What a weekend of Scottish competitive banding!

Over in Stavanger in Norway, the cooperation band was representing Scotland in the European Brass Band Championships, while closer to home, just down the road in the Lancashire seaside resort of Blackpool – competing in the British Open Spring Festival at the Winter Gardens – Dalmellington, Kingdom Brass, Kirkintilloch and Newtongrange Silver bands took to the stage in the Senior Cup qualification event for the 2026 Grand Shield and Dalkeith & Monktonhall and Unite Scotland Kinneil took part in the Senior Trophy.

Yesterday, the Co played the set work in the Euros championship section, Transitions in Energy by Fredrick Schjelderup, under the baton of Katrina Marzella-Wheeler – the first female conductor to lead a band in this section – and today, the band performed its own-choice test piece, Jesus in Tibet by Simon Dobson, in competition against 14 other bands.

The best result of the day was for the Co who came fifth overall and, more significantly, second in the set test piece.

Here are the full results of the championship section of the European Brass Band Championships:

Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be for the Scottish contingent at Blackpool, with the highest placed band in the Senior Cup being Kirkintilloch at no.12, followed by Dalmellington a place further down. Newtongrange came in at no.17 with Kingdom Brass occupying 20th place.

In the Senior Trophy, Dalkeith & Monktonhall were placed 10th and Unite Scotland Kinneil 12th.

The full results of the two contests were:

Senior Cup

Test Piece: Terra Australis (Martin Ellerby)
Adjudicators: Alan Morrison and Helen Varley

1. Pemberton Old Wigan DW (Thomas Wyss)
2. Milnrow (Christopher Binns)
3. Ebbw Valley Brass (Matthew Rowe)
4. Ratby Co-operative (Ian McElligott)
5. Elland Silver (Ben Dixon)
6. Verwood Concert (Kevin Smith)
7. Haverhill Silver (Paul Filby)
8. Tongwynlais Temperance (Owen Farr)
9. Marsden Silver (Andrew Lofthouse)
10. Derwent Brass (Jack Capstaff)
11. Shepherd Brass (Richard Wilton)
12. Kirkintilloch (Hedley Benson)
13. Dalmellington (Andrew Duncan)
14. Unite the Union (Jonathan Beatty)
15. Tylorstown (Robert Westacott)
16. Thundersley Brass (Melvin White)
17. Newtongrange Silver (Anne Crookston)
18. City of Hull (Daniel Brooks)
19. City of Cardiff (Melingriffith) (David Hamilton)
20. Kingdom Brass (Alistair Gibson)

The first four bands are promoted to the Grand Shield in Birmingham next year.

Senior Trophy

Test Piece: Fantasy for Brass Band (Malcolm Arnold)
Adjudicators: Morgan Griffiths and Lt Col Lauren Petritz-Watt

1. Boarshurst Silver (Jamie Prophet)
2. East London Brass (Jayne Murrill)
3. Woodfalls (Joshua Ruck)
4. Easington Colliery (Graeme Tindall)
5. Enderby (Michael Fowles)
6. Parc & Dare (Dewi Griffiths)
7. Pontardulais (Paul Jenkins)
8. Longridge (Mark Peacock)
9. Goodwick (Stephen Sykes)
10. Dalkeith & Monktonhall (James Chamberlain)
11. Tyldesley (Neil Samuel)
12. Unite Scotland Kinneil Band (Allan Ramsay)
13. Eccles Borough (Mareika Gray)
14. Yorkshire Imperial (Stephen Malcolm)
15. Roche Brass (Matthew Green)
16. Newstead (Martin Hartfield)
17. Brunel Brass (Daniel Hall)
18. Roberts Bakery (Mike Jones)
19. Blackburn & Darwen (Daniel Thomas)
20. Brass Band of Central England (Stephen Cooper)

The first four bands are promoted to the Senior Cup in Birmingham next year.

There were no Scottish bands in the Grand Shield. Nevertheless here are the results:

Test Piece: Dance and Arias (Edward Gregson)
Adjudicators: Lt Col David Barringer and Stan Lippeatt

1. EverReady (Stephen Roberts)
2. Amersham (Paul Fisher)
3. Hepworth (Ryan Watkins)
4. Desford Colliery (Ian Porthouse)
5. St. Dennis (Darren Hawken)
6. Rothwell Temperance (David Roberts)
7. Fishburn (Chris Bentham)
8. Redbridge (Chris Bearman)
9. Friary Brass (Nigel Taken)
10. GUS Band (Dr David Thornton)
11. NASUWT Riverside (Prof Nicholas Childs)
12. Camborne Town (Gareth Churcher)
13. Northop (Ryan Richards)
14. City of Bradford (Lee Skipsey)
15. Wantage (Chris King)
16. Stannington Brass (Sam Fisher)
17. Rainford (Sarah Groarke-Booth)
18. Wingates (Matt Ryan)
19. Ashton under Lyne (Paul Lovatt-Cooper)
20. Skelmanthorpe (Gareth Brindle)

The first two bands will be invited to play in the 2025 British Open Championships in Birmingham on Saturday 6 September.