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Wednesday, 9 July, 2025
Saturday 28 June saw ten semi-finalists travelling from as far afield as Canada, Belgium, the US and Switzerland to battle it out in the semi-final of the Brass Band Conductors’ Association’s flagship Conducting Competition at Halifax Minster.
From 10 semi-finalists, Sara Maganzini, Jan Mueller, Brecht Schepers, Edward Mylechreest and Uilson Castro impressed adjudicators Katrina Marzella and Eduardo Portal conducting Hammonds Band playing Elgar Howarth’s ‘In Memoriam RK’ and Thea Musgrave’s Variations to earn their place in the final. The five finalists went on to conduct a classic film piece in the evening’s Gala Concert with Elland Silver Band.
2025 Winner
Sara Maganzini confirmed her victory by delighting the audience and adjudicators alike with her expressive and enjoyable conducting of Goff Richard’s arrangement of ‘Let’s Face the Music and Dance’.
The BBCA are thrilled to announce the prize-winners:
1st place Sara Maganzini
2nd place Brecht Schepers
3rd place Edward Mylechreest
Highest-placed UK Entrant: Sara Maganzini
Sara was presented with the Roy Newsome Conductors Shield, a £200 cash prize and a year’s free membership of BBCA. She is also invited to act as understudy to Russell Gray in Foden’s preparation for the Nationals and conduct them in concert.
BBCA Chair, James Holt, commented: “This has been a fantastic event with entrants of an extremely high calibre. Our conductors showed great skill and musicality and I’m sure they will go on to build on their performances and the feedback they’ve received from our adjudicators. This flagship competition is a very rewarding day for the BBCA and we hope to continue to provide such opportunities to many more conductors.
My thanks go to Katrina Marzella Wheeler and Eduardo Portal, both Hammonds and Elland Silver Band, Halifax Minster and sponsors Yamaha. This is a competition that continues to grow in stature and today's excellence certainly showed that."
Find out more about the BBCA or email: bbca@bbe.org.uk