Our Competition History
Brass bands have a rich history of competition, and Chicago Brass Band has been active in this area since its inception in 2002.
Most recently, CBB won first place in the 2025 U.S. Open Brass Band Championships, including the following "caption" awards:
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Most Entertaining Performance
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Best Performance of a March
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Best Soloist: Beth Malovance, Flugel Horn
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Best Horn Section
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Best Euphonium and Baritone Section
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Best Percussion Section
CBB's program was titled "A Brass Band Nightmare" and including the following repertoire:
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"March to the Scaffold" from Symphonie fantastique by Hector Berlioz, arr. Keith Wilkinson
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Danse Macabre by Jonathan Bates (featuring Bryce Bowlin, euphonium)
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665: The Neighbour of the Beast by Jock McKenzie
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Maybury Hill Lullaby by Jonathan Bates (featuring Beth Malovance, flugel horn; Andrew Malovance, cornet; and Joshua McNiven, baritone)
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MonsterThrash by Paul Saggers
In the past twenty years, the Chicago Brass Band has won the North American Brass Band Association Championship, performed at the Wheaton Band Festival, the Chicago Brass Festival, and the Midwest Clinic. We have also competed internationally at the Whit Friday Contests in England, the New Zealand National Brass Band Championships, and twice as the American representative at the World Music Contest in The Netherlands.
We thrice have been the featured ensemble in front of 40,000 brass
fans at the Great American Brass Festival (2005, 2009 and 2023).
Our favorite activity, however, remains dazzling audiences in Chicago, one of the premiere cities in the world for brass musicianship.
North American Brass Band Association Championships
2026, Philip Harper, conductor
You'll find out soon! (choice)
The Lost Circle by Jan Van der Roost (test)
2025, Mark A. Taylor, conductor
The World Rejoicing by Edward Gregson (choice)
Crazy Twenties by Thierry Deleruyelle (test)
2024, Mark A. Taylor, conductor
Metropolis1927 by Peter Graham (choice)
Other Lives by Oliver Waespi (test)
2023, Mark A. Taylor, conductor
A Gabrieli Fantasy by Bert Appermont (choice)
Titan's Progress by Herman Pallhuber (test)
2022, Mark A. Taylor, conductor
Where Angels Fly by Kevin Houben (choice)
And from the Darkness by Paul Lovatt-Cooper (test)
2021- no competition
2020 - no competition
2019, Colin Holman, conductor
Trance by Thomas Doss (choice)
Partita by Wilfred Heaton (test)
2018, Colin Holman, conductor
Journey of the Lone Wolf by Simon Dobson (choice)
As if a Voice Were in Them by Oliver Waespi (test)
2017, Colin Holman, conductor
Montreux Wind Dances by Carl Rütti (choice)
Harrison's Dream by Peter Graham (test)
2016, Colin Holman, conductor
Music of the Spheres by Philip Sparke (choice)
From Ancient Times by Jan Van der Roost (test)
2015, Colin Holman, conductor
Vita Aeterna Variations by Alexander Comitas (choice)
Spiriti by Thomas Doss (test)
2014, Colin Holman, conductor
Goldberg 2012 by Svein Henrik Giske (choice)
Symphony in Two Movements by Edward Gregson (test)
2013, Colin Holman, conductor
Audivi Media Nocte by Oliver Waespi (choice)
Elgar Variations by Martin Ellerby (test)
2012, Colin Holman, conductor
Music for Battle Creek by Philip Sparke (choice)
Masquerade by Philip Wilby (test)
2011, Colin Holman, conductor 🥉
Titan's Progress by Herman Pallhuber (choice)
On the Shoulders of Giants by Peter Graham (test)
2010, Colin Holman, conductor
...all the flowers of the mountain... by Michael Ball (choice)
Variations on an Enigma by Philip Sparke (test)
2009, Colin Holman, conductor 🥈
Eden by John Pickard (choice)
The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by Derek Bourgeois (test)
2008, Colin Holman, conductor 🥈
On Alderley Edge by Peter Graham (choice)
St. Magnus by Kenneth Downie (test)
2007, Colin Holman, conductor
Tristan Encounters by Martin Ellerby (choice)
Dances and Alleluias by Philip Sparke (test)
2006, Colin Holman, conductor
Masquerade by Philip Wilby (choice)
Of Men and Mountains by Edward Gregson (test)
2005, Colin Holman, conductor 🥈
St. Magnus by Kenneth Downie (choice)
Harrison's Dream by Peter Graham (test)
2004, Colin Holman, conductor 🥇
Leonardo by Philip Wilby (choice)
Chivalry by Martin Ellerby (test)
2003, Colin Holman, conductor
Chain by Piet Swerts (choice)
Montage by Peter Graham (test)
Crazy Twenties - 2025 NABBA Championships
World Rejoicing - 2025 NABBA Championships
Metropolis 1927 - 2024 NABBA Championships
Other Lives - 2024 NABBA Championships
A Gabrieli Fantasy - 2023 NABBA Championships
Titan's Progress - 2023 NABBA Championships
Other Contest Appearances
2025, Mark A. Taylor, conductor 🥇
U.S. Open Brass Band Championships
2025, Mark A. Taylor, conductor 🥈
Gateway Brass Band Championships
2024, Mark A. Taylor, conductor 🥉
U.S. Open Brass Band Championships
2024, Mark A. Taylor, conductor 🥈
Gateway Brass Band Championships
2023, Mark A. Taylor, conductor 🥈
Gateway Brass Band Championships
2022, Mark A. Taylor, conductor 🥈
Gateway Brass Band Championships
2019, Colin Holman, conductor 🥇
Gateway Brass Band Championships
2019, Colin Holman, conductor
New Zealand National Championships (A Grade)
2016, Colin Holman, conductor 🥉
U.S. Open Brass Band Championships
2013, Colin Holman, conductor 🥈
U.S. Open Brass Band Championships
2013, Colin Holman, conductor
World Music Contest (WMC) (Concert Division)
2012, Colin Holman, conductor
U.S. Open Brass Band Championships
2009, Colin Holman, conductor
Whit Friday
Scouthead, Lydgate, Greenfield, Dobcross, Diggle, and Delph
2005, Colin Holman, conductor
World Music Contest (WMC) (Concert Division)