Big prizes at Butlin’s Open Festival

THE 2022 Butlin’s Open Brass Band Festival at Skegness takes place on the weekend of January 7-10 and all entries will be processed through the Brass Bands England website. The deadline for entries is Saturday, October 23.

Bands considering entering should go to htpps://www.bbe.org.uk. You need to select ‘Events’ from the menu then ‘Butlin’s Open Brass Band Festival’ and just follow instructions to the payment section.

Entry Fee is £100, but being a member band of BBE will reduce it to £75. There is a further reduction of £25 if a band enters before September 23.

Test pieces for the Championship Section is Paganini Variations (Philip Welby).

There is also an Entertainment format.

The winner of the Entertainment programme of 20 minutes will receive an invitation to take part in the 2022 Brass in Concert Entertainment Contest.

The winner of the Championship Section will win £10,000. Winners of Sections 1 to 4 will receive £2,000.

There are also Youth sections taking place. The Youth Bands and the Debut Sections are entertainment based with a programme of 20 minutes.

The Youth Bands are limited to Under 19 years on August 31 in the year of the contest, and up to 55 players can play, including percussion. Over age players and tutors can no longer take part.

The Debut Section is for youth bands with players Under 15 years on August 31.

They can play up to 55 players, including percussion and they are allowed one over age player, a tutor or similar, to play a bass part if no other players are available.

The British Open Solo and Ensemble Championships have introduced new categories. Open Solos are open to all with a First Prize of £500.

Youth Solos are open to Under 19 years on August 31 and the first Prize is £300.

Junior Solos are open to players Under 15 years on August 31 and the First Prize is £200. All solos are limited to six minutes.

The First Prize for the Open Ensemble, which have a maximum of five players in all Ensemble sections, is £500.

The Youth Under 19 years Ensemble first Prize and Junior Under 15 years Ensemble is £300.

The Ensemble music is limited to 10 minutes.

Entry Fees cost £10 for Solos and £75 for Ensembles with a deduction of £25 for BBE membership plus another £25 reduction for entries before September 23.

Final call for the Wychavon Brass Band Festival. Entries close on September 11. Present situation is more 4th Section bands required. Few spaces left in 3rd, 2nd and 1st Sections, but no double entries to the Championship any more!