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World Rankings: August update

Foden's Band tops rankings after thrilling spring and summer contest season.

Foden's Band
  Foden's Band on their recent tour of South Korea

Foden's Band retains its place at the top of the Band Supplies — 4barsrest rankingsfollowing a very busy spring and summer contest season that saw Switzerland's Brass Band Treize Etoiles retain its European Championships, Oldham (Lees), Amersham and Ebbw Valley scoop the honours at the Spring Festival in Blackpool and Wellington Brass confirm its position as New Zealand's leading band at their recent Championships.

The other contests taking place since the last update were:

Flemish Open — won by Brass band Schoonhoven
NWBBA Buxton — won by Ratby Co-operative
Fife Brass Band Festival — won by the cooperation band
Holme Valley Contest — won by Unite the Union
European Championships Challenge Section — won by LT Brass
Northern Counties — won by Lochgelly
Oslo Brass Festival — won by Brøttum Brass
French Open Championships — won by Flowers
Dutch Open Championships — won by Brass Band Schoonhoven
Bugle Contest — won by Camborne Town

With plenty of points on offer at the major autumn contests in the UK and a plethora of national events around Europe, there is plenty of scope for change throughout the top 200. Indeed, there are ten different bands that, in theory at least, could be the number one at the end of the year!

Next update will be at the end of September, by which time we will know which band will be the 2024 British Open Champion and the winners of the Lower Section Finals at Cheltenham.

Top 10 bands

1. Foden's
2. Cory
3. Eikanger-Bjørsvik
4. Brass Band Treize Etoiles
5. Black Dyke
6. Tredegar
7. Brighouse and Rastrick
8. Valaisia Brass Band
9. Brass Band Willebroek
10. Flowers

To view all ranked bands go to:
www.4barsrest.com/rankings

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Brisbane Exclesior

Results: 2026 Yamaha Australian National Championships

April 5 • Brisbane Excelsior regains National title with Grade honours to Willoughby Band No. 2, Whitehorse Brass, Hyde Street Youth, City of Ballarat Municipal Brass, Box Hill Academy Brass and Brisbane State High School Brass.


Principals

National Youth sets out musical principals ahead of twin concerts

April 5 • The 90 young players of the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain are being out through their paces ahead of their twin Easter Course performances.


Elgar Festival

Elgar attractions gain ticket take up

April 5 • Brass Band Willebroek, Black Dyke, Foden's, Flowers, David Childs and the RBC Brass Band are attracting the crowds for their Elgar International Festival of Brass appearances.


BBCA

Pankhurst and Wainwright works to test conductor skills

April 5 • 'Ghosts of Industry' and 'Metamorphosis on Finlandia' will test the 10 semi-finalists in the Brass Band Conductors' Association Conducting Competition in June.


Regent Hall Concerts - Queentet Brass Quintet

Tuesday 7 April • Charlton House. Charlton Road . London SE7 8RE


Regent Hall Concerts - Central Band of the Royal Air Force

Friday 1 May • Regent Hall. (The Salvation Army). 275 Oxford Street. London W1C2DJ


Regent Hall Concerts - Royal Greenwich Brass Band

Sunday 3 May • St Alfege Church. Greenwich Church Street SE10 9BJ


Regent Hall Concerts - FiveBy5 Trumpet Quintet

Tuesday 5 May • Charlton House and Gardens. Charlton Road, . London. . SE7 8RE


Regent Hall Concerts - Royal Greenwich Brass Band

Friday 8 May • Regent Hall. (The Salvation Army). 275 Oxford Street. London W1C2DJ


CLEETHORPES BAND CIO

April 3 • We have vacancies for a trombone player and a bass player. Cleethorpes Band rehearse near the seafront on Thursday and Sunday evenings. Placed 3rd in the NOE 4th section. Other players are always welcome as we may be able to switch positions around


Tintwistle Band

April 2 • . Tintwistle Band are looking for a 2nd horn player to help complete the team.. We rehearse Monday and Thursday 8-10pm at our own bandroom on Old Road in Tintwistle, and perform a variety of concerts all year round.


Tintwistle Band

April 2 • Tintwistle Band are looking for an Eb bass player to help complete the team.. We rehearse Monday and Thursday 8-10pm at our own bandroom on Old Road in Tintwistle, and perform a variety of concerts all year round.


Martin Heartfield

GGSM, ARCM, PGCE
Conductor, Adjudicator, Educationalist


               

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