Philip Biggs and Richard Franklin have announced that plans are now well advanced for the 2009 All England Masters International Championship, which will take place at the Corn Exchange, Cambridge on Sunday 24th May next year.

21st anniversary

The 2009 Championship marks the 21st anniversary of the All England Masters and to mark this special occasion Philip and Richard have selected as the test-piece 'Masters of Space and Time' by Emmy Award-winning TV and film composer Bruce Broughton.

Having spent a career primarily in film music, it’s a special pleasure to be able to have a piece with no visual image to distract the performance by such excellent musicians in such circumstancesBruce Broughton

Thrilled

Commenting from Los Angeles, Bruce Broughton said: "I am genuinely thrilled to find that my Masters of Space and Time has been chosen as the 2009 All England Masters International Championship test piece."

Apex of brass performance

Bruce added: "Having spent a career primarily in film music, it’s a special pleasure to be able to have a piece with no visual image to distract the performance by such excellent musicians in such circumstances. British banding has always been the apex of brass performance for me since I was a boy; it’s quite exciting to think of hearing a piece of mine played at that level. Besides which, I like Masters and look forward to hearing it played really well next year."

Joint commission

'Masters of Space and Time' was a joint commission by the North American Brass Band Association and The British Open Championship and was the NABBA test-piece in 2001. It was later rejected by the British Open organiers as being unsuitable for their contest.