BiC announce adjudicating team

The organisers of the Brass in Concert Championship, which will be held at Sage Gateshead on Sunday 20 November in association with Yamaha, Banks Group and British Bandsman, have revealed the line-up of adjudicators for the 40th Festival.

As extensively reported in the banding press, a new system was introduced four years ago to recognise the importance of the quality of bands’ programme content, which accounts for 20 percent of the available points. Quality of Performance makes up 60 percent of the marks, while the remaining 20 percent is attributed to Entertainment and Presentation. The confirmed adjudication panel and respective roles for the 2016 event has been announced as follows:

Quality of Performance: Les Neish and Florent Didier
Programme Content: Steve Sykes
Entertainment and Presentation: Duncan Stubbs and Tom Redmond
Soloists: Katrina Marzella

Speaking on behalf of Brass in Concert, John Woods commented: “We are delighted to be able to reveal such a high-quality panel of judges for this year’s event, all of whom are vastly experienced musicians. Tuba virtuoso Les Neish returns to the event and will be joined in the Quality of Performance category by Florent Didier, who has made such a tremendous impression as Musical Director of Paris Brass Band. Principal Director of Music of the Royal Air Force, Duncan Stubbs, and French horn player and BBC broadcaster, Tom Redmond, have vast experience in the music profession and make ideal choices as the Entertainment and Presentation judges. Steve Sykes, who appeared in the very first Brass in Concert Championship, takes on the Programme Content role, while Katrina Marzella will award the many solo prizes on offer and is very well qualified in this regard. Katrina will also be appearing on stage at Sage Gateshead just hours earlier with Black Dyke Band and James Morrison in the World of Brass in Concert Gala. It promises to be a fabulous event so don’t miss it!”

The bands taking part in this year’s contest have been confirmed as:

Brighouse and Rastrick
Carlton Main Frickley Colliery
Cory
Dublin Silver (USA)
Flowers
Grimethorpe Colliery
Hammonds Saltaire
Reg Vardy
Brass Band Schoonhoven (Netherlands)
Stavanger (Norway)
Virtuosi GUS
Woodfalls

Further announcements from Brass in Concert are due in the next few weeks. Applications for the Workshops, to be led by Philip Harper and Cory Band principals, can be downloaded by following this link.

Tickets for World of Brass in Concert, featuring James Morrison and Black Dyke Band on Saturday 19 November, priced £24.00, £18.00 and £10.00, and the Brass in Concert Championships on Sunday 20 November, priced £30.00, £22.00 and £12.00, are available from the Sage Gateshead Box Office on 0191 443 4661 or online. 

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