Spring Festival Competitors Announced
The list of bands that will compete at the 102nd British Open Spring Festival at Blackpool's Winter Gardens on May 11th has been released by contest organisers Martin and Karyn Mortimer.
Two bands from the Grand Shield will gain qualification invitations to the 2024 British Open. Four bands will also be promoted from the Senior Cup and Senior Trophy to replace the appropriate relegated bands in each section. The decision on the number of qualification places available for the 2025 Senior Trophy will be made after the event.
The adjudicator team for the 2024 Spring Festival are (alphabetical order): Helen Douthwaite-Teesdale, John Doyle, David Hirst, Alan Morrison, Lynda Nicholson and Andrea Price.
Grand Shield:
Test-Piece: A Brussels Requiem (Bert Appermont)
Camborne Town (Gareth Churcher)
Carlton Main Frickley Colliery (Allan Withington)
City of Bradford (Matthew Ryan)
City of Hull (Dean Jones)
Desford Colliery (Ian Porthouse)
EverReady (Russell Gray)
Fishburn (Duncan Beckley)
Friary Brass (Nigel Taken)
GUS Band (Dr David Thornton)
Llwydcoed (Joshua Ruck)
Milnrow (Lee Skipsey)
NASUWT Riverside (Prof Nicholas Childs)
Oldham Band (Lees) (John Collins)
Rainford (Sarah Groarke-Booth)
Ratby Co-operative (Chris Jeans)
Redbridge (Chris Bearman)
Rothwell Temperance (David Roberts)
Skelmanthorpe (Jonathan Bates)
St Dennis Silver (Darren R Hawken)
Wingates (Martin Heartfield)
Senior Cup:
Test Piece: The New Jerusalem (Philip Wilby)
Acceler8 (Jef Sparkes)
Amersham (Paul Fisher)
Ashton-under-Lyne (Martyn Evans)
Boarshurst Silver (Jamie Prophet)
Brass Band of Central England (Howard J. Evans)
City of Cardiff (Melingriffith) (Christopher Bond)
Dalmellington (Andrew Duncan)
Derwent Brass (Jack Capstaff)
Elland Silver (Brett Baker)
Kingdom Brass (Thomas Wyss)
Kirkintilloch (Hedley Benson)
Pemberton Old Wigan DW (Ryan Watkins)
Roche Brass (Keith Maxwell)
Shepherd Group (Richard Wilton)
Stannington Brass (Sam Fisher)
Thundersley Brass (Melvin White)
Tylorstown (Robert Westacott)
Unite the Union (Jonathan Beatty)
Verwood Concert (Kevin Smith)
Wantage Silver (Chris King)
Senior Trophy:
Test Piece: Journey to the Centre of the Earth (Peter Graham)
Blackburn & Darwen (Daniel Thomas)
Easington Colliery (Michael Fowles)
East London Brass (Jayne Murrill)
Ebbw Valley Brass (Gareth Ritter)
Eccles Borough (Mareika Gray)
Enderby (Gareth Brindle)
Haverhill Silver (Paul Filby)
Longridge (Mark Peacock)
Marsden Silver (Andrew Lofthouse)
Newtongrange Silver (Anne Crookston)
Parc & Dare (Dewi Griffiths)
Pontardulais Town (Matthew Jenkins)
Roberts Bakery (Mike Jones)
Tongwynlais Temperance (Owen Farr)
Unison Kinneil (Raymond Tennant)
Woodfalls (Paul Holland)
Yorkshire Imperial (Garry Hallas)
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