

However, in recognising that a wonderful life with his wife Rosie (above) at home in Australia can now be balanced against a well-managed schedule of worldwide banding commitments, the impact he now directs, and respect he commands, remains maximised. 

Trusted

The day to day rehearsal work, concerts and even contests have been entrusted to trusted colleagues who share his musical vision – in recent years at Brighouse with the likes of Ian McElligott, Garry Cutt and David Thornton.  Russell Gray led the band to Brass in Concert success in 2022.

The day to day rehearsal work, concerts and even contests have been entrusted to trusted colleagues who share his musical vision

It was telling that not only did he share an arm in arm picture with David Thornton with the famous Gold Shield in front of them, but he also made sure that people knew of the immense amount of preparation work he had undertaken before he landed back on UK soil to put the final touches to their contest preparation.

Wider focus

His wider focus away from the immediate adrenaline high of victory also spoke of a deeper admiration too. News of the death of Muriel Newsome just days before the contest had brought back life long memories of his mentor, Dr Roy Newsome, whose record of five Open victories he had now surpassed.  

 News of the death of Muriel Newsome just days before the contest had brought back life long memories of his mentor, Dr Roy Newsome, whose record of five Open victories he had now surpassed.  

Like him, David King’s brass banding legacy has already been secured – although in this quite remarkable rejuvenated form you suspect it is one that will continue to add further chapters to the history books.

Albert Hall double?

In a few weeks’ time he will step back onto the Royal Albert Hall stage – one he first appeared on as a conductor in 1987. Three victories (all with Brighouse)  in 26 appearances may seem scant reward for his talent, but it doesn’t quite tell the complete story. He’s been runner-up six times too.   

Final bow?

One of the very few things he hasn’t yet achieved in the banding world is the classic ‘Double’ of British Open and National Championships victories in the same year.  The odds on him doing that this year were dramatically shortened after victory at Symphony Hall. 

One of the very few things he hasn’t yet achieved in the banding world is the classic ‘Double’ of British Open and National Championships victories in the same year.

Later this year he will not return with Brighouse to Gateshead for Brass in Concert – not his usual contesting stage habitat (just five appearances in 30 years), although he seemed very much at home with their ‘Zorro’  inspired  programme last year. In February he will return to the Norwegian Championships with Manger Musikklag to see if he can add to the incredible record of 10 victories he has to his name there. 

 his is an appetite for success that remains unsated by what has already been achieved and undiminished but what is yet to come.

And given that victory at the British Open this year guaranteed that Brighouse & Rastrick will also return to the European Championships in 2027 (he will also direct Manger in Linz in 2026), you wonder if that appearance (he will be 70 then) will be the stage on which he gives his final contesting bow.

You hope not. 

As fit as an Australian butcher’s dog, and just as hungry as he has ever been to gobble up yet more meaty elite level titles, his is an appetite for success that remains unsated by what has already been achieved and undiminished by what is yet to come.

Malcolm Wood