4BR will be setting off the USA on Thursday morning to cover the North American Brass Band Championships which are taking place in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Live action
The welcome invitation to cover the event came from the NABBA Championship organisers, with 4BR editor Iwan Fox racking up the air-miles to bring readers a flavour of the action as it unfolds over the weekend at the historic Embassy Theatre on Friday and Saturday (1st-2nd April).
Not only will there be the various National titles up for grabs in each section, but there will be some keenly fought solo and ensemble competitions too.
Ancient Times
The seven Championship Section bands will have to tackle Jan van der Roost's fearsome 'From Ancient Times' as their set-work on Friday evening, with their own-choice selections 24 hours later. The defending champion is Fountain City from Kansas.
On Saturday, the First Section contenders are faced with Kenneth Hesketh's evocative 'The Alchemist's Journal' — starting early in the morning in the Anthony Wayne Ballroom, whilst at the same time in the main Embassy Theatre, the Second Section rivals tackle the complexities of 'Fanfares and Love Songs' by Gavin Higgins.
They will be followed on by the Youth Section bands playing 'Ravenhill Suite' and the Third Section bands performing Oliver Waespi's elegant 'The Graces of Love'.
Judges
The adjudicators for the event are Jamie Hood, Scott Verduin, Eric Alexander, Ron Waiksnoris, William Himes, Gareth Pritchard and Kevin Norbury.
The seven Championship Section bands will have to tackle Jan van der Roost's fearsome 'From Ancient Times' as their set-work on Friday evening, with their own-choice selections 24 hours later4BR
Championship Section:
Friday: 1st April: 7.00pm (local time)
Set-Work: From Ancient Times (Jan van der Roost)
Saturday: 2nd April:
Own-Choice: 7.30pm (local time)
Atlantic Brass Band
Brass Band of Central Florida
Brass of the Potomac
Chicago Brass Band
Fountain City Brass Band
James Madison University Brass Band
Princeton Brass Band
First Section:
Saturday: 2nd April: 9.00am (local time)
Set-Work: The Alchymist's Journal (Kenneth Hesketh)
Central Ohio Brass Band
Dublin Silver Band
Fillmore Philharmonic Brass
Five Lakes Silver Band
Illinois Brass Band
Madison Brass Band
Motor City Brass Band
Oakland University Brass Band
Pikes Peak Brass Band
Weston Silver Band
Second Section:
Saturday: 2nd April: 8.00am
Set-Work: Fanfares and Love Songs (Gavin Higgins)
Brass Band of Huntsville
Capital City Brass Band
Chesapeake Silver Cornet Brass Band
Natural State Brass Band
New England Brass Band
River Brass
Triangle Brass Band
Third Section:
Saturday: 2nd April: 2.20pm (local time)
Set-Work: The Graces of Love (Oliver Waespi)
Chapel Brass
Crossroads Brass Band
Fountain City Youth Academy Band
Milwaukee Festival Brass
Old Crown Brass Band
Rockville Brass Band
Triangle Youth Brass Band
Youth Brass Band of Central Florida
Youth Section:
Saturday: 2nd April: 12.35pm
Set-Work: Ravenhill Suite (Dorothy Gates)
Fountain City Youth Band
Motor City Youth Brass Band
Triangle Youth Academy Brass Band
For more information on the championships go to: http://www.nabba.org/index.html
