National Championships of Great Britain 2023

Mark Wilkinson • October 24, 2023

On Saturday 21st October Foden's competed at the 'National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain' held at the Royal Albert Hall, London. The contest featured the top 20 brass bands from around the UK who qualified from competing at various 'Area' contests across the country. Foden's won the 'North West Area' in February '23 for the seventh consecutive year. Each band performed the set piece entitled 'Of Men and Mountains' by Edward Gregson.

This year the band were hoping to make a historic hat trick of victories (on the back of previous wins in 2021 and 22) but despite given a fantastic performance, that found favour of many in the hall, were placed 2nd with Gary Curtin being awarded the 'best instrumentalist' award

Congratulations to our friends at Black Dyke on their victory

Test piece: Of Men and Mountains (Edward Gregson)
Adjudicators: Dr Robert Childs, Dr Stephen Cobb, Prof Roger Webster


1. Black Dyke (Prof Nicholas Childs)*
2. Foden's (Russell Gray)*
3. Cory (Philip Harper)*
4. Tredegar (Ian Porthouse)*
5. Brighouse & Rastrick (Prof David King)
6. Hammonds (Morgan Griffiths)
7. Llwydcoed (Joshua Ruck)
8. GUS Band (Dr David Thornton)
9. Zone One (Richard Ward)
10. Aldbourne (Ivan Meylemans)
11. Whitburn (Luc Vertommen)
12. EverReady Band (Phillip McCann)
13. Camborne (Gareth Churcher)
14. Flowers (Paul Holland)
15. Leyland (Thomas Wyss)
16. WFEL Fairey (Allan Withington)
17. the cooperation band (Glenn van Looy)
18. Friary Brass (Nigel Taken)
19. NASUWT Riverside (Michael Fowles)
20. Ratby Co-operative (Marieka Gray)


*Pre-qualified for 2024 National Final
Best Instrumentalist: Gary Curtin (Euphonium) — Foden's

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