Winner: Brass Band Treize Etoiles
2. Flowers
3. Eikanger Bjorsvik Musikklag
Although they didn't dominate the contesting world as they did in 2023, the remarkable Swiss band still retained the European title in Palanga and won the British Open in truly memorable fashion in Birmingham.
Added to that they also provided one of the concert highlights of the year with their performance at the RNCM International Brass Band Festival.
It saw 8 of our panel pick them as their first-choice nomination, with five going to the superb runner-up Flowers, who pushed them so close at the British Open.
They went on to claim the National title at the Royal Albert Hall by a clear-cut margin to add to the silverware won at the French Open and West of England Regional Championships earlier in the year and in making some very fine concert appearances.
Third place goes to Eikanger Bjorsvik Musikklag with one first choice nomination and eight other top-three nominations in a year in which they retained their domestic supremacy battle for European glory and still committed themselves to investing in the next generation of players.
Panel:
The Awards Panel consisted of: Iwan Fox (4BR Editor); Malcolm Wood (4BR); Chris Thomas (4BR & BBW); Gordon Simpson (brass band statistician); Anne Crookston (conductor/adjudicator); Sarah Groarke-Booth (conductor/adjudicator); Alexander Zwann (conductor/journalist); Jess Tredrea (conductor/musician); Tim Mutum (brass band historian); Tom Davoren (conductor/composer); Michael Franz (Editor Brass Band News Switzerland); Henk Van Loon (Editor CU Brass); Stein Skorpholm (broadcaster/musician); Camila Soderstrom Tveit (musician/adjudicator); Philippa Edwards AOM (conductor/performing arts producer)
Although they didn't dominate the contesting world as they did in 2023, the remarkable Swiss band still retained the European title in Palanga and won the British Open in truly memorable fashion4BR
Past Winners:
2023: Brass Band Treize Etoiles
2022: Brighouse & Rastrick
2021: Foden's
2020: Foden's
2019: Cory
2018: Valaisia Brass Band
2017: Eikanger Bjorsvik
2016: Cory
2015: Cory
2014: Black Dyke
2013: Cory
2012: Foden's
2011: Brighouse & Rastrick
2010: Tredegar
2009: Cory
2008: Cory
2007: Grimethorpe Colliery Band
2006: Grimethorpe Colliery (UK Coal) Band
2005: Black Dyke
2004: Yorkshire Building Society
2003: Yorkshire Building Society
2002: Foden's Richardson
2001: Yorkshire Building Society
