The oldest Brass Band Championships in the World were initiated on the 5th September 1853.
The contest was held since it’s inception at Belle Vue, Manchester, but with it’s demise in 1982, the contest moved to the Free Trade Hall in Manchester, until in 1996 the contest was held at the Bridgewater Hall and in 1997 it moved to it’s present home at the Symphony Hall, Birmingham.
All but two bands each year are invited to compete for the British Open Trophy – the two not invited, qualify through the grand Shield Contest held earlier in the year. The bottom two bands in terms of results over the previous two years are demoted from the contest to make way for them.
The Yorkshire Imperial Band was founded in 1936 by the Yorkshire Copper Works company based in Stourton, Leeds. The band competed in it's first Open Championship in 1938 under the direction of W Wood.
Contest Results
Year |
Conductor |
Test Piece |
Composer |
Dr |
Pts |
Pos |
2006 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2005 |
|
|
|
|
|
DNC |
2004 |
John Hinckley |
Contest Music |
Wilfred Heaton |
3 |
|
17 |
2003 |
David Evans |
The Planets Suite [Venus & Jupiter] |
Holst arr. Stephen Roberts |
7 |
|
10 |
2002 |
David Evans |
The Maunsell Forts |
John McCabe |
14 |
|
7 |
2001 |
David Evans |
Les Preludes |
Liszt, transcribed Bram Gray |
16 |
|
14 |
2000 |
T. Wyss |
Ceremony |
Michael Ball |
2 |
|
19 |
1999 |
David Evans |
Comedy Overture |
John Ireland |
6 |
|
4 |
1999 |
T. Wyss |
Dove Descending |
Philip Wilby |
1 |
|
15 |
1998 |
Richard Evans |
Partita |
Philip Sparke |
15 |
|
3 |
1997 |
James Scott |
Festival Music |
Eric Ball |
|
|
13 |
1996 |
Alan Exley |
The Severn Suite |
Sir Edward Elgar, arr. Bram Gray |
4 |
|
22 |
1995 |
Alan Exley |
Revelation |
Philip Wilby |
17 |
182 |
16 |
1994 |
Alan Exley |
Salamander |
John McCabe |
1 |
192 |
5 |
1993 |
Alan Exley |
Masquerade |
Philip Wilby |
15 |
183 |
12 |
1992 |
James Scott |
Cloudcatcher Fells |
John McCabe |
4 |
177 |
13 |
1991 |
M. Antrobus |
Paganini Variations |
Philip Wilby |
18 |
187 |
8 |
1990 |
D. Hirst |
Le Roi d'Ys |
Edouard Lalo arr. Frank Wright |
2 |
|
|
1989 |
James Scott |
Diversions for Brass Band |
Derek Bourgeois |
2 |
|
|
1988 |
James Scott |
Contest Music |
Wilfred Heaton |
7 |
|
|
1987 |
James Scott |
Freedom |
Hubert Bath |
12 |
|
|
1986 |
J. Pryce Jones |
An Epic Symphony |
Percy Fletcher, plus Fusions, Howard Blake |
18 |
|
|
1985 |
J. Pryce Jones |
Salute to Youth |
Gilbert Vinter |
6 |
|
|
1984 |
J. Pryce Jones |
Comedy Overture |
John Ireland |
2 |
|
|
1983 |
D. James |
Connotations |
Edward Gregson |
10 |
|
|
1982 |
J. Pryce Jones |
Three Figures |
Herbert Howells |
7 |
|
|
1981 |
J. Pryce Jones |
Variations on a Ninth |
Gilbert Vinter |
3 |
190 |
|
1980 |
J. Pryce Jones |
Energy |
Robert Simpson |
16 |
193 |
1 |
1979 |
Dennis Carr |
Le Carnival Romain |
H. Berlioz, arr. F. Wright |
22 |
192 |
6 |
1978 |
Dennis Carr |
Benvenuto Cellini |
H. Berlioz, arr. F. Wright |
15 |
188 |
4 |
1977 |
Dennis Carr |
Diadem of Gold |
Bailey, arr. F. Wright |
5 |
|
|
1976 |
Trevor Walmsley DFC |
An Epic Symphony |
Percy Fletcher |
11 |
88 |
8 |
1975 |
Trevor Walmsley DFC |
Fireworks |
Elgar Howarth |
3 |
190 |
3 |
1974 |
Trevor Walmsley DFC |
James Cook - Circumnavigator |
Gilbert Vinter |
17 |
188 |
4 |
1973 |
Trevor Walmsley DFC |
The Accursed Huntsman |
César Franck, arr. E. Siebert |
9 |
192 |
4 |
1972 |
Trevor Walmsley DFC |
Sovereign Heritage |
Jack Beaver |
13 |
183 |
6 |
1971 |
Trevor Walmsley DFC |
Festival Music |
Eric Ball |
22 |
197 |
1 |
1970 |
Trevor Walmsley DFC |
Pageantry |
Herbert Howells |
13 |
196 |
1 |
1969 |
Trevor Walmsley DFC |
Spectrum |
Gilbert Vinter |
5 |
|
|
1968 |
Trevor Walmsley DFC |
John O' Gaunt |
Gilbert Vinter |
11 |
|
|
1967 |
Trevor Walmsley DFC |
Comedy |
John Ireland |
10 |
190 |
4 |
1966 |
Trevor Walmsley DFC |
Downland Suite |
John Ireland |
12 |
190 |
2 |
1965 |
Trevor Walmsley DFC |
Saga of the North |
Cyril Jenkins |
5 |
182 |
5 |
1964 |
A. Owenson |
Lorenzo |
Thomas Keighley |
13 |
|
|
1963 |
A. Owenson |
Life Divine |
Cyril Jenkins |
23 |
|
|
1962 |
A. Owenson |
Island Heritage |
Helen Perkin |
12 |
192 |
3 |
1961 |
G. Hespe |
Main Street |
Eric Ball |
7 |
|
|
1960 |
G. Hespe |
Fantasia |
Mozart, arr. Malcolm Sargent |
9 |
|
|
1959 |
|
|
|
|
|
DNC |
1958 |
|
|
|
|
|
DNC |
1957 |
|
|
|
|
|
DNC |
1956 |
B. Burns |
Tam O 'Shanters Ride |
Denis Wright |
6 |
|
|
1955 |
W. Wood |
Sinfonietta for Brass Band |
Erik Leidzen |
14 |
|
|
1954 |
W. Wood |
Tournament for Brass |
Eric Ball |
10 |
|
|
1953 |
A. H. Whitehead |
Three Musketeers |
George Hespe |
4 |
|
|
1952 |
A. H. Whitehead |
Scena Sinfonica |
Henry Geehl |
11 |
|
|
1951 |
A. H. Whitehead |
The Conquerors |
Eric Ball |
3 |
|
|
1950 |
- |
Resurgam |
Eric Ball |
|
|
|
1949 |
A. H. Whitehead |
Rhapsody in Brass |
Dean Goffin |
9 |
|
|
1948 |
A. H.Whitehead |
Music for Brass |
Denis Wright |
10 |
|
|
1947 |
J. Elliott |
Henry V |
R M Price |
3 |
|
|
1946 |
- |
Salute to Freedom |
Eric Ball |
|
|
|
1945 |
- |
Pride of Race |
K Wright |
|
|
|
1944 |
S. Wood |
The Tempest |
Maurice Johnstone |
11 |
|
|
1943 |
N. Sidebottom |
Themes from Symphony No. 5 |
Beethoven arr. Denis Wright |
14 |
180 |
6 |
1942 |
J. Elliott |
Lorenzo |
|
7 |
|
|
1941 |
|
|
|
|
|
DNC |
1940 |
|
|
|
|
|
DNC |
1939 |
W. Halliwell |
A Downland Suite |
John Ireland |
5 |
|
|
1938 |
W. Wood |
Owain Glyndwr |
Maldwyn Pricee |
20 |
|
|
1937 |
|
|
|
|
|
DNC |
1936 |
Band founded |
|
|
|
|
|
|
