Winner: Keep the Music Playing (James Fountain)
2. Love Songs (Philip Cobb)
3. Isobel Daws (Isobel Daws)
Three world class brass musicians dominated the voting this year with their outstanding releases, but it was James Fountain and his release 'Keep the Music Playing' that beat off immensely impressive rivals.
The CD featuring him performing works of various genres and inspirations gained 8 first preference votes from our panel and 8 other nominations to deservedly tale the accolade.
Second place went to Philip Cobb's wonderful release of the art of lyrical solo playing — 'Love Song' which gained the nod from 4r members of the panel and also gained 10 other nominations, whilst Isobel Daws' debut solo release was third, gaining 3 first preference votes and 10 other nominations.
The excellent releases from Richard Poole ('The Impossible Dream') and Steven Mead ('Omaggio') gained first preference plaudits as well as other nominations, whilst the releases from Music for Isolation Bente Illevold were also noted.
Panel:
The Awards Panel consisted of:
Iwan Fox (editor 4BR); Michael Bach (conductor/adjudicator); Kerry Baldwin (player/regional development executive ABRSM); Sarah Groarke Booth (conductor/adjudicator); Anne Crookston (conductor/adjudicator); David Gallaher (conductor/adjudicator); David Hirst (player/conductor/adjudicator); Owen Melhuish (New Zealand BBA); Tim Mutum (writer/brass band recording and history specialist); Gordon Simpson (statistician Brass Band World magazine); Stein Skorpholm (Norwegian broadcaster/presenter); Chris Thomas (chief contributor BBW magazine/4BR contributor); Camilla Soderstrom Tveit (player/adjudicator); Luc Vertommen (conductor/adjudicator/arranger); Andrew Wainwright (composer/arranger/designer); Malcolm Wood (4BR chief contributor); Alexander Zwann (chief contributor CU Brass).
Past Winners:
2021: Resurrection (Prof David King)
2020: Eire Time (Gary Curtin)
2019: The Symphonic Euphonium II (David Childs)
2018: Life Force (Peter Moore)
2017: The Demonic Virtuoso (Owen Farr)
2016: Fantasy (Philip Cobb)
2015: Parallel Realities (David Thornton)
2014: The Symphonic Euphonium (David Childs)
2013: Stories of Life (Glenn Van Looy)
2012: Diamonds (Steven Mead)
2011: Dreaming of the Masters (Jens Lindemann)
2010: Moto Perpetuo (David Childs)
2009: Salt of the Earth (Les Neish)
2008: Audacious (Steven Mead)
2007: Eminence (Richard Marshall)
2006: The World of the Euphonium: Volume 5 (Steven Mead)
2005: Blaze (Richard Marshall)
2004: Legend (Peter Roberts)
2003: A Winter's Tale (Martin Winter)
