By: McKenna Golat | Southfield Sun | Published April 21, 2026
SOUTHFIELD — The Five Lakes Silver Band has claimed the title of the 2026 North American Brass Band Champion and will soon be making its way to the 2026 World Music Contest in the Netherlands.
The Five Lakes Silver Band is a British-style brass band based in Southfield. It is made up of 30 members from across southeast Michigan, with some members living as far as Mount Pleasant and London, Ontario. The band now celebrates being named North American Brass Band Champion, a title it last held in 2023. This win comes just as the Five Lakes Silver Band celebrates its 20th anniversary.
This year, the band received a score of 98.6 out of 100, one of the highest scores ever given at the North American Brass Band Championships. Five Lakes Silver Band Music Director Christopher Ward said there was a gasp in the crowd when the scores were announced.
“We all jumped out of our seats; it was quite a scene,” he said. “This was the culmination of a lot of hard work and commitment.”
Ferndale resident and solo horn Megan Fritz has been a part of Five Lakes Silver Band since 2019. She said receiving that score was very rewarding for the band.
“The time we all put into this is insane,” she said. “We were rehearsing every day coming up to the competition, so to receive such a high score was very exciting.”
Since winning the national title, the Five Lakes Silver Band has accepted an invitation to the 2026 World Music Contest, which will take place in July in Kerkrade, Netherlands. Only the most elite bands globally are invited to participate. This will be the first time the band has been invited to the competition.
Of the 12 bands, the Five Lakes Silver Band will be the only one from North America.
“It’s like the Olympics for music,” Ward said. “We’re competing against the best bands in the world, and that’s such an incredible experience for our group.”
Fritz said everyone is excited for the World Music Contest. She said it’s a huge honor and that the band is taking it incredibly seriously.
“Our goal has been to be at the top of our field,” she said. “It’s an honor to represent.”
The Five Lakes Silver Band will compete in the Championship Concert Division on July 11 and 12. A livestream will be available on the World Music Contest website at www.wmc.nl.
Fritz said every member of the Five Lakes Silver Band is committed to making music together.
“We all genuinely love this,” Fritz said. “Personally, this has been such a rewarding experience that I have always wanted as a musician.”