News - British Open Brass Band Championship

Austrian test for British Open

The organisers of the British Open Brass Band Championships have announced the test-piece, as well as confirming the continuing support of Besson, for this year’s event, which will be held in Birmingham’s Symphony Hall on 12 September.

Martin Mortimer commented: “The continuing support of Besson is welcomed, particularly in the current economic climate. Besson is keen to maintain its reputation for quality while keeping its pricing competitive in order to continue its support for British and European brass bands and, in doing so, it has for the past two years taken a keen interest in the development of banding throughout the Continent.” He continued: “This year, the ‘Open’ has set for the first time a test-piece by a composer from outside the Commonwealth, Titan’s Progress by Hermann Pallhuber, a native of Austria, who was born in Innsbruck in 1967.”

A trombonist and pianist, Hermann Pallhuber has become a leading authority on the wind band in Austria and his first work for the British-style brass band, which incorporates themes from Mahler’s 1st Symphony, has already been heard as Brass Band Oberösterreich’s own-choice selection at the 2007 European Championships, as well as being the set test-piece at the 2008 Swiss Championships.

Martin Mortimer continued: “Titan's Progress is a dramatic and technically demanding work that is capable of testing the ability of any band in the world, and it has already been acclaimed by a number of our leading conductors and adjudicators. Its creation is an encouraging indication of the increasing interest in the British brass band amongst musicians in the German speaking nations, as well as other European countries, and we feel sure that the piece will be enjoyed both by bands and audience at this year's ‘Open’.”
Tickets will go on sale at the Symphony Hall Box Office on Tuesday 12 May.