Final preparations are being put in place for the 104th British Open Spring Festival to be held in Birmingham on Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd May.
The contest action on the Saturday will start at 10.00am with the Senior Trophy at the Jennifer Blackwell Performance Space at Symphony Hall, whilst the Senior Cup kicks off at 10.30am at Birmingham Town Hall.
Citadel welcome
There will also be a musical welcome on Saturday provided by Birmingham Citadel Band outside the Town Hall from 9.15am to 10.00am.
Sunday sees the first of the 20 bands in the Grand Shield take to the stage at 10.00am.
Golden tickets
In addition to the top two bands qualifying for the 2027 British Open Championship at Symphony Hall on Saturday 12th September, two lucky audience members will also win 'Golden Tickets' for the event.
All you have to do is purchase a study score of the set-work, 'Star Crossed Lovers' by Stephen Roberts — one of which will contain something different written in the score itself by Stephen. If it in the one you purchase them two premium tickets for the British Open will be yours.
Tickets for the 2026 Spring Festival can be purchased ahead of the event at:
https://bmusic.co.uk/events/the-104th-spring-festival-grand-shield
Competing Bands:
Grand Shield:
Sunday 3rd May:
Start: 10.00am
Test piece: Star Crossed Lovers (Stephen Roberts)
Adjudicators: Stephen Roberts; Anne Crookston
Camborne (Gareth Churcher)
City of Bradford (Lee Skipsey)
Desford Colliery (Ian Porthouse)
Ebbw Valley (Matthew Rowe)
Elland Silver (David McGlynn)
Fishburn (Chris Bentham)
Friary Brass (Andrew Porter)
GUS Band (Christopher Bond)
Hepworth (Ryan Watkins)
Milnrow (Christopher Binns)
NASUWT Riverside (David Morton)
Northop Silver (Ben Dixon)
Pemberton Old Wigan DW (Thomas Wyss)
Ratby Co-operative (Glyn Williams)
Redbridge (Chris Bearman)
Rothwell Temperance (David Roberts)
St Dennis (Darren R. Hawken)
Stannington (Sam Fisher)
Wantage Silver (Chris King)
Whitburn (Prof Nicholas Childs)
Senior Cup:
Saturday 2nd May
Start: 10.30am
Test Piece: Ballet for Band (Joseph Horovitz)
Adjudicators: David Hirst; Lt Col. Lauren Petritz-Watts
Ashton under Lyne (Paul Lovatt Cooper)
Boarshurst Silver (Martyn Evans)
Dalmellington (Erik Janssen)
Derwent Brass (Jack Capstaff)
Easington Colliery (Graeme Tindall)
East London Brass (Jayne Murrill)
Enderby (Gareth Westwood)
Haverhill Sliver (Paul Filby)
Kirkintilloch (Martyn Ramsay)
Marsden Silver (Leigh Baker)
Rainford (Adam Taylor)
Shepherd Brass (Richard Wilton)
Skelmanthorpe (Jonathan Bates)
Thundersley (Melvin White)
Tongwynlais Temperance (Owen Farr)
Tylorstown (Andrew Jones)
Unite the Union (Jonathan Beatty)
Verwood Concert Brass (Kevin Smith)
Wingates (Matthew Ryan)
Woodfalls (Michael Fowles)
Senior Trophy:
Saturday 2nd May
Start: 10.00am
Test Piece: Un Vie de Matelot (Robert Farnon)
Adjudicators: Alan Morrison; Andrea Price
Brunel Brass (Daniel Hall)
City of Cardiff (M1) (Rob Westacott)
City of Hull (Danny Brooks)
Dalkeith & Monktonhall (James Chamberlain)
Eccles Borough (Mareika Gray)
Filton Concert Brass (Craig Williams)
Goodwick (Joshua Ruck)
Haydock (Mark Quinn)
Longridge (Mark Peacock)
Lydbrook (David Barringer)
Newstead Brass (Martin Heartfield)
Newtongrange Silver (Anne Crookston)
Parc & Dare (Chris Turner)
Pontardulais Town (Paul Jenkins)
Roche Brass (Matt Green)
Sandhurst Silver (Joshua Ruck)
Sovereign Brass (David Maplestone)
Tyldesley (Neil Samuel)
Unite Scotland Kinneil (Allan Ramsay)
Yorkshire Imperial (Ian McElligott)
