The University Brass Band Championships
of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Spirit of UniBrass Award
Spirit of UniBrass Award
The Spirit of UniBrass Award celebrates individuals, bands or groups who have demonstrated a contribution to the spirit or progression of brass banding.
Spirit of UniBrass 2022
The first Spirit of UniBrass Award was won in 2022 by Curtis Maltby from the University of Birmingham. Curtis was nominated for "unrelenting diligence to furthering the university brass band movement and ensuring that [the University of Birmingham Brass Band] provides encouragement to others to join, or pick up a brass instrument for the first time". Curtis promoted a "more diverse and equal ‘banding community’" by "helping out at his local school brass band and speaking to musical directors to stimulate the culture he would like to see embodied by brass banding in Birmingham, his home city and beyond".
Spirit of UniBrass 2023
Hannah Griffin, from Royal Holloway, University of London, claimed the Spirit of UniBrass 2023 award.
Her nomination was glowing, highlighting how she "lives and breathes music and banding, and has done so much for our community." Hannah was a founding member of the Royal Holloway band being president during UniBrass 2023, a musician with the Honourable Artillery Company, and serves as an army reservist. Hannah was also nominated for being the head of the Egham Band Youth Brass Project, writing their entire curriculum. She also taught over 100 children across two primary schools the pCornet, encouraging the new generation of brass banders. She also assisted the Egham Training Band and Youth Ensemble. Having done "all this on top of a part-time Masters degree."
Spirit of UniBrass 2024
The 2024 Spirit of UniBrass Award was won by Scott Henderson of Lancaster University.
Scott’s nomination highlighted how he had worked tirelessly to keep the band running smoothly and get the band into the community. It also noted how he had “worked tirelessly to facilitate as many people as possible being able to play with the band, for example by doing his best to source instruments, and just generally being the friendliest face in the band room”