2025 was one of the most intriguing banding years in a very long time.
There were plenty of very fine ensemble performances to enjoy on and off the contest stage, although in retrospect it may not have amounted to a vintage harvest. Every now and then though you could certainly sit back, raise a glass and savour individual performances of the very highest quality.
Musicianship
The levels of technical virtuosity remain staggering, although it was the more subtle moments of musicianship that satisfied the memory banks this year more than ever. These were the band performers that combined all elements on the contest, concert, recital and recording platforms.
As always, the criterion for selection is simple: It's not just who we think are the best conductors and players, but those we believe made that lasting impression with their playing in 2025.
although we are sure not everyone will agree with the choices, it’s a formidable line up for any concert appearance if we could get them all together for one night.
There were plenty of established performers on the very top of their game, but so too the continued emergence of a new generation of players imbued with musicality.
And as always, we could have made up two or three bands, and members of the sections are in alphabetical order.
The 4BR Editor makes the decision, and although it would be a minor miracle if everyone agreed with the choices, it’s a formidable line up for any concert appearance if we could get them all together for one night.
Conductors:
Frans Violet & Katrina Marzella-Wheeler
No surprise really that we have gone with the MDs who topped the annual 4BR ‘Conductor of the Year’ award to direct one half each of our 4BR concert.
Frans Violet has long been regarded as one of the finest brass band conductors in the world, and 2025 saw him renew the hallmarks of that status in glorious fashion - including him leading Brass Band Willebroek to a fourth European title and 24th Belgian National success.
Katrina Marzella-Wheeler simply rejuvenated the cooperation band on and off the contest stage. The Brass in Concert victory was the culmination of a year in which her musical style and substance were mixed together perfectly.
Cornets:
Principal Cornet: Richard Marshall (Black Dyke Band)
The recipient of the 4BR ‘Special Award’ this year has the honour of leading the 4BR Band.
Not a sentimental choice either – he took his final Queensbury bow not just after 20 years of remarkable elite level performances, but a very fine 2025 as well. It is the fourth time he has made it into the Band of the Year line-up since 2015.
Cornet Section:
Lewis Barton (Leyland)
Simon Gabriel (Graubunden Brass)
Cedric Gesquiere (Hauts-de-France)
William Grov Skramsett (Manger Musikklag)
Tom Hutchinson (Cory)
Kyle Lawson (Wellington Brass)
Ashley Tighe-Hall (Athena Brass)
Lode Violet (Brass Band Willebroek)
Some familiar and perhaps not so familiar faces will join Richard in the cornet ranks (and all interchangeable to fill any seat).
All shone as either ensemble leaders or soloists. Lewis Barton was superb with Leyland, recitalist and guest soloist, whilst it was a delight to hear Simon Gabriel again, a player blessed with an assuredness far beyond his tender years and one of the most sight after young talents in Swiss banding.
Some familiar and perhaps not so familiar faces will join Richard in the current ranks (and all interchangeable to fill any seat).
Cedric Gesquiere at Hauts de France was superb – from the French Nationals through to the Europeans, and as a featured soloist on the band’s 2025 CD, ‘Storm’, whilst William Grov Skramsett was a beacon of cultured class with Manger.
Tom Hutchinson ended 16 years at Cory with performances as good as any during his tenure, with Kyle Lawson now set to replace him after a year in which he ‘introduced’ himself back to the wider banding world in stunning fashion.
Ashley Tighe-Hall made such a huge impression with her leadership and solo playing with Athena Brass throughout the year at home and abroad, with Lode Violet also displaying his considerable talents in full with Brass Band Willebroek.
Soprano:
Jeremy Coquoz (Brass Band Treize Etoiles)
Hard to come up with any more superlatives for this performer during a year in which he shone as the brightest sop star in the world – and against a host of the most impressive of rivals.
He was a sheer delight to listen to.
Flugel:
Claude Romailler (Valaisia)
The classiest of flugel players right in the heart of a band that displayed so much control and consideration about its playing throughout the year – especially in terms of balanced tonality.
He was the key to that, either as a spotlight soloist, leading the horn section or adding texture to the cornets.
Horns:
Tim de Maeseneer (Brass Band Willebroek)
Andrew McMillan (Whitburn)
Anabel Voigt (Hammonds)
Yet another accolade for the truly remarkable Belgian tenor horn superstar who made 2025 his own on whatever performance platform he played on.
Andrew McMillan follows in a rich line of outstanding Scottish horn players, and saw his talents also appreciated on a very different stage in 2025 as the musical voice of ‘Keli’, whilst German RNCM graduate Anabel Voigt used her studies as an exploration of excellence with her performances and recordings - from the RNCM International Brass Band Festival to her latest on-line release.
Baritones:
Thibaut De Bont (Brass Band Willebroek)
Emile Thetaz (Brass Band Treize Etoile)
The 2023 European Solo Competition winner continued his development with a growing maturity to become such an important part of Brass Band Willebroek’s success. He also reminded people that he hasn’t lost his touch under the solo spotlight either in winning the Blue Riband category at the Willebroek Solo Championship.
Emile Thetaz was the other stand out virtuoso baritone player we heard during 2025 – a stunning performer who stood toe to toe with any of his Treize Etoile ‘stars’ or any of his rivals at home or abroad.
Euphonium:
Chris Robertson (Brighouse & Rastrick)
Kevin Van Giel (Brass Band Willebroek)
We could have picked a cornet section sized selection of performers worthy of their place in the 4BR euph line-up this year, but these were the two players who had that extra something about them each time we heard them – and many an adjudicator agreed too.
The Scotsman at Brighouse, was as we said in him coming runner-up in the ‘4BR Player of the Year’ category, a performer who enhanced his reputation in all genres – from Brass in Concert to the British Open and on the concert platform, time and time again.
Kevin Van Giel was also nominated in ‘Player of the Year’ category – and deservedly so. Won the ’Best Instrumentalist’ prize at the European Championships and was the fulcrum around which Brass Band Willebroek’s remarkable tonal quality was built.
Trombones:
Julien Roh (Valaisia)
Chris Thomas (Flowers)
Stephen Lomas (Brighouse & Rastrick)
Three players who went about their business in the finest fashion in 2025 – featuring brilliantly when the spotlight was on them, and then when they needed to be a part of a balanced section.
Julien Roh was a player who so effectively added to the performances of a Valaisia Band playing at the very top of its form during 2025. Classy and understated, but also with the swagger and suavity too.
Chris Thomas has maintained a level of elite consistency that retained the sharpest edge of brilliance in 2025 with Flowers. He has had plenty of accolades already in his banding career, but on this form there will surely be more and more to come.
Stephen Lomas ended his bass trombone tenure at Brighouse & Rastrick with a series of contributions that added to so much to the overall quality of the West Riding band’s performances on and of the contest stage as a superb section player and soloist.
Basses:
Eb Basses:
Retto Matter (Brass Band Burgermusik Luzern)
Sondre Oysteinson (Eikanger Bjorsvik Musikklag)
Bb Basses:
Urs Scherrer (Brass Band Burgermusik Luzern)
Alexander Torsvik (Eikanger Bjorsvik Musikklag)
We heard so many impressive tuba sections on our travels this year who pile-drived the foundations on which their band’s performances were built.
None though quite matched the quality, or the finesse, of the teams from Eikanger Bjorsvik Musikklag and Brass Band Burgermusik Luzern though, especially when the spotlight fell on them on two of the most demanding tuba tests on modern test-pieces - Ludovic Neurohr’s ‘*****, Concerto No.10 for Brass Band’ and ‘Genetic Code’ by Thomas Doss.
They were equally as good with their colleagues at other events too to remind listeners that heft can come with delicacy too. These four get the nod, but any of their full sections could have had the honour.
Percussion:
Alec Banner (NYBBGB/Flowers); Victoria Alvarez (NYBBGB); Hannah Collins (NYBBGB); Shanna Fung (NYBBGB); Callum Hathaway (NYBBGB); Anna Richmond (NYBBGB); Keina Rollinson (Woolston Brass); Danielle Moreau (Athena Brass)
As always we could have selected any number of brilliant percussionists (and some test-pieces are asking for as many perc players as there are brass on stage). It was an almost impossible task.
The National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain percussion team were superb on each of the occasions were heard them in 2025 – young players, performing with maturity and understanding on such a diverse range of music put in front of them – from classic test-pieces to contemporary explorations, new commissions and a few great lollipops.
Keina Rollinson of Woolston Brass followed in the footsteps of Rachel Thomas in becoming one of the very few percussionists to claim the coveted ‘Champion of Champions’ solo award (first held in 1927) at the New Zealand National Championships, whilst Danielle Moreau was an ever-present figure and outstanding performer with Athena Brass on their musical travels during 2025.
Previous Years:
2024 Band of the Year: https://www.4barsrest.com/articles/2024/2089.asp
2023 Band of the Year: https://www.4barsrest.com/articles/2023/2038.asp
2022 Band of the Year: https://www.4barsrest.com/articles/2022/1991.asp
2021 Band of the Year: https://www.4barsrest.com/articles/2021/1949.asp
2020 No Band of the Year
2019 Band of the Year: https://www.4barsrest.com/articles/2019/1845.asp
2018 Band of the Year: https://www.4barsrest.com/news/35237/4br-2018-band-of-the-year
2017 Band of the Year: https://www.4barsrest.com/articles/2017/1681.asp
2016 Band of the Year: https://www.4barsrest.com/articles/2016/1593.asp
2015 Band of the Year: https://www.4barsrest.com/articles/2015/art1538.asp
