2023 Test Piece

The work is the fourth in a chronological series marking each decade of the 20th century, and follows ‘Fraternity’ (1906); ‘No Man’s Land’ (First World War) and ‘Crazy Twenties’.
It is inspired by the fateful journey undertaken by French writer and aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (1900-1944), who hoped to break the record for a flight between Paris and Saigon in 1935.
Unfortunately, 20 hours after take-off he and his co-pilot crashed in the Libyan Desert near the Nile Delta, where he believed they would perish in “the wind, the sand and the stars.”
In a four day attempt to walk to safety they miraculously came across a Bedouin traveller and were saved, his story retold in the memoir ‘Wind, Sand and Stars’, which in part inspired his best-selling novella, ‘The Little Prince’. 

The work will be made available for purchase from the publishers De Haske Leonard from May 15th.
Tickets for the 169th British Open at Symphony Hall will go on general sale from Symphony Hall Office on Friday 26th May. Further details to be announced.

Championship 9 September 2023 Symphony Hall, Birmingham






Tickets on sale Friday 26 May 2023

From Symphony hall Box Office
Symphony Hall, Birmingham Tel 0121 780 333 (mon-sat 10am 2pm) boxoffice@bmusic.co.uk

The 169th British Open Brass Band Championships presents the top British brass bands and European Champions Valaisia competing for the coveted Open title.

This year’s test piece is an exciting and imaginative new work by acclaimed French composer Thierry Deleruyelle ‘Sand and Stars’ making its UK debut.

The British Open, supported by Besson, is the oldest music contest in the world , with its tradition and high standards of performance attracting strong interest both in the UK and internationally.



Loyalty Scheme - As a previous booker, you can take advantage of the Loyalty pre-sale on Thu 25 May by logging onto your B:Music account and booking as normal.
Tickets are capped at 2 per person.

COMPETING BANDS

  Aldbourne
Brighouse & Rastrick
Black Dyke
Co-op Band
Cory
Desford Colliery
Fairey
Flowers
Foden's
Grimethorpe Colliery
Hammonds
Hepworth
Leyland
  Northop Silver 
  Rothwell Temperance 
Tredegar Town
Whitburn


British Open
Polo Shirts 

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(Outside UK please ask for postage cost)

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Roll of Honour

2022 Brighouse and Rastrick (David King)
2019 Cory - (Philip Harper)
2018 Cory - (Philip Harper)
2017 Valaisia Brass Band - (Arsene Duc)
2016 Cory (Philip Harper)
2015 Grimethorpe Colliery (Dr Robert Childs)
2014 Black Dyke - Dr. Nicholas Childs - Vita Aeterna Variations - Alexander Comitas
2013 Tredegar - Ian Porthouse - Arabian Nights - Stephen Roberts
2012 Foden's - Allan Withington - Electra - Martin Ellerby
2011 Cory - Dr Robert Childs - Red Priest - Professor Philip Wilby 

2010 Tredegar - Ian Porthouse - On the Shoulders of Giants - Professor Peter Graham
2009 Cory Band - Dr. Robert Childs - Titan's Progress - Hermann Pallhuber
2008 Fodens Richardson - Garry Cutt - Rococo Variations - Professor Edward Gregson
2007 Cory Band - Dr. Robert Childs - Visions of Gerontius - Kenneth Downie
2006 Black Dyke - Dr. Nicholas Childs - Vienna Nights -Philip Wilby
2005 Black Dyke - Dr. Nicholas Childs - The Night to Sing - Bramwell Tovey
2004 Fodens Richardson - Contest Music Garry E. Cutt Contest Music (Wilfred Heaton), Montage (Peter Graham), St. Magnus (Kenneth Downie)
2003 Yorkshire Building - Society Prof. David King - The Planets Suite [Venus & Jupiter], Holst arr. Stephen Roberts
2002 Buy As You View Cory - Robert Childs - The Maunsell Forts - John McCabe
2001 Yorkshire Building Society - David King - Les Preludes, Liszt, transcribed Bram Gay 

2000 Buy As You View Cory - Robert Childs - Ceremony - Michael Ball
1999 Yorkshire Building Society - David King - Dove Descending - Philip Wilby
1998 Williams Fairey - J. Gourlay - Diversions on a Bass Theme - George Lloyd
1997 Yorkshire Building Society - David King - Whitsun Wakes - Michael Ball
1996 Marple - Garry Cutt - The Severn Suite - Sir Edward Elgar, arr. Bram Gray
1995 Black Dyke - J. Watson - Revelation - Philip Wilby
1994 BNFL Leyland - R. Evans - Salamander - John McCabe
1993 Williams Fairey - P. Parkes - Masquerade - Philip Wilby
1992 Black Dyke - J. Watson - Cloudcatcher Fells - John McCabe
1991 Grimethorpe Colliery - F. Renton - Paganini Variations - Philip Wilby
1990 Sun Life - R. Newsome - Le Roi d'Ys - Edouard Lalo, arr. Frank Wright