Brass bands fighting it out for Yorkshire championship title

They were at St George’s Hall in the city for the honour of being crowned the Yorkshire Champion Brass Band.

The Brighouse & Rastrick Band are the reigning National Champion Brass Band of Great Britain and went into this weekend’s competition as the current Yorkshire Champions and were competing to defend their Yorkshire title in the Championship section against 11 other brass bands including the Black Dyke and Grimethorpe Colliery.

The winner of the competition was not due to be crowned until late last night.

There is a strong tradition of successful brass bands hailing from Yorkshire. Of the 12 bands competing in the final section for the Yorkshire title, six are in the top 20 of the current world rankings.

Peggy Tomlinson, regional secretary of the Yorkshire Regional Brass Band Championships, speaking ahead of the event said: “The contest is closely fought. The playing is passionate and can be breathtaking and all for the glory of being Yorkshire Champion.”

Four bands from the Championship Section will go on to represent Yorkshire in the National Championships to be held in the Royal Albert Hall, in London, in October.

The competition at St George’s Hall, took place on Saturday and throughout yesterday with bands from across the region competing in a number of sections.