Articles /2025
Take 5 — A quintet of early seasons events to enjoy
January 2, 2026
Five festivals, championships, concerts and contests to make a date in you diary to attend in January and February.
4BR Band of the Year — The conductor and players
December 29, 2025
These are the performers who made a mark on 4BR in the last 12 months to book their place in the ranks of our 2025 Band of the Year.
4BR Christmas Quiz — How good is your brass band knowledge?
December 26, 2025
Thanks to our friends at Band Supplies and Besson we have a fantastic Prodige Cornet and gifts waiting to find a new home in 2026 - if you can get the answers right.
The Baroness Hodge Arts Council England Report — A possible ACE hand for banding?
December 23, 2025
Baroness Hodge has taken Arts Council England to task for stifling artistic innovation and creativity, so what could her recommendations mean for banding bodies who get ACE funding.
2025 4BR Awards — Long List Nominations
December 18, 2025
These are the bands, conductors, performers, test-pieces, performances and recordings that are in the running for the annual 4BR Awards.
2025 Swiss National Championships — Images from Lucerne
December 6, 2025
Photographer Etienne Bornet captured the atmosphere as well as the action at the recent Swiss National Championships as the top bands battled to claim the top flight title.
2026 RNCM International Brass Band Festival — Sparke spotlight leads musical focus
November 27, 2025
A 75th birthday homage to composer Philip Sparke provides the musical thread for a tapestry of exciting premieres and performances at this years RNCM showcase event.
Are you not entertained? — Is a new era ready to be maximised at Brass in Concert?
November 24, 2025
Have the competing bands signalled their intention to usher in a new era of entertainment at Brass in Concert - and where does that leave its marking system?
2025 Youth Brass in Concert Championship — Images from Gateshead
November 19, 2025
The next generation of brass band entertainers took to the stage and wowed the audience at The Glasshouse International Centre for Music.
2025 Brass in Concert Championship — Images from Gateshead
November 19, 2025
Thomas Jackson of Tynesight Media was on hand all weekend to record the musical action and atmosphere at the 48the Brass in Concert Championship.
Prestige, expectation and scrutiny — Being Black Dyke's new principal cornet
November 10, 2025
Tom Hutchinson will soon add his name to a remarkable lineage of great players to have sat in the principal cornet seat at the most famous band in the world. And there is something to learn from them all...
2025 National Championships of Great Britain — Podium adjudications
October 14, 2025
The written remarks of judges Ian Bousfield, Dr Stephen Cobb and Prof Rob Wiffen OBE on the top three Albert Hall finishers of Desford, Black Dyke and Flowers on 'Symphony in Two Movements'.
2025 National Championships of Great Britain — Royal Albert Hall preview
October 9, 2025
There are more than just the challenges of Edward Gregson's 'Symphony in Two Movements' to be considered this weekend in London.
2025 BBE Annual Conference — One step back before two steps forward
October 2, 2025
Brass Bands England may need to put some current ambitions on hold for the moment if they want their future investment plans to flourish as hoped.
2025 National Championships of Great Britain — Cheltenham preview
September 12, 2025
Ballet, monarchy and a day of wrath all rolled up into a weekend of contesting in Cheltenham as National titles are up for grabs.
Catch him if you can — The last King of banding
September 9, 2025
Prof David King once again reminded the brass banding world of his unique talents at Symphony Hall.
2025 British Open Championship — Podium adjudications
September 7, 2025
The written remarks of Stephen Roberts, Anne Crookston and David Hirst for the podium finishers Brighouse & Rastrick, Brass Band Treize Etoiles and Cory.
2025 British Open Championship — Preview
September 4, 2025
Shakespeare may well have enjoyed a trip to hear the 18 bands battle for the British Open title this year - for the contesting world's a stage, and all men and women merely players...
2025 British Open Championship — Test piece review
September 3, 2025
It will be a question of whom fate and the judges decide enjoys the happy ending of Stephen Roberts' spirit of Prokofiev's 'Romeo and Juliet'.
From Peel to the Proms — How brass bands need to follow the Jackson vision
July 22, 2025
The man at the top of Radio 3 has set the blueprint vision for how brass bands can return to the airwaves and back to the Proms.
Do you want to go large? — The problems with test piece obesity
May 29, 2025
Is our appetite for everything new and bigger starting to affect our musical well being?
2025 European Championships — Stavanger preview
May 5, 2025
A fascinating weekend of competition is in store in Stavanger with a desire to embrace change to be seen, heard and perhaps even undertaken...
2025 European Championships — Test piece reviews
May 4, 2025
4BR Editor Iwan Fox takes a close look at the four major test-pieces to be performed in Stavanger this coming weekend.
2025 European Championships — Own choice selections
May 3, 2025
4BR Editor Iwan Fox looks at the wide variety of musical inspirations being explored, examined and endorsed in the bids to win the European titles in Stavanger.
2025 European Championships — Salt tears and Eric Bristow
May 2, 2025
Is it time for EBBA to look at its breaking down its internal boundaries to success rather than seeking to find yet new territory to conquer?
2025 European Championships — Festival Schedule
May 1, 2025
There are plenty of musical as well as non-musical attractions on offer in Stavanger.
Where the Lugar meets the Glaisnock — Interview with David Childs
April 30, 2025
David Childs will give the world premiere of one of the most significant concertos written for the euphonium as he prepares to perform James MacMillan's ‘Where the Lugar meets the Glaisnock’ in Cardiff.
2025 Regional Championships — Preview
February 19, 2025
Stoicism and stubbornness still defies change, but there is still much to admire about the 80th anniversary of the Regional Championships this year.
2025 Regional Championships — Test piece reviews
February 18, 2025
4BR Editor Iwan Fox finds out more about the works from Derek Bourgeois, Morley Calvert, Oliver Waespi, Jacob de Haan and Andrea Price that will test National Final qualification aspirations over the next few weeks.
Wilfred Heaton — His Life - His Music (Part 2)
February 17, 2025
In the second extract from his critically acclaimed biography, Paul Hindmarsh charts Wilfred Heaton's musical apprenticeship.
The Howarth Legacy — 2025 RNCM International Brass Band Festival
January 23, 2025
Whilst the banding movement says it owes Elgar Howarth a debt of gratitude, it is a good job the RNCM Festival has been run by people who actually shared his vision.
Wilfred Heaton — His Life - His Music (Part 1)
January 18, 2025
In the first of a series of exclusive extracts from his much anticipated biography to be released at the RNCM International Brass Band Festival, author Paul Hindmarsh explores the early life of the enigmatic composer.
Athena Brass — A unique beacon of excellence
January 10, 2025
The all female brass band will make their much anticipated debut at the RNCM International Brass Band Festival under the direction of Jessica Sneeringer.
Take 5 — Five early season events not to miss
January 6, 2025
Five highlights to try and get to if you can in January and February.
