With the ongoing debate over how major test-piece competitions can remain musically relevant as well as financially viable, the British Open Championship continues to maintain its global appeal.
The ambition is driven by a Mortimer family resolute in their desire to modernise the outlook of both it and its sibling Spring Festival. Tradition and heritage are all well and good, but it is commercial realism that underpins sustainability and survival.
As a result, the 172nd Open at Symphony Hall will be close to being sold out once more – the sale of over 2,000 tickets driven not just by the attraction of the elite level competitors from the UK, Europe and Australia performing a very fine test-piece.
Changes have been made – some, as with the case of the moving of the Spring Festival, not to everyone’s immediate taste, whilst others, such as the increase in podium prize money in recent years, much more palatable.
People are watching and listening differently now...
However, challenges remain.
A contest that starts at 10.00am and doesn’t finish until nine hours later is a marathon in anyone’s eyes and ears, even with a set-work as popular as ‘Music of the Spheres’. The era of 19 band fields, however good, is fast becoming an anachronism.
Selection box listening
Size does matter. With modern leviathan test-pieces becoming ever more complex and louder, little wonder audience listening habits have changed dramatically, accelerating a trend of ‘selection box’ listening by those in the auditorium. As seen at the recent European Championships in Linz – just because the tickets have been sold doesn’t guarantee anywhere near a full hall.
As seen at the recent European Championships in Linz – just because the tickets have been sold doesn’t guarantee anywhere near a full hall.
Meanwhile, those around the globe will experience change too, with the event being live-streamed ‘in-house’ rather than in association with World of Brass for the first time. Those who watched the Spring Festival this year will hope that any gremlins in production will have been ironed out as they sit back to enjoy the action.
Composer Philip Sparke
The music to be performed will help greatly.
British Open Artistic Advisor, Dr Robert Childs has made a clever choice in picking Philip Sparke’s ‘Music of the Spheres’, although it remains a curious anomaly that arguably the foremost composer for the brass band genre has had to wait until his 75th birthday to have one of his compositions played at the contest. Hopefully there will be a few more to enjoy in the years to come.
‘Music of the Spheres’ in particular offers the perfect amalgam of artistic and commercial accessibility.
Perfect amalgam
For someone who modestly admits to writing works that he hopes are, “enjoyable and satisfying to play while allowing bands to demonstrate their skill set at all contest levels”, ‘Music of the Spheres’ in particular offers the perfect amalgam of artistic and commercial accessibility.
With over 150 contest performances of its since it was first played at the 2004 European Championships, these 19 will be eagerly awaited and enjoyed – both in and out of the box.
The 2026 judges
Considered balance
That sees a carefully considered balance to the adjudication team, with the welcome return of the acclaimed orchestral conductor Martyn Brabbins, alongside the vastly experienced brass band conducting duo of David Hirst and Arsené Duc.
Those who disagree with their ultimate decision (and there are sure to be the usual post-contest keyboard experts) will do well to be exceptionally well informed with their opinions about a score, which much like the recent film ‘Odyssey’, will have been enjoyed by many who wouldn’t have actually read Homer’s book.
All Greek to me
As all the MDs have found out in the last few weeks, just like that other epic Greek tale, its familiarity is packed to the gunnels with delicate intricacies and subtle nuances mixed in with the lashings of drama, excitement and virtuosity.
Philip Sparke revealed in an interview that felt it had “the most emotional heft”, but that it was also written “purely on musical instinct rather than intellectual plotting”.
That is one heck of a difficult combination to master in anyone’s book. A bit like the over confident Cyclops, conductors will come a cropper if they don't keep a close eye on the important things in the score.
Philip Sparke revealed in an interview that felt it had “the most emotional heft”, but that it was also written “purely on musical instinct rather than intellectual plotting”. That is one heck of a difficult combination to master in anyone’s book.
Heavens above
Those lucky enough to have heard its premiere at the 2004 European Championships will recall the brilliant alchemy that created contest winning gold from David King and his virtuosic Yorkshire Building Society Band.
That performance can still be enjoyed on YouTube and would arguably make one heck of an impression on this contest if interplanetary time travel was invented by the weekend. Instead, the band that does that the best to be crowned champion on Saturday will also have to look to the very heavens that inspired the music.
Defending champion: Brighouse & Rastrick
Earthly reward
It also comes with a very earthly reward of £6,000, (with podium awards of £2,500 and £2,000) which will certainly come in handy for the highest placed English band who will qualify to represent the nation at the European Championships back here in 2028, and may well need it to pay for a ground breaking ‘bespoke’ test-piece of their own.
Sydney City Brass who extends a 102 year tradition of Australian involvement in the contest as they make a welcome British Open debut.
Global challenge
The money would certainly come in handy for Brass Band Willebroek, who returns for the first time since 2016 thanks to winning the European title in 2025 in Stavanger, as well as Sydney City Brass who extends a 102 year tradition of Australian involvement in the contest as they make a welcome British Open debut. Could they emulate the famous Newcastle Steelworks Band that were the first winners of the famous Gold Shield Trophy in 1924 (below)?
UK contenders
Others with proud histories at the event will also look to add to their title tally – led by defending champion Brighouse & Rastrick (one of 10 bands that have won it), and who will be conducted by Prof David King, the man who commissioned ‘Music of the Spheres’ in the first place.
Former champions Black Dyke (30 times), KNDS Fairey (16), Foden’s (13), Cory (8), Grimethorpe (5), Hammonds (4), Carlton Main (2), Tredegar (2) and Leyland (1), will be also look to add to the Gold Shield tallies, whilst Aldbourne, Amersham, EverReady, Flowers, Hepworth, Milnrow, and the cooperation band will be determined to get their name engraved on it for a first time.
4BR will be there to cover the action as it unfolds through the day with Chris Thomas and Matthew Van Emmerick giving their informed opinions on the performances whilst Iwan Fox will be hosting the live-stream coverage.
Iwan Fox
Tickets and Live Stream:
Tickets for the 2026 British Open are available at:
https://bmusic.co.uk/events/the-172nd-british-open-brass-band-championship
Live stream coverage is available at:
https://thebritishopen.net/the-british-open-event/
Competing bands:
172nd British Open Championship
Start: 10.00am
Adjudicators: Martyn Brabbins, Arsené Duc, David Hirst
Aldbourne (Glyn Williams)
Amersham (Paul Fisher)
Black Dyke (Prof. Nicholas Childs)
Brass Band Willebroek (Frans Violet)
Brighouse & Rastrick (Prof. David King)
Carlton Main Frickley Colliery (Glenn Van Looy)
Cory (Philip Harper)
EverReady (David Morton)
Flowers (Paul Holland)
Foden’s (Russell Gray)
Grimethorpe Colliery (Allan Withington)
Hammonds (Morgan Griffiths)
Hepworth (Ryan Watkins)
KNDS Fairey (Philip Chalk)
Leyland (Daniel Brooks)
Milnrow (Christopher Binns)
Sydney City Brass (Jason Katsikaris)
the cooperation band (Katrina Marzella-Wheeler)
Tredegar (Ian Porthouse)
