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Held annually, the NABBA Championship is the premiere competitive brass band event in North America.
Embassy Theater · Pearl Arts Center · Grand Wayne Center
Typically band registration opens December 1 and closes January 15, with the draw published within five days of closing. Check back, or watch NABBA's email and social channels.
Typically rules and judges are announced in September, entry opens around October 1, the first (recorded) round closes in mid-January, and finalists play live at the Championships. Check back, or watch NABBA's email and social channels.
Typically entry opens in late January and closes in mid-February, with performances on the Friday morning of championship weekend. Check back, or watch NABBA's email and social channels.
Typically registration opens in mid-January and closes on March 1, with rehearsals Thursday through Saturday of championship weekend. Check back, or watch NABBA's email and social channels.
| Section | Test Piece | Links |
|---|---|---|
| Championship Section | Tristan Encounters, Martin Ellerby | Order · Score/Demo |
| First Section | Terezín, Mario Bürki | Order · Score/Demo |
| Second Section | Firestorm, Stephen Bulla | Order · Score/Demo |
| Third Section | Above and Beyond, Paul Lovatt-Cooper | Order · Score/Demo |
| Fourth Section | Neverland, Christopher Bond | Order · Score/Demo |
| Youth Championship | Olympus, Philip Harper | Order · Score/Demo |
| Youth First | Legend in Brass, James Curnow | Order |
International orders: For Terezín (Swiss) and Tristan Encounters (UK), bands in North America may find it faster to order through specialized brass retailers like Hickey's Music Center or Solid Brass Music Company to avoid high international shipping fees.
Direct from composer: Paul Lovatt-Cooper and Christopher Bond maintain their own storefronts; ordering directly from their websites is often the most reliable way to secure their latest editions.
Digital delivery: Some publishers, including James Curnow Music, now offer PDF download options which can be a great time-saver for getting parts to your players immediately.
Have a suggestion for a test piece? Submit it here.
2026 edition · Revised August 2025
2027 rule revision pending — the 2026 rules apply until the 2027 edition is released, reviewed over the summer, presented at the August board meeting, and released in early September.
2026 edition · 2025/2026 edition
2027 rule revision pending — the 2026 rules apply until the 2027 edition is released, reviewed in July and announced with the contest dates in the first week of September.
December 2021