Durham Music makes free test piece offer to qualifying Scottish bands

Durham Music Shop is offering free sheet music of the National Finals test pieces to Scottish bands qualifying for the 2026 National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain.

This initiative has been popular for some years with North of England bands and this is the second time that Scottish bands have had the opportunity to take advantage of the offer. 

Durham Music Shop director Brian Yates explained: “This is our way of working with the Scottish Brass Band Association to support its members when representing Scotland at Cheltenham and the Royal Albert Hall.

“We acknowledge the massive expense of competing at the finals and hope this small gesture will go some way to offsetting some of the costs. Obviously, it costs us money to support the offer but the way we look at it is that we use the profit from sales to fellow Scottish bands to alleviate the cost to the qualifying bands on their way to the finals.

“So, in effect, it is the SBBA members that are supporting their fellow bandsmen.”

Durham Music Shop is an independent family business and has been a regular trade stand vendor at contests in Scotland for the past decade.

“We can’t bring everything with us so bands may not realise that we have a significant stock of brass band music from the world’s publishers,” Brian said.

“We have a new website where we are continuing to add the titles from our stock and also list titles that can be instantly downloaded in PDF format, where the publisher permits, including scores and individual parts if required.

“The business doesn’t charge P&P on orders over £40. Many bands simply email/message us with details of the music they are interested in. We respond with a price and availability/delivery period and when the order follows, it is settled by invoice which bands prefer to using credit/debit cards.”

Durham Music Shop will be attending the West of Scotland contest in Troon on Saturday 30 August, the Fife Charities contest in Kirkcaldy on Saturday 27 September and the Scottish Festival of Brass in Perth on Saturday 22 November and Saturday & Sunday 29 & 30 November.  Brian and Stephanie will be delighted to see you!