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BBW goes digital!

Brass Band World magazine has launched its on-line digital publication...

FEB 16
 

BBW Digital is here!

Get the world's favourite monthly brass band magazine direct to your desktop, tablet, and phone for just £30 a year, beginning with February's edition featuring…

COVER STORY — CREATIVELY FREE
Cambridge Variations composer, Philip Sparke, on finding artistic freedom

LETS DEBATE CONTESTS
Where are my lucky pants? James Gourlay examines the merits of contesting

VIEW FROM THE 'BOX
BBW collaborates with the Association of Brass Band Adjudicators to give an adjudicator's perspective of the 2016 Regional tests for sections 1-4 through the eyes of David Hirst, Anne Crookston, Paul Holland and Roger Webster

PRO PLATFORM
Yamaha Artist, Russell Gray's, timeline to performance in his conducting master class, plus Jonathan Pippen enjoys a Q&A with Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Principal Bass Trombone — Simon Cowen!

BBW CASTAWAY
Black Dyke's Solo Baritone, Katrina Marzella, launches BBW's inaugural version of Desert Island Discs with Austrian trumpet star, Thomas Gansch

GOING FOR GOLD!
Retrospectives of the French National, Brass at the Guild and Butlin's Mineworkers Open National Brass Band Festival, plus the RNCM Festival platform for the highest quality brass band repertoire and performers

CENTRE BAND
Japan's Nexus imports British-style banding

YOUNG VOICES
Mark Good meets BBC Radio 2 Young Brass Award semi-finalist and Scottish Solo Champion — Kyle MacCorquodale

AND ANOTHER THING
With Foden's trombone star, John Barber, and cartoonist Nezzy

CAMBRIDGE VARIATIONS FOLKLORE
Tom Davoren on why the top section Regional test for 2016 has entered the annals of contesting folklore

REVIEWS
New CD releases from A4 Brass Quartet, The International Staff Band and Brett Baker; John Wallace CBE reviews Howard Snell's book, 'The Trumpet — Its Practice and Performance', and finds it 'a revelation'; the Cornish Youth Brass Band and Hendon Citadel Band, with Philip Cobb and guest soloist David Childs, in concert; the 'Come-back kid' Peter Roberts gets his lip in on a Stomvi Soprano; and Willson's new singing euphonium is test driven by James McLeod

THE BRASS BAND WORLD NEWS
Allan Withington's Dutch Conductors' School, the British transfer season, the President's Own United States Marines Band premieres Tom Davoren's 'Divinity of Hell', Yamaha's boost for Italian banding and Black Dyke to appear in New York!

BRASS BAND WORLD RANKINGS
With Gordon Simpson
Cory enters the New Year as the number one band

DIARY DATES
What's on around the world in February and March

Get the world's favourite monthly brass band magazine direct to your desktop, tablet, and phone for just £30 a yearBBW

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Fodens

Foden's regional reach out for 2026

September 17 • If you want some of the Foden's Area Championship winning formula to rub off on you, then why not sign up for some early test-piece prep.


Brighouse

Brighouse principal is lead off for Banding Together

September 17 • In a new PR profile initiative for the event, Tom Smith talks about his link to the National Championships at the Royal Albert Hall.


Norway

Concerto test for Norwegian elite

September 17 • Flavours of Rumba, Ravel and riotous ostriches courtesy of Derek Bourgeois will test the Elite Division contenders at the 2026 Norwegian National Championships.


National Championships

2026 Regional Championship test-piece announced

September 17 • Works by Martin Ellerby, Andrew Wainwright, Philip Harper, Gordon Langford and Eric Ball will test bands in their qualification bids for the Albert Hall and Cheltenham next year.


Petworth Town Band - Petworth Town Band at Petworth Heritage weekend

Saturday 20 September • Centre of Petworth Town GU28 OAH


Cheltenham Silver Band - Holst Birthday Concert

Saturday 20 September • All Saints Church, All Saints Road, Pittville, Cheltenham GL52 2HG


Dobcross Silver Band - Milnrow Band

Sunday 21 September • c/o Dobcross Band Club. Platt Lane. Dobcross Saddleworth OL3 5AD


Regent Hall Concerts - The Band of the Grenadier Guards Big Band

Friday 26 September • Regent Hall (The Salvation Army). 275 Oxford Street. WC1 2DJ W1C2DJ


Brass Bands England - The Brass Band Conference

Saturday 27 September • Redhills Durham Miners Hall, Durham DH1 4BE


Haverhill Silver Band

September 17 • Haverhill Silver Band (Championship Section) seeks a FRONT ROW CORNET (position negotiable). This is a superb opportunity to join East Anglia's premier brass band for the L&SC area contest, the Senior Cup, Whit Friday and beyond.


Cheltenham Silver Band

September 16 • Required:. Musical Director : Cheltenham Silver Academy Band Following the relocation of our current conductor we are looking for a progressive, passionate and dedicated individual to lead our Academy Band, and to support our continued improvement.


Chinnor Silver

September 16 • We need a Bass player (either Bb or Eb) and a percussionist to join our happy team! The band is promoted to the first section in 2026 and were also 2025 Second section National Finalists. We rehearse on Wednesday evenings in our own bandroom in Chinnor


Sandy Smith


Conductor, teacher, adjudicator and arranger


               

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