Jonathan Bates joins AoBBA

The Association of Brass Band Adjudicators (AoBBA) are delighted to announce Jonathan Bates as a full member.
A graduate of the Royal Northern College of Music, Jonathan has held the Solo Horn seat with the world-famous Foden’s Band since 2017, having previously held the same position with Grimethorpe Colliery & Black Dyke Bands, winning a selection of Regional, English National, British National, British Open and European Championships. As a member of A4 Brass Quartet, he has performed recitals in the UK and overseas in addition to extensive work in outreach and education.
As a composer, he has written for some of the world’s leading bands and soloists, including Black Dyke, Grimethorpe, Foden’s, Tredegar, Carlton Main, Leyland, Flowers, GUS, a euphonium concerto for David Childs and a cornet concerto for Lode Violet. His music has been selected for the UK Regional & National Championships, World Championships, as well as the National Championships of New Zealand, North America, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, The Netherlands and the French Open.
As well as his extensive work in performing and composing, Jonathan brings experience of adjudication, having adjudicated at the Danish and Swiss National Championships.
Speaking of his new affiliation, Jonathan commented that he is “thrilled to become a member of AoBBA”, adding: “Being active for a number of years as a player, conductor & composer, I’ve gained a deep appreciation of the three key-component parts that go into live music performance; the compositions themselves and the challenges they may pose, the interpretation possibilities of the musical directors and the technical delivery of the players, particularly in pressurised situations such as the contesting field. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my experiences adjudicating overseas from Youth to Elite level at the Danish and Swiss National Championships, and am looking forward to continuing these experiences, not least on home soil in the UK.”
Speaking on behalf of the Association of Brass Band Adjudicators, PRO Officer Christopher Bond added: “We are delighted to welcome such a highly skilled member to the Association and very much look forward to working with Jonny as we continually strive to deliver both professional and experienced adjudication for the modern brass band contest”.