The Finals are on – and eight Scottish bands will be taking part

Best wishes to the eight bands who will be travelling to Cheltenham to represent Scotland in next weekend’s National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain.

Kapitol Promotions Ltd, presenter of the contest, has confirmed that the Sections 1-4 Finals will go ahead as planned on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 September at The Centaur, Cheltenham Racecourse.

Company managing director Philip Morris has announced: “Following official confirmation that the state funeral for HM Queen Elizabeth II will take place on Monday 19 September, the Sections 1-4 Finals will go ahead on the above dates and all competing bands are being notified by email as quickly as possible.

He added: “The National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain was, as always, extremely honoured that once again Queen Elizabeth II extended her patronage of the ‘National’ earlier this year, and we hope that the Sections 1-4 Finals bands, supporters and audiences take the opportunity of coming together for the Finals, to join the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth in commemorating the Queen’s exemplary life of duty and service.”

The bands on whom the country’s hope rest are:

First Section (test piece Trittico by James Curnow)

Bo’ness & Carriden - Charlie Farren

Dalkeith & Monktonhall - James Chamberlain

Second Section (test piece Ghosts, Goblins, Witches and Wizards by Darrol Barry)

Campbeltown Brass - Stephanie Kennedy

Tullis Russell - Ray Munday

Third Section (test piece Sinfonietta by Joseph Horovitz)

Kilmarnock Concert - Scott Walker

Dysart Colliery - Kenneth Letham

Fourth Section (test piece New Beginnings by Frederic Schjelderup)

Brass Sounds Inverclyde - Joshua Parkhill

Stranraer Brass - Angela Miller