The North American Brass Band Association (NABBA) is among the organizations whose goal is to promote the British brass band in North America.[1]
Publication
The Brass Band Bridge is the official publication of the North American Brass Band Association (NABBA). The first issue was in 1980, and since then it has been roughly a quarterly publication.
Annual competition
Each year in late winter or early spring, a competition is held for brass bands across North America to compete. Four sections, or difficulty levels, exist for adults: 3rd Section, 2nd Section, 1st Section, and Championship Section. A Youth Section also exists and is restricted to performers ages 17 and younger who are enrolled in a primary or secondary school.
Despite the association's name, occasionally a visiting band from overseas will compete, such as the Stavanger Brass Band, from Norway, who won the Championship Section in 2003 and 2014.
Host cities, section winners, test pieces (composers)
| Year | Host city | Championship | Honors | Challenge | Explorer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Raleigh, North Carolina | Smoky Mountain | |||
| 1984 | West Chester, Pennsylvania | Gramercy | |||
| 1985 | York, Ontario | Gramercy | |||
| 1986 | Indianapolis, Indiana | Columbus | |||
| 1987 | Dublin, Ohio | Columbus | |||
| 1988 | Hammonton, New Jersey | NC State U | |||
| 1989 | Asheville, North Carolina | WRAL | |||
| 1990 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Columbus | |||
| 1991 | Cedar Rapids, Iowa | Columbus | |||
| 1992 | Dublin, Ohio | Ohio Collegiate | |||
| 1993 | Washington, DC | Columbus | |||
| 1994 | Raleigh, North Carolina | Hawthorn City | Illinois | ||
| 1995 | Toronto, Canada | Columbus | |||
| 1996 | Dublin, Ohio | Illinois | |||
| 1997 | Red Wing, Minnesota | Illinois | |||
| 1998 | Lexington, Kentucky | Illinois | |||
| 1999 | St. Charles, Illinois | Columbus | |||
| 2000 | Columbus, Ohio | Illinois | |||
| 2001 | Washington, DC | Illinois | |||
| 2002 | Cincinnati, Ohio | Columbus/Illinois TIE | |||
| 2003 | Little Rock, Arkansas | Stavanger | |||
| 2004 | Charleston, West Virginia | Chicago | |||
| 2005 | St. Charles, Illinois | Central Florida | |||
| 2006 | Louisville, Kentucky | Columbus | New England - Spectrum (Vinter) | Georgia - Aspects of Praise (Himes) | Tri-State - Dimensions (Graham) |
| 2007 | Louisville, Kentucky | Fountain City - Dances and Alleluias (Sparke) | Central Ohio - Connotations (Gregson) | Massanutten - Crusade (van der Velde) | Tri-State - Chorale and Toccata (Bulla) |
| 2008 | Louisville, Kentucky | Fountain City - St. Magnus (Downie) | Georgia - Journey Into Freedom (Ball) | Spires - Variations on Laudate Dominum (Gregson) | Tri-State - Hinemoa (Wood) |
| 2009 | Louisville, Kentucky | Fountain City - The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea (Bourgeois) | Central Ohio - Trittico for Brass Band (Curnow) | Natural State - Purcell Variations (Downie) | Tri-State* - The Four Noble Truths (Sparke) |
| Year | Host city | Championship | 1st section | 2nd section | 3rd section |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Raleigh, North Carolina | Fountain City - Variations on an Enigma (Sparke) | Central Ohio - Triumphant Rhapsody (Vinter) | Spires - Danceries (Hesketh) | Oakland University* - Postcards from Home (Wilby) |
| 2011 | Grand Rapids, Michigan | Atlantic Brass Band - On the Shoulder of Giants (Graham) | Central Ohio - On Ratcliff Highway (Steadman-Allen) | Natural State* - Penlee (Dobson) | Capital City - Haydock Variiations (Stuart Pullin) |
| 2012 | Cincinnati, Ohio | Atlantic Brass Band - Masquerade (Wilby) | Central Ohio - Pageantry (Howells) | Madison - The Dark Side of the Moon (Lovatt-Cooper) | Bend in the River - Jubilus (Van der Roost) |
| 2013 | Cincinnati, Ohio | Princeton - Elgar Variations (Ellerby) | Five Lakes - Four Dances from "Checkmate" (Bliss/Ball) | Chesapeake Silver Cornet - Labour and Love (Fletcher) | Chapel Brass - Saint-Saens Variations (Sparke) |
| 2014 | Grand Rapids, Michigan | Stavanger - Symphony in Two Movements (Gregson) | Oakland University - Connotations (Gregson) | Weston Silver Band - Laudate Dominum (Gregson) | Crossroads - Partita for Brass Band (Gregson) |
| 2015 | Fort Wayne, Indiana | Fountain City - Spiriti (Thomas Doss) | Weston Silver Band | Dublin Silver Band - Prisms (Graham) | Chapel Brass - Dancing in the Park (Graham) |
| 2016 | Fort Wayne, Indiana | Fountain City - From Ancient Times (Van der Roost) | Pike's Peak - The Alchymist’s Journal (Hesketh) | Capital City - Fanfares and Love Songs (Higgins) | Milwaukee Festival Brass - The Graces of Love (Oliver Waespi) |
| 2017 | Fort Wayne, Indiana | Atlantic Brass Band - Harrison's Dream (Graham) | Weston Silver Band | Rockville Brass Band | Milwaukee Festival Brass |
| 2018 | Fort Wayne, Indiana | Fountain City - As If A Voice Were In Them (Oliver Waespi) | San Antonio Brass Band | Rockville Brass Band | Triangle Brass Band |
| 2019 | Fort Wayne, Indiana | Fountain City - Partita for Band (Wilfred Heaton) | Dublin Silver Band | Capital City Brass Band | Old Crown Brass Band |
| 2020 | Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | ||||
| 2021 | Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | ||||
| 2022 | Huntsville, Alabama | Fountain City Brass Band | Dallas Brass Band | Motor City Brass Band | Triangle Brass Band |
| 2023 | Huntsville, Alabama | Five Lakes Silver Band | Princeton Brass Band | San Francisco Brass Band | Jacksonville State University Brass Band |
Solo competition
As part of the annual competition, 11 different categories of solo contests are also held:
- Adult High Brass Slow Melody – Any Age (Cornets, Flugelhorns & Tenor Horns only)
- Adult High Brass Technical Work – Any Age (Cornets, Flugelhorns & Tenor Horns only)
- Adult Low Brass Slow Melody – Any Age (Baritones, Trombones, Euphoniums & Tubas only)
- Adult Low Brass Technical Work – Any Age (Baritones, Trombones, Euphoniums & Tubas only)
- Adult High Brass Slow Melody ‐ Senior (Cornets, Flugelhorns & Tenor Horns only)
- Adult High Brass Technical Work – Senior (Cornets, Flugelhorns & Tenor Horns only)
- Adult Low Brass Slow Melody – Senior (Baritones, Trombones, Euphoniums & Tubas only)
- Adult Low Brass Technical Work – Senior (Baritones, Trombones, Euphoniums & Tubas only)
- Youth Brass Solo – must be 17 years of age or younger or enrolled in a primary or secondary school.
- Adult Percussion Solo
- Youth Percussion Solo – must be 17 years of age or younger or enrolled in a primary or secondary school.
Although each section is individually scored and winners are announced accordingly, the overall Best Soloist each year typically wins a brand new instrument donated by its manufacturer.
Member bands
A list of the member bands as of 2022:
See also
References
- ↑ Cassaro, James P. (24 February 2010). North American Brass Band Association. Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.a2085456.