Contest Successes

In addition to having a first-class and formidable reputation for highly entertaining concerts of wide public appeal, the Brighouse and Rastrick Band has many other notable triumphs to its credit in the highly competitive contesting field – the major means bands use to match themselves against each other. Whilst obviously not winning every competition they enter, they are often amongst the prizes and their record of major championship victories since they first came to national prominence during the 1920s is impressive.

  • July and September Belle Vue Champions: 1929
  • September Belle Vue Champions: 1932, 1933, 1934, 1936
    (barred 1935)
  • British Open Champions: 1978, 2022
  • All England Masters Champions: 1993, 1998, 2001
  • National Champion Band of Great Britain: 1946, 1968, 1969, 1973, 1980, 1997, 1998, 2010, 2011, 2017
  • Champion Band of Europe: 1981, 1998
  • World Champion Band: 1968, 1969
  • BBC Band of the Year: 1968
  • Granada TV Band of the Year: 1975
  • ‘Brass in Concert’ Champions: 2006, 2007, 2022
  • Yorkshire Regional Champions: 1944, 1946, 1948, 1949, 1951, 1952, 1954, 1960, 1979, 1984, 1986, 1989, 1992, 1995, 1997, 2003, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2019
  • Saddleworth Open Champions: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
  • Saddleworth Whit Friday March Contests – more prizes won than any other band

 

One extra ‘purple patch’ in this fine record came in 1998 when the band held concurrently the English Masters, British National and European Championships, a unique ‘Triple Championship’, still not equalled!

Amongst the general public, Brighouse and Rastrick is perhaps most popularly known for its famous 1977 hit parade success ‘The Floral Dance’ for which it won both Silver and Gold Discs for massive record sales and tremendous national and international acclaim.

In this new century, the band continues to strive for the highest standard in whatever it does, but keeping one eye on its past and its proud traditions. The years 2010 and 2011 were particularly successful as the band were declared ‘Yorkshire Area Champions’ and ‘Champion Band of Great Britain’ in both years. At the end of 2011, readers of the 4BarsRest brass band website voted Brighouse & Rastrick ‘Band of the Year’ and Professional Conductor David King ‘Conductor of the Year’. Most recently, the band added the 2022 British Open and Brass in Concert Championships to their list of successes.

It is still true to say that no other public subscription band has held such high status for as long as the Brighouse and Rastrick Band!