A Sneak Peek into 2025 RNCM International Brass Band Festival

The RNCM International Brass Band Festival has played host to the world's leading brass bands to celebrate our musical heritage and showcase new and innovative works. The 2025 Festival is set to be another brilliant weekend with programmes from Black Dyke Band, Foden's Band and Cory Band, as well as welcoming America's first all-female brass band, Athena Brass.

Let's take a look at what's lined up for the 2025 International Brass Band Festival.

80th Birthday Celebrations

A highlight of the festival will be celebrating the 80th birthday of award-winning composer, Edward Gregson. His works will be performed throughout the programmes presented across the weekend by participating bands.

2025 International Brass Band Festival Programmes

Foden's Band

Friday 24th January 2025 - 7:30pm

Paul Mealor - Fantasia on a Theme of Purcell

Edward Gregson - Tenor Horn Concerto: Three Gods (world première) featuring Tim de Maeseneer

Elgar Howarth - Fireworks

Elisabeth Vannebo - Elektrodesign (UK première)

David Stanhope - A Leadsman, a Lady and a Lord

John McCabe - Cloudcatcher Fells

Athena Brass Band

Saturday 25th January 2025 - 11:00am

Naomi Styles -  Pandora’s Box

Andrea Hobson - Silver-Backed Fox featuring flugel soloist, Jen Oliviero

Lucy Pankhurst - Ghosts of Industry (world première)

Kelly Marie Murphy -  O Frabjous Day, Alice Slays!

Lucy Pankhurst - Abrazo featuring cornet soloist, Ashley Hall-Tighe

Louis Prima arr Gail Robertson  - Jump, Jive, and Wail

Elisabeth Vannebo -  Ned i vester Laksevåg i Siddis featuring euphonium soloists, Bente Illevold and Gail Robertson

Ingebjørg Vilhelmsen - The Cosmographic Mystery

Tredegar Town Band

Saturday 25th January 2025 - 3:00pm

Judith Bingham - Prague

Edward Gregson - French Horn Concerto featuring French Horn soloist, Ben Goldscheider

Philip Sparke - A Road Less Travelled By

Ed de Boer - Homage to Julian Assange (world première)

Junior RNCM Band

Saturday 25th January 2025 - 4:45pm

Paul Drury - Jubilee

Tamsin Crook - Clash of the Titans

Elgar Howarth - Hogarth’s Hoe Down

Elgar Howarth - Berne Patrol

Amber Hooton - Sailor’s Hymn

Edward Gregson - Variations on Laudate Dominum

Black Dyke Band

Saturday 25th January 2025 - 7:30pm

Karl Jenkins - Fragile Earth

Peter Graham - Force of Nature, Concerto for Euphonium featuring David Childs

Philip Wilby - Astralis (first performance of this version with accompanying film)

Andrea Price - New work (world première)

Edward Gregson - Concerto for Trombone featuring Ian Bousfield

Edward Gregson - Of Men and Mountains

RNCM Brass Band

Sunday 26th January 2025 - 11:00am

Elgar Howarth - Mosaic

Edward Gregson - Four Etudes

Derek Bourgeois - Concerto for Trombone

Kelly Marie Murphy - Drumming the Plain, the Horseman is Coming

Simon Dobson - HorrorShow

Macclesfield Youth Band

Sunday 26th January 2025 - 1:30pm

A programme to celebrate 20 years of Macclesfield Youth Band, featuring a new work from Helena Zyskowska.

Cory Band

Sunday 26th January 2025 - 3:00pm

Thibaut Bruniaux - Storm

Ricardo Molla arranged by and featuring Tommy Tynan - Concerto for Tuba ‘Amaia’ (world première of the version with brass band) *

Hubert Bath - Freedom

Viskamol Chaiwanichsiri - ensemble méchanique

Edward Gregson - Dances and Arias

Brighouse and Rastrick Band

Sunday 26th January 2025 - 6:30pm

Dani Howard - Warp and Weft

Denis Wright - Cornet Concerto featuring Tom Smith

Liz Lane - Silver Rose

Edward Gregson - Rococo Variations

John Psathas - Saxon

Paul Terrancini - Gegensatze (world première of band version)

Estella Wallace transcribed by David Bremner - Ka mate te reo i te reaka kotahi (world première of this version)

Gareth Farr - Waipiro

Additional Events

Alongside performances from the above bands there is also a wealth of accompanying events taking place across the weekend.

Festival Prelude: A Saxhorn Renaissance

Friday 24th January 2024 - 6:15pm

The festival will be opened with a saxhorn ensemble performance made up of RNCM tenor horn student Anabel Voigt, alongside musicians from the UK's leading bands:

• Phoebe Mallinson - Flugel

• Emily Evans and Helen Varley - tenor horn

• Mike Cavanagh and Sarah Lenton - baritone

The 4barsrest Interview: David Bremner

Saturday 25th January - 1:30pm

4barsrest's Iwan Fox will present an interview with world renowned trombonist and conductor, David Bremner.

Brass Bands England Discussion

Sunday 26th January 2025 - 4:45pm

A session led by BBE's CEO, Kenny Crookston and COO, Sarah Baumann

Multi-event Discount

You can automatically receive 20% off at least one ticket per event when you book 3 or more events in the RNCM International Brass Band Festival (excluding free events). Please note that this discount only applies when booking events as part of a single transaction. This offer cannot be combined with any other discounts or promotions.

Get your tickets from the RNCM Website: click here