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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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Foden's Band

Result: 2026 British Open Championship

September 12 • Foden's led by Russell Gray have won the 172nd British Open with music making of the richest emotion.


4BR Review — Episode 21

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Dobson

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British Open

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Sherborne Town Band - Free-Music in the park

Sunday 13 September • Sherborne, Dorset-Pageant Gardens DT9 3NP


Regent Hall Concerts - The Band of the Grenadier Guards

Thursday 17 September • Regent Hall (The Salvation Army). 275 Oxford Street. London W1C2DJ


Regent Hall Concerts - The Duchess of Edinburgh String Orchestra

Friday 18 September • Regent Hall (The Salvation Army). 275 Oxford Street. London W1C2DJ


Regent Hall Concerts - The Band of the Irish Guards

Thursday 1 October • Regent Hall (The Salvation Army). 275 Oxford Street. London W1C2DJ


Regent Hall Concerts - Eagle Brass

Thursday 1 October • Regent Hall (The Salvation Army). 275 Oxford Street. London W1C2DJ


Tintwistle Band

September 12 • We are looking for a repiano cornet player to help complete the team.. We are a second section band and rehearse Monday and Thursday 8-10pm at our own bandroom on Old Road in Tintwistle, performing a variety of concerts all year round.


Tintwistle Band

September 11 • We have a vacancy for soprano cornet, and with lots of exciting engagements coming up we would love to get this seat filled! . As a second section band, we rehearse every Monday and Thursday 8-10pm at our own bandroom in Tintwistle.


Brunel Brass Organisation

September 11 • Brunel Brass is looking for a BACK ROW CORNET to complete the band. Challenging for promotion to the Championship Section in 2027 and achieving our highest ever result at the British Open Senior Trophy in 2026,


John Ward


Conductor, Adjudicator


               

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