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
2026, 8 to 12 April, in Wellington.
Band events in the Michael Fowler Centre and Wellington Opera House. Solo events TBA.
Contact Contest Administrator bbanzeo@gmail.com or contest committee chair Mike Sander mike.sander@tpl.co.nz
2027 July in Invercargill
Band events in the Civic Theatre and SIT Centrestage Theatre. Contact Contest Administrator bbanzeo@gmail.com
2025 National Championships
AKA the 2025 Festival of Brass. The championship will be held in Christchurch at the Town Hall Complex on Kilmore Street from Wednesday, 2 to Sunday, 6 July.
Frédéric Théodoloz, the Musical Director of the current European, British Open and Swiss National Champion, Brass Band Treize-Etoiles, will be the Chief Adjudicator for the 2025 National Championships. The Assistant Chief Adjudicator will be SSGT Nick Johnson — Bandmaster of the New Zealand Army Band.
The test music will be announced on Monday, 13 January 2025. Contest entries close on Saturday 3 May, 2025.
General Contest Schedule (will be updated in mid-May)
Wednesday 2 July: from 10.00am, Under 15, Junior and Masters solos, all percussion solos and ensembles, Open Brass Ensembles, Junior Champion of Champions (5.00pm) and Invitation Slow Melody (8.00pm).
Thursday 3 July: from 9.00am, Open Solos, Junior Brass Ensembles and Junior Slow Melody. Open Champion of Champions (7.30pm).
Friday 4 July: A, B and C Grade Sacred item and Test selection. Youth Band contest (TBC).
Saturday 5 July: A, B and C Grade Own Choice selection. D Grade Band contest.
Sunday 6 July: Parade of Bands street march from 11.00am.
For more information, please contact Contest Administrator bbanzeo@gmail.com or Contest Committee Chair Graham Hickman
festivalofbrassnz@gmail.com
