The adjudication panel for the 2025 Brass Band Conductors’ Association’s (BBCA’s) conducting competition finals on 28 June has been announced. The BBCA is delighted to have engaged the services of two dynamic conducting personalities.
Eduardo Portal
Eduardo Portal has made a strong impression with orchestras around the world. The Spanish conductor made his debut with the London Philharmonic Orchestra in 2011 and has since conducted over 20 performances with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
He has conducted internationally, with invitations from a great number of prestigious ensembles. These include the Philharmonia, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, the Hallé, and orchestras in Europe and beyond.
In addition he has also made important recordings, including the first recording of Gustavo Díaz-Jerez's orchestral cycle Maghek with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.
In 2020 he founded Passion for Conducting. His students work as music directors and guest conductors of ensembles including Musikkollegium Winterthur, Helsinki Philharmonic, etc as well as having won assistant conductor positions with orchestras like the Dallas, Atlanta or Wellington Symphony Orchestras. His students are also regular participants in conducting competitions including Besancon, Malko, Jorma Panula, Laco di Como and Sergey Kussewitzky International Conducting Competitions.
Katrina Marzella Wheeler
Katrina Marzella-Wheeler was born in Edinburgh, Scotland and is well-established in the brass music world as an instrumentalist, conductor and teacher. Katrina was the solo baritone horn player of the world-famous Black Dyke Band from 2011 to 2020 and has won many prestigious awards as a soloist.
Katrina is passionate about raising the role of her chosen instrument, the baritone horn, and performs exclusively as a Yamaha Artist on the instrument she helped design.
Katrina is now in increasing demand as a conductor across the UK and Europe. She aims to challenge norms with her programming and creative productions and has a commitment to increasing diversity on the conductor’s podium in brass and wind bands. In recent years, she has been the guest conductor of Eikanger Bjørksvik Mussiklag (NO), Festival Brass Band (BE), Regensburg Brass Band (DE), Aldbourne Band (UK), and is currently the conductor of the Scottish Champion Band, the Glasgow-based Cooperation Band.
Enter the competition
The BBCA’s aim is to give as many conductors as possible, from all levels, the opportunity to experience the competition and all that it brings in the way of personal development, peer networking and a unique opportunity to work with some fine bands.
Entrants will need to submit a video of themselves conducting a band or small ensemble (not necessarily brass) of no more than 15 minutes. Videos will be judged by the BBCA Exec and shortlisted for the live competition.
Ten short-listed semi-finalists will be invited to Halifax Minster, West Yorkshire on 28 June to work with the Hammonds Band on contest pieces during the day, with the five finalists going on to rehearse and conduct the Elland Silver Band on a concert programme to be performed in the Gala Concert that night.
BBCA Chair, James Holt, offered the following comments:
“The conducting competition is our flagship event and continues to grow from strength to strength. I am delighted that we have been able to secure the services of two outstanding conductors to be able to provide feedback to those participants invited to attend on 28 June. Eduardo and Katrina have extensive experience and I am sure both will be able to provide some real insight and inspiration for the conductors taking part.”
Find out more and enter the BBCA Conducting Competition. (BBCA member discounts apply). Join the BBCA.
Closing date: Midday 10 April.