Test pieces announced for 2026 regional qualifying contests

The music panel of the National Brass Band Championships has announced the regional test pieces for next year’s qualifying contests.

The panel – comprising artistic director Dr Robert Childs, Duncan Beckley, Andrea Price, Sandy Smith and John Maines with chairman Philip Morris and Tim Jones as administrator – has selected the following set music for the 2026 regional championships:

Championship section: Elgar Variations (Martin Ellerby) published by Studio Music

First section: Variations on Was Lebet (Andrew Wainwright) published by SP&S

Second section: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (Philip Harper) published by Harper Musi

Third section: Three Haworth Impressions (Gordon Langford) published by Chandos

Fourth section: Indian Summer (Eric Ball) published by Studio Music, formerly R Smith & Co

The provisional dates for the 2026 Sections 1-4 National Finals are 26-27 September for Cheltenham. The Championship section finals date in October at the Royal Albert Hall has yet to be confirmed.