CONTEST  HISTORY


1983
: Perry Watson organized the first North American Brass Band Championship, held at North Carolina State University. With the financial help of the Schweppes Company and the music instrument industry, the contest was a great success, with two sections and five bands entering. The Championship Section was won by the Smoky Mountain Brass Band, and the NCSU Brass Band won the Second Division.
 

1984: The Second Division is renamed the Honors Division. NABBA starts reworking the contest rules adjusting to the needs of the North American bands. The competition was hosted by West Chester University School of Music in Westchester, Pennsylvania. Nine bands entered the competition.
 

1985: Another division was created to allow more levels of bands to participate. The contest was hosted in Toronto, with six bands entering each the Championship- and Honor Divisions.
 

1986: The Contest Controller now administers the draw for play prior to the contest and each band knows the time of their performance in advance of the contest day. Bands that win three years in a row in their division are automatically moved to the next highest division for future contests. Championship IV was held in Indianapolis, Indiana, and was another success, with eleven bands entering.
 

1987: Official NABBA rules were amended so that competing bands will perform with standard brass band instrumentation, in order to be eligible for a prize. The Youth Division was added to enable and encourage younger groups to participate. Championship V was held in Columbus, Ohio, with fourteen entries.
 

1988: Championship VI was held in Hammonton, New Jersey, with eleven competing bands. The Brass Band of Columbus won the Championship Division for the third year in a row.
 

1989: NABBA opened the videotape competition. Championship VII was held in Asheville, North Carolina.
 

1990: Championship VIII was held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Thirteen bands entered.
 

1991: Ten bands entered Championship IX, which was held in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
 

1992: Championship X was held in Dublin, Ohio, with eight bands entering. The Ohio Collegiate Brass Band became the first band in NABBA history to win all three adult sections.
 

1993: Championship XI was held in Washington, D.C., and for the first time a reception was held at the host hotel so that everyone could greet old friends and make new ones. Performances were held in two separate location simultaneously.
 

1994: Championship XII marked a return to the first competition location, at North Carolina State University. The Hawthorne City Band from Melbourne, Australia were invited to participate as part of their North American tour, and as a result the Australian flag was added to the NABBA collection.
 

1995: Championship XIII went to Toronto for the second time and was attended by fifteen bands. A solo competition was held for the first time and the Championship Section was won by the Brass Band of Columbus for a record seventh time with Peter Graham's The Essence of Time. The Eastern Iowa Brass Band distinguished themselves in the Honors Division with another win.
 

1996: Championship XIV was held in Dublin, Ohio. The solo competition was extended to distinguish between Youth and Adult, Slow and Technical selections. The Junior Varsity All-Star Band continued to distinguish itself as the leading competing youth brass band, and other winners included first time entries from the Cincinnati Brass Band and the Old Dominion Brass Band.
 

1997: Championship XV was held in Red Wing, Minnesota. A new feature was the inclusion of a small-ensemble contest, won by the Ozark Mountain Sextet, and an Exhibition Section (for comments only).
 

1998: Championship XVI was the best-supported NABBA competition, hosted by the Lexington Brass Band at the University of Kentucky. The Illinois Brass Band became only the second band to win the Championship Division three years in a row. A record nine bands competed in the Challenge Division, won by first-time entrants Prairie Brass Band.
 

1999: Championship XVII was hosted in Chicago by the Illinois Brass Band and included a new percussion ensemble competition.

2000: Championship XVIII returned to Columbus, OH hosted by the All-Star Brass Bands

2001:Championship XVIIII was hosted in Fort Meyer, VA by the US Army Brass Band. NABBA Commissioned a Test Piece for the first time. Bruce Broughton composed Masters of Time and Space for Championship Section.

2002: Championship XX was hosted by the Cincinnati Brass Band. For the first time there was a tie for first place in Championship section. Illinois Brass Band and Brass Band of Columbus shared the top place. The Brass Band of Battle Creek and Howard Snell performed a memorable Gala Concert.

2003: Championship XXI went west to Little Rock, AR hosted by Solid Brass of Little Rock. Grimethorpe Colliery Brass Band performed two exciting concerts. Adult Technical and Slow Melody Sections were divided into high and low brass for the first time. Championship Section was won with a stunning performance by Stavanger Brass Band of Norway under Dr. David King.

2004: Championship XXII hosted by Brass Band of the Tri-Sate and Mountain State Brass Band in Charleston, WV. The largest Competition yet with 25 bands, 60 soloists and 21 ensembles

2005: Championship XXIII returned to Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles, IL, a suburb of Chicago. For the first time NABBA itself took on the  responsibility for organizing the entire event. The Gala Concert featured the Chicago Staff Band of the Salvation Army.

2006: Championship XXIV was held on the campus of Indiana University Southeast in New Albany, Indiana which is a suburb of Louisville, Kentucky. Twenty four bands and 80+ soloists / ensembles participated in the two day event culminating in the Gala Concert by the Lexington Brass Band with Simone Rebello and Allen Vizzutti as guest artists.

2007: Championship XXV will return to Louisville, Kentucky.

 

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