The New Zealand Brass Band Championships is one of the world’s oldest music competitions.
The first contest was held in the Christchurch Drill Hall on the 17th of April 1880 with an audience of 2500 people. Six bands competed, and the audience chose the winner – the Invercargill Garrison Band, under the command of Captain W.E. Heywood.
These days the national contest is held annually in July over five days and includes Junior and Open solo and Ensemble competitions, a Sacred Item/Hymn, Test selection and Own Choice selection for bands in each grade (A, B, C, D, and Youth), plus a Street March. The contest sometimes concludes with a gala concert or workshops.
Contest Results
2027, 7 to 11 July, in Invercargill
Band events in the Civic Theatre and SIT Centrestage Theatre. Contact Contest Administrator bbanzeo@gmail.com
2026 National Championships
The championship will be held in Wellington from Wednesday, 8 April to Saturday, 11 April. The venue for the solo and ensemble events on Wednesday, 8 April, and Thursday, 9 April is Te Whaea. The A and B Grade band events will be held on Friday, 10 and Saturday, 11 April, in the Michael Fowler Centre. The C, D and Youth Grade events will be in the Wellington Opera House.
The chief adjudicator is Russell Gray.
Test Music
A Grade Taniwha by Scott Kennedy-French
B Grade Images by David Woodcock
C Grade Where the Light Falters by Kodi Rasmussen
D Grade Elegy for Brass Band by Fraser Bremner
Open Brass solo test pieces
Soprano Cornet: Luciferous by Steven Booth
Championship Cornet: Chaos for Cornet by Fraser Bremner
Amateur Cornet: Two Contrasting Scenes by Jack Bewley
Flugel Horn: Silver-backed Fox by Andrea Hobson
Tenor Horn: A Rhapsodic Spirit by Grant Pitcher
Baritone: Pulcinella by Philip Sparke
Euphonium: Concerto for Euphonium (Piano) by Philip Wilby Movement ONE only
Tenor Trombone: Caricatures for tenor trombone and piano by David Woodcock
Bass Trombone: Bassically Speaking by Brian A Hodges
Eb Bass: Variations on the Bear Went Over the Mountain by Dale Vail
BBb Bass: GBC by Fendall Hill
Dates to note:
Monday 24 November 2025 - release of the entry forms.
Saturday 7 February 2026 - closing date for contest entries.
Wednesday, 25 March 2026 - The draw for all events is released.
For more information, please contact the Contest Administrator at bbanzeo@gmail.com
