The Brigades’ Showcase - Announcement for 2025

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​Dear Brigade Colleagues.

 

As many of you know the UK Marching Band activity in the UK has suffered severely since the pandemic, with groups losing members and many having to close.  This in turn has reduced the performance opportunities being offered to those that have been able to continue or are in the process of rebuilding.

 

In 2025 Marching & Performing Arts UK (MPAUK) will be offering their indoor  “SoundSport” activity to all types of musical performance ensembles. Anyone having attended our “Brigades Showcase” in the past will be familiar with the format.  MPAUK will be running a standard competitive season, with multiple shows. However, each event will be standalone, so there is no commitment or expectation to attend multiple events.  Also the option of being judged and being given a score and/or award or being judged but no announcement of this score/award (so really just a helpful set of comments from a judge) or even not being judged at all, would all be available options.  If you are in the process of rebuilding or have an established music group we would highly recommend you consider participating in one of more of these events. 

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A few weeks ago a number of our Brigade Leaders participated in a meeting with Mr Alan Thompson - Chairman of Marching & Performing Arts UK  and following that positive meeting a number are already showing interest in participating in early 2025.  Consequently, ​It has been unanimously approved that DCUK SoundSport events can be held at the 2025 UK Winter Guard contests and this has been rubber stamped by Drum Corp International (who own the SoundSport brand). All the contests will take place from January to April 2025 and details can be found at;   https://wguk.org.uk/contest-information/   
  

We are really excited that there does appear to be an appetite for SoundSport and want to work with you all to make it something you want to be a part of and that your members enjoy and actually get a benefit from. If you have any questions then do not hesitate to drop us a line.  
 
To assist with your plans and preparations I have enclosed the MPAUK schedule of dates and locations of all the competitions that will be available in early 2025.

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Sunday 19th January - Fenton Manor Sports Complex, Stoke on Trent, ST4 2RR

Sunday 2nd February - Platts Lane Sports Complex, Manchester 

Sunday 9th February - University of Essex Arena, Wivenhoe, Essex, CO4 3SQ

Saturday 15th February - Aras Preston Sports Complex, Gormanston, Ireland 

Sunday 2nd March - St John’s Campus Sports Centre, Worcester 

Sunday 16th March - Leeds Beckett University, Headingley Campus, LS6 3QS

Sunday 23rd March - Triangle Leisure Centre, Burgess Hill, RH15 8WA

Saturday 5th April - British Winter Guard Championships 2025 - University of Worcester Arena, Worcester, WR2 5JN

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Ray Westbrook  - Brigades’ “Showcase” Coordinator.