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2016 4BR Awards: The Nominations

The long lists of 4BR annual award nominations that will be considered by a panel of 11 judges have been released.

4br aWARDS
  The long list of nominations for the annual 4BR Awards have been revealed — with the decisions now in the hands of 11 experts...

The 'long list' of 2016 nominations for the various categories of the annual 4BR Awards have been released.

11 expert judges will now cast their eyes over them to come up with their various personal choices, with the winners revealed on Christmas morning.

Band of the Year:

Black Dyke
Brighouse & Rastrick
Cory
Eikanger Bjorsvik
Fairey
Fountain City
Paris Brass Band
Stavanger
Valaisia
Wellington Brass Band

The 10 bands have been chosen not just for their contest achievements during the past year, but also for their artistic ones — from concert performances and tours to recordings and projects.


Conductor of the Year:

David Bremner
Nicholas Childs
Garry Cutt
Arsene Duc
James Gourlay
Philip Harper
Erik Janssen
Chris Jeans
David King
Joe Parisi

The 10 conductors have been chosen not just for their impressive contest records during the past year, but also for their inspirational leadership qualities and progressive artistic outlooks.


Player of the Year:

David Childs (freelance euphonium)
Tom Hutchinson (Cornet — Cory)
Dominic Longhurst (Cornet — Brighouse & Rastrick)
Peter Moore (freelance trombone)
Marielle Rey (Soprano cornet — Valaisia Brass Band)
Daniel Thomas (Euphonium — Black Dyke)
Philip Johnstone (Tuba — Woolston Brass)
Robbert Voss (Euphonium — Brass Band Schoonhoven)
Helen Williams (Flugel — Cory)
Glyn Williams (Euphonium — Cory)

These are 10 players who made the most significant impact on audiences with their performances, both on and off the contest stages during the past year.


Test Piece of the Year:

As a glow… (Ludovic Neurohr): (Second Section: Swiss National Championship)
Ballet for Band (Joseph Horovitz): (First Section: National Championship of Great Britain)
Essay (Edward Gregson): (First Section: Regional Championships of Great Britain)
Fraternity (Thierry Deleruyelle): (European Championship)
Journey of the Lone Wolf (Simon Dobson): (National Championship of Great Britain)
Raveling Unraveling (Philip Sparke): (European/Belgian Championship)
Searching for Light (Stig Nordhagen): (Norwegian National Championship)
The Graces of Love (Oliver Waespi): (Third Section: Swiss National Championship)
The Mansions of Glory (Jonathan Bates): (National Youth Championships of Great Britain)
The Triumph of Time (Peter Graham): (British Open/Dutch National Championship)

The 10 test pieces that made the greatest musical impact on critics, players, conductors and audiences alike.


Lower Section Band of the Year:

Brass Band Sachsen (Germany)
De Spijkerpakkenband (Netherlands)
European Youth Band
Fountain City Youth Band (USA)
Morawa District High School Brass Band (Australia)
St Dennis (England)
Tertnes Skoles Musikkorps (Norway)
Wardle Junior Blast (England)
Youth Brass 2000 (England)
Young Brass Band Willebroek (Belgium)

As with the Band of the Year category, these are the 10 bands have been chosen not just for their contest achievements during the past year, but also for their artistic ones — from concert performances and tours to recordings, projects, and even simply being an inspiration to others.


Contest Performance of the Year:

Brass Band Buizingen (Belgian National Championship — 'Raveling, Unraveling')
Brass Band Schoonhoven (Dutch National Championship — 'The Triumph of Time')
Cory (European Championship — 'Fraternity')
Cory (British Open — 'The Triumph of Time')
Cory (Brass in Concert)
Eikanger Bjorsvik (Norwegian National Championship — 'Searching for Light')
St Dennis (West of England Regional Championship — 'Essay')
Tredegar (Welsh Regional Championship — 'Cambridge Variations')
Valaisia (Swiss National Championship — 'Goldberg 2012')
Valaisia (European Championship Own Choice — 'Trance')

The 10 'stand out' contest performances of the year — the ones that set the bench mark.


Newcomer of the Year:

A4 Brass Quartet
Black Dyke Heritage Project
Brass Band Podcast
Childs Play Project
David Childs (Editor of Brass Band World magazine)
Italian National Championships
Shri Sriram and Hammonds Saltaire: 'Just a Vibration' Project
Super Slow Way: A Rhapsody to the Leeds & Liverpool Canal Project
Thierry Deleruyelle
Tubular Brass Project

10 people, bands, innovations or projects that made the most impact in terms of popularity, as well as critically and artistically during the past year.


CD of the Year:

Arabian Nights (Black Dyke)
Black Dyke Gold: Volume 5 (Black Dyke)
Celebration — An 80th Birthday Tribute to Howard Snell (Desford & Foden's)
Elemental (Cory)
European Brass Band Championships 2016 (Various)
Of Gods and Kings (Foden's)
Music for Brass Septet: Volume 4 (Septura Brass Septet)
Quintessence (Fairey)
Raveling, Unraveling (Cory)
War Memorials (Cory & Tredegar)

The 10 CDs which have made the most impact not just on the brass band world with its overall quality, musical outlook and artistic importance.


Solo CD of the Year:

Affinity (Les Neish)
Colours: The French Tenor Horn (Anthony Galinier)
Dreamtimes (Steven Mead)
Fantasy (Philip Cobb)
Forte (Derick Kane)
Homeland (Matthew Van Emmerick)
Lyrical Virtuoso (Steven Mead)
Myths & Legends (Brett Baker)
Now & Then (Brett Baker)
Romance (Bastien Baumet)

The 10 solo CDs which have made the most impact not just on the brass band world with its overall quality, musical outlook and artistic importance.

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RNCM

Research recognition for RNCM

January 8 • The Royal Northern College of Music adds to its established recognition as a leading centre for the advanced study of music performance and composition.


ODBBA

ODBBA confident of capacity turn-out

January 8 • You will need to be quick to make sure you get your entry in for the Oxford & District Brass Band Association Winter Contest.


Geneva Clans

Geneva boost to cross border battle

January 8 • Geneva Instruments has boosted the prize funds for the forthcoming 'Clans vs Counties Contest' in June.


Elland

Elland to lead youth procession to the Minster

January 8 • Eight youth and training bands will provide the musical entertainment at Halifax Minster next month.


Newstead Brass - Brett Baker

Saturday 17 January • St Wilfrid's Church, . Kirkby-in-Ashfield NG17 8LA


The Hepworth Band - New Year Concert

Sunday 25 January • Christ Church, New Mill, Holmfirth HD9 7ER


Contest: Norwegian National Brass Band Championships

Friday 6 February • Grieghallen, Bergen, N-5015 N-5015


Contest: Norwegian National Brass Band Championships

Saturday 7 February • Grieghallen, Bergen, N-5015 N-5015


Contest: London & Southern Counties Regional Championships

Saturday 21 March • Arts & Leisure Centre, Lytton Way, Stevenage SG1 1LZ


Mid Rhondda Band

January 6 • Mid Rhondda Band are currently looking for a trombone player and percussionists to join the team. We are a friendly, welcoming 3rd section band working towards competing in the Welsh Area in March. We also have a variety of events booked for 2026.


The Marple Band

January 6 • Bb Bass and Tuned Percussionist vacancies to join our fabulous band. We are a friendly, ambitious 2nd Section band, starting an exciting new year.


Christchurch Vintage Brass

January 6 • Bb Bass required for our friendly non contesting day time band. We rehearse Monday afternoons from 13:30 in Southbourne near Bournemouth with refreshments afterwards. MD Steve Chislett.


Stephen Phillips

MA, BA (Homs), PQSI, NPQH, PGCE
Conductor, Band Trainer, Educator, Compere


               

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