The Brass Band Conductors Association has announced the semi-final line-up of contenders hoping to claim its Blue Riband Conductor Competition title.
12 successful candidates to make it through the first round of video submissions are:
Neil Brownless; Andrea Durante; Colum O'Shea; Ian Walshaw; Stuart Black; Kieron Howe; Helen Douthwaite-Teasdale; Alan Gifford; Davide Casafina; Carl-Emil Björklund; Boris Oppliger and Jack Capstaff.
You can catch a glimpse of them in action at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XV3XBRffWOU
Semi-final
The conductors will now progress to the semi-final on Saturday 18th June at Eccles Town Hall near Manchester. Each will rehearse the Hammonds Band on one of two test pieces — 'Contest Music' by Wilfred Heaton or 'The Essence of Time' by Peter Graham.
Rehearsals will be under the watchful eye of adjudicators Paul Hindmarsh and David Thornton, who will be responsible for selecting the six conductors who will go through to the evening's concert final, where they will conduct Eccles Borough Band in concert.
Superb opportunity
The BBCA Chair, James Holt told 4BR: "It's fantastic that our competition is returning in-person and we were delighted to get a high-class field of entrants from around the globe.
This is a superb opportunity for conductors to work with outstanding bands and get feedback from professionals in their field and I am sure it will be a great day for those involved."
This is a superb opportunity for conductors to work with outstanding bands and get feedback from professionals in their field and I am sure it will be a great day for those involvedJames Holt
Gala Concert
The semi-finals are open to the general public between 11.00am and 3.00pm with the final evening Gala Concert starting at 7.30pm, both at Eccles Town Hall.
The first half of the evening will consist of the six chosen finalists leading the band through their final piece before a second half where the band will be led by BBCA Executive Committee member Mareika Gray.
Entrance is free with a retiring collection.
