Four brass bands from the Midwest of the United States of America will compete at the inaugural Dublin Festival of Brass, which takes place on Saturday, February 18th.

Welcome return

The Brass Band at Indiana University (Bloomington, Indiana), Dublin Silver Band (Dublin, Ohio), Fillmore Philharmonic Brass (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Prairie Brass Band (Arlington Heights, Illinois) will take part in the event which sees brass band contesting return to the city for the first time since Dublin hosted the North American Brass Band Championships in 1987, 1992 and 1996.

More recently, Dublin hosted the annual Emerald City Music Games, a drum and bugle corps competition.

March, Slow Melody, Major work

The competitors will perform a march, a slow melody (lyrical piece) and a major work. The specific format is unique to North America and the organisers hope it will prove very enjoyable for the audience.

There will also be some brief solo and ensemble performances while results are compiled.

The competitors will perform a march, a slow melody (lyrical piece) and a major work. The specific format is unique to North America and the organisers hope it will prove very enjoyable for the audience4BR

Judges

The adjudicators are Dr. Adam Frey and Dr. Paul Droste; Dr. Fry judging the bands on the march, slow melody and major, whilst Dr. Droste will adjudicate the solo and section prizes — from soprano to best percussion.

The newly crowned Grand Champion will be determined by an aggregate of rankings on the three music categories.

The new champion will also be awarded a new, specially commissioned rotating trophy — The Dr. Paul E. Droste Shield.