A very different 2020 Brass in Concert Championship will go ahead this year after it was announced that an online highlights festival will be broadcast on the originally planned weekend of 14th & 15th November.

With the Coronavirus pandemic forcing the cancellation of the contest at Sage Gateshead, a new interactive audience approach to bringing the best brass band entertainment into people's homes has been undertaken by the management team in partnership with World of Brass.

Free broadcast

The free broadcast weekend will largely follow its traditional format, with Youth Brass in Concert kicking off proceedings at noon on Saturday 14th in a re-run of the outstanding 2019 contest.

That will be followed by an educational masterclass by one of the world's great trombone players, Ian Bousfield.

The evening gala concert will be a montage of some of the finest performances to take place on the stage of Sage Gateshead since the event moved there in 2005.

It will feature soloists such as James Morrison, Philip Cobb and David Childs, as well as Black Dyke, Cory, Foden's, Eikanger-Bjørsvik and Brass Band of Central Florida.

Champion of Champions

Sunday will see a new Brass in Concert 'Champion of Champions' competition presented by Frank Renton, featuring the 13 highest achieving bands at the event since 2005.

A full performance set from one of their contest appearances has been chosen by the management team in conjunction with the event's Principal Partner, World of Brass.

Vote

Viewers will then be able to vote for their favourite 'Champion of Champions' performances from both contests through social media — details of which will be made available in the days before the event.

Brass in Concert Chairman, David Bennett told 4BR: "Losing the 2020 Brass in Concert Festival was obviously a huge setback, but we're delighted that our team has been able to work closely with World of Brass to bring a worldwide audience some of the finest highlights from the 15 years that we have been at Sage Gateshead."

In a new addition to the entertainment the British Army Brass Band will present a specially recorded, socially distanced presentation while results are being collated.

Viewers will then be able to vote for their favourite 'Champion of Champions' performances from both contests through social media4BR

Pleasure

David Bennett continued: "Being able to rerun the fantastic 2019 Youth Brass in Concert event and to present a masterclass by one of the world's finest trombonists and brass educators is also a great pleasure.

We are delighted to be able to welcome the British Army Brass Band for the first time and look forward to its performances on both days of the Festival."