Adjudicators and order of play announced for Youth Champs 2024 | Brass Bands England

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Adjudicators and order of play announced for Youth Champs 2024

Wednesday, 24 January, 2024

BBE has announced the order of play, panel of adjudicators, and comperes who will be participating at the National Youth Brass Band Championships, known as Youth Champs, at Dean Close School on Saturday 23 March 2024. Tickets for the event are on sale now.

Participating Bands

The event will see 38 youth bands perform across three sections - the Besson Prodige Showcase Section, the Yamaha Performance Section, and the World of Brass Championship Section. This number matches the record number of bands who participated at Youth Champs 2023 in Stockport.

Jess Wilson, BBE’s Projects Officer, commented: “BBE couldn’t be more pleased with the participation level seen in our first time moving Youth Champs to the south of the UK. Moving the event around the country allows more scope for bands who have never participated at the event before to do so, as seen by the nine bands who have entered Youth Champs for the first time in 2024.”

Adjudication Panel

After a successful trial in 2023, potential adjudicators were asked to submit an application for judging positions at the event, in order to provide a fair and balanced application process. After receiving a number of applications from highly qualified applicants from across the banding world, six individuals have been selected to adjudicate the 2024 event. 

BBE’s CEO, Kenny Crookston, commented: “We are really pleased with the application process, which really widened the pool of people we were able to consider as adjudicators. We assessed candidates based on their track record, experience in musical assessment and written applications and CV against the event roles person specification. Many of the candidates were suitable for the role and we had to make difficult choices to find the best combination to provide a wide range of skills and experience.”

The adjudication panel is as follows:

Besson Prodige Showcase Section: James Holt and Sheila Allen
Yamaha Performance Section: Emily Evans and Gavin Saynor
World of Brass Championship Section: Mike Cavanagh and Helen Varley

Meet your hosts

Alex Humphreys and David Hayward return as your voice of Youth Champs for a consecutive year. The dynamic duo will announce the bands to stage across the two halls, as well as leading the presentation ceremonies. 

Alex may be well known as a children’s television presenter and BBC Journalist, but banders will recognise her as a member of the City of Cardiff Band, Melingriffith or the Symphonic Brass Wales ‘On Tour’ Group.

David Hayward has spent a lifetime in banding and has experienced banding at all levels, both as a player and conductor, and latterly as a compère at local, regional and national competitions.

Youth Champs 2024 schedule 

Besson Prodige Showcase Section
Adjudicators: James Holt and Sheila Allen
Venue: Hall 1
Presentation ceremony: 12:15

Order of play

Band

Performance Time

1

Churchdown Village Junior School

09:00

2

Forest of Dean Youth Band

09:25

3

Wantage Beginner Band

09:50

4

MK Young Brass Hoppers

10:15

5

Cherry Tree Primary School

10:40

6

Haberdashers Aske's Boys Prep School Brass Band

11:05

7

Lions Debut Band

11:30

8

St Helens Debut Band

11:55

 

Yamaha Performance Section
Adjudicators: Emily Evans and Gavin Saynor
Venue: Hall 2
Presentation ceremony: c. 18:45

Order of play

Band

Performance Time

1

Enderby Youth Band

11:00

2

Egham Youth Band

11:25

3

Wantage Youth Brass

11:50

4

Barnet Youth Brass Band

12:15

5

Delph Youth Band

12:40

6

Band Pres Ieuenctid Ceredigion

13:05

7

Tewit Youth Intermediate Band

13:40

8

Elland Silver Training Band

14:05

9

Macclesfield Youth Brass Band, Junior Band

14:30

10

Astley Youth Band

14:55

11

Pembrokeshire Music Service Youth Brass Band

15:20

12

St Helens Youth Band

15:45

13

Lions Academy Band

16:20

14

St Austell Youth Band

16:45

15

Shepherd Group Youth Band

17:10

16

Birmingham Schools' Training Brass Band

17:35

17

Firth Park Academy

18:00

 

World of Brass Championship Section
Adjudicators: Mike Cavanagh and Helen Varley
Venue: Hall 1
Presentation ceremony: c. 20:15

Order of play

Band

Performance Time

1

Cardiff County & Vale of Glamorgan Youth Brass Band

13:15

2

Northamptonshire County Youth Brass Band

13:45

3

Amersham Youth Band

14:15

4

Oldham Music Centre Youth Brass Band

14:45

5

Wardle Academy Youth Band

15:15

6

Tewit Youth Senior Band

15:45

7

Elland Youth Band

16:15

8

Lancashire Youth Brass Band

17:00

9

Macclesfield Youth Brass Band

17:30

10

Lions Youth Brass

18:00

11

South Wales Youth Brass Band

18:30

12

Youth Brass 2000

19:00

13

Birmingham Schools' Brass Band

19:30

 

Purchase your tickets now!

Tickets for the Youth Champs can be purchased via our website.

  • Advance tickets: Adults: £13, Children: £5, u5: Free

  • Day tickets: Adults: £16, Children: £8, u5: Free

 

**Please note that our booking system will ask if you are a member of a band. If you are not, please type n/a in this field. The system will also ask for you to input a name and email address for each ticket. You will be able to repeat your own email address for any additional tickets for the purpose of completing the form.