Winner: Foden's — 'Heroes' (National Championship of Great Britain)

2. Valaisia Brass Band — 'A Gabrieli Fantasy' (Swiss National Championship)
3. Brass Band Burgermusik Luzern — 'The World Rejoicing' (Swiss National Championship)

Ten superb performances for the judges to consider in context (not all would have heard them live) — topped by Foden's memorable rendition of Bruce Broughton's 'Heroes' at the Royal Albert Hall to claim the National title.

After such a long time away, it was somehow an appropriately named set-work — and was given and appropriately heroic performance under the baton of Russell Gray to take the title.

It gained eight first choices preferences from the panel of critics, although it was hard pressed by two performances from the Swiss giants of Valaisia and Luzern — gaining seven first choices preferences between them.

Six bands in total found a first choice preference favour with nine out of the ten gaining at least a podium choice in what was a really high class field of test-piece and entertainment performances.

Panel

The Awards Panel consisted of:
Iwan Fox (Editor 4BR); Malcolm Wood (4BR Chief Contributor); Andrew Wainwright (Composer/Arranger/Graphic Designer); Gordon Simpson (statistician Brass Band World magazine); Chris Thomas (Chief Contributor Brass Band World magazine/4BR contributor); Frode Rydland (EBBA Music Commission/Bjorsvik Brass); David Childs (euphonium soloist/Editor BBW Magazine); David Hirst (Conductor/Adjudicator); Alexander Zwann (Chief contributor CU Brass); Tim Mutum (writer/brass band recording and history specialist); Owen Melhuish (President: North Shore Brass New Zealand); Chris Wormald (Conductor/Adjudicator/Arranger); Steve Jack (photographer/4BR, BBW contributor); Stein Skopholm (Norwegian broadcaster/presenter); Kurt Bohalter (Swiss Brass Band administrator/Publisher); Steven Mead (Euphonium soloist); Paul Holland (Conductor/Adjudicator); Matthew Van Emmerick (Soloist/Conductor); Mark Good (Editor British Bandsman magazine)

Past Winners:

2020: Manger Musikklag — Midnight's Butterflies (2020 Norwegian National Championship)
2019: Cory — Titan's Progress (National Championship of Great Britain)
2018: Manger Musikklag (Siddis Entertainment Championship)
2017: Eikanger Bjorsvik — Fraternity (European Championship)
2016: Cory — The Triumph of Time (British Open Championship)
2015: Cory — Spiriti (National Championship of Great Britain)
2014: Brass Band Bugermusik Luzern — Trance (Swiss National Championship)
2013: Tredegar — Arabian Nights (Fantasy on Rimsky Korsakov's Scheherazade for Brass Band) (British Open Championship)
2012: Foden's — Daphnis et Chloe (National Championship of Great Britain)
2011: Cory — Red Priest (British Open Championship)
2010: Fairey (Geneva) — Eden (English National Championship)
2009: Fountain City Brass Band — Dreams (Scottish Open Championship)
2008: Eikanger Bjorsvik — Riffs & Interludes (Norwegian Championship)
2007: Brass Band Oberosterreich — Titan's Progress (European Championship)
2006: Black Dyke — Vienna Nights (British Open Championship)
2005: Black Dyke — Journey to the Centre of the Earth (European Championship)
2004: Black Dyke — Montage (British Open Championship)
2003: Buy As You View Cory — Revelation (European Championship)
2002: Yorkshire Building Society — Concerto Grosso (European Championship)
2001: Foden's — Les Preludes (British Open Championship)