Brisbane Excelsior win 2024 Australian National Championships

Congratulations to Brisbane Excelsior on winning the A Grade Australian National Championships in Adelaide last weekend. Brisbane's victory under the direction David Bremner came thanks to first place in the hymn contest with 'The Light of the World', as well as second place finishes on the set-work, their march 'Knight Templar' and own-choice test-piece, 'Titan's Progress'. It was the narrowest of victories over runners-up Sydney City Brass, as the two bands finished with the same points total, but the Queensland band was placed higher in the set test. Third placed Brisbane Brass were also tantalisingly close to victory, winning the set test competition and finishing only one point behind the top two.

Congratulations are also deserved by section winners Marlborough District Brass, Whitehorse Brass, Hyde Street Youth and Box Hill Academy Brass. Full results can be viewed below, and a review of the event will feature in the next issue of BBW.

A Grade:
Adjudicator: Prof Nicholas Childs
Test Piece: The World Rejoicing (Edward Gregson)
Hymn/Test Piece/Own Choice/March = Total

1. Brisbane Excelsior (David Bremner): 96/194/195/95 = 580*
2. Sydney City Brass (Jason Katsikaris): 92/193/198/97 = 580
3. Brisbane Brass (Alan Spence): 95/196/194/94 = 579
4. Willoughby City Band (Dominic Longhurst): 93/193/193/90 = 569
5. Darebin City Brass — Preston (Andrew Snell): 90/190/193/91 = 564
6. Footscray Yarraville City (Louisa Lawless): 87/187/192/92 = 558
7. Kensington & Norwood Brass (Timothy Frahn): 85/184/189/89 = 547
8. Tanunda Town (Thomas Ludi): 85/185/188/88 = 546
9. Glenorchy City Concert (Simon Reade): 83/183/190/88 = 544
10. Glenferrie Brass (Phillipa Edwards OAM): 84/184/187/87/ = 542

*The higher test piece mark takes precedence.

B Grade:
Adjudicator: Barrie Gott
Test Piece: Keystone (Thierry Deleruyelle)
Hymn/Test Piece/Own Choice/March = Total

1. Marlborough District Brass (Robin Randell): 93/186/189/95 = 563
2. Brisbane Brass 2 (Elena Katahanas): 92/184/188/94 = 558
3. Boroondara Brass (Daniel van Bergen): 89/182/187/96 = 554
4. Geelong West Brass (Jeff Steele): 96/187/178/92 = 553
5. Willoughby Brass No. 2 (Dominic Longhurst): 95/185/179/91 = 550
6. Canberra Brass (Veronica Boulton): 87/181/181/93 = 542
7. Townsville Brass (Dr Mark Smith): 90/180/165/87 = 522*
8. Marion City Band (Aaron Madden): 86/179/167/ 90 = 522
9. Box Hill City (Simon Brown): 88/178/174/82 = 522
10. City of Greater Dandenong (Jamie Lawson OAM): 91/183/159/88 = 521

*The higher test piece mark takes precedence.

C Grade:
Adjudicator: Prof Nicholas Childs
Test Piece: Saul (Shelly Spencer)
Hymn/Test Piece/Own Choice/March = Total

1. Whitehorse Brass (Broden Ford): 85/185/190/90 = 550
2. Wodonga Brass (Fenella O'Sullivan): 84/184/189/88 = 545
3. Western Brass (Jared McCunnie): 83/183/186/84 = 536
4. Moonee Valley Brass (Dean Hughes): 79/179/188/87 = 533
5. Enfield Brass (Geoff Magin): 81/181/183/78 = 523
6. Creswick Brass (Katrina Bird): 75/177/182/82 = 516
7. Salisbury City Band (Adrienne Meikle): 80/180/177/77 = 514
8. Warriparinga Brass (Jay Helbers): 75/175/175/76 = 501
9. City of Greater Bendigo Brass (Cally Bartlett): 76/173/176/75 = 500

D Grade:
Adjudicator: Barrie Gott
Test Piece: Neverland (Christopher Bond)
Hymn/Test Piece/Own Choice/March = Total

1. Hyde Street Youth (Phillipa Edwards OAM): 81/163/187/90 = 521
2. Eaglehawk Citizens' Brass (Ken Wellard): 76/161/176/87 = 500
3. Boroondara Harmony Brass (Robyn Lowenstein Waug): 75/158/168/85 = 486

B Grade Junior Brass:
Adjudicator: Barrie Gott
Test Piece: Partita for Brass Band (Edward Gregson)
Hymn/Test Piece/Own Choice/March = Total

1. Hyde Street Youth (Andrew Wilson & Bethany McAuliffe-D'Rozario): 89/188/190/90 = 557
2. City of Wollongong Junior Brass (Kevin Skues & Desmond Cannings): 83/175/175/82 = 515

C Grade Junior Brass:
Adjudicator: Barrie Gott
Test Piece: The Castle by the Sea (Jay Helbers)
Hymn/Test Piece/Own Choice/March = Total

1. Box Hill Academy Brass (Lauren Innes): 87/185/188/89 = 549

Yamaha Champion of Champions Solo Final:
Winner: Kevin Hickman (Sydney City Brass)
Yamaha Junior Champion of Champions Solo Final:
Winner: Harry Kane (City of Wollongong Junior Brass)