Press release
Students from The British School Manila Crowned FOBISIA Battle of the Bands Champions 2026
BSM Students won the FOBISIA Battle of the Bands 2026
The 2026 FOBISIA Battle of the Bands was the largest in the event's history, with 45 FOBISIA schools submitting 97 bands to the preliminary round held in October. From these entries, only 36 bands were selected to perform at the Live Final, hosted last weekend at Denla British School, Bangkok.
Four Squared returned to the competition following a strong debut in 2025, where they achieved a Silver award. Building on that experience, the band progressed to Gold this year and ultimately claimed the overall championship, reflecting both artistic growth and sustained commitment to musical excellence.
The Live Final programme was designed to mirror professional music industry practice, offering students an immersive experience that included workshops, rehearsals, production support, soundchecks, and performance preparation. Alongside the competition, participants also engaged in a broader cultural education programme, including a guided longtail boat tour through Bangkok's historic Thonburi canals, with visits to cultural landmarks such as Wat Paknam and Artist's House.
Performances were evaluated against four criteria: Musicality, Stage Presence, Technical Skill, and Professionalism. The 2026 adjudication panel brought together internationally recognised expertise across music performance, production, and education, including Grammy award-winning mixer and producer Matt Lawrence, singer-songwriter Michelle SgP, educator Duncan McKee, violinist and composer Emily Stewart, multidisciplinary performer-educator Charles "Stitch" Wong, and creative leader Steve Molter.
Judges commended Four Squared for their musical cohesion, confident stagecraft, and polished delivery, with particular praise for the balance between vocals and instrumentation. Feedback highlighted the group's professionalism, expressive impact, and ability to perform as a unified ensemble at a high competitive standard.
Commenting on the achievement, the British School Manila's Head of Music, Jeremy Meddows-Taylor said:
"I am beyond proud of these young musicians. They took everything they learned from last year's experience and applied it with maturity and focus. To return and become overall champions just one year later is an exceptional achievement and thoroughly deserved. Their dedication is matched by the unwavering support of their families, who play a vital role in this success."
BSM extended its congratulations to the students, and its sincere thanks to Denla British School for hosting the event that celebrated student creativity and collaboration across the FOBISIA network.
The winning performance can be viewed here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1G8EtAUQJE&t=28011s
36th Street, University Park, Bonifacio Global City
About the British School Manila
The British School Manila (BSM) is a co-educational, private, not-for-profit British international school. Founded in 1976, the school has grown from 2 classrooms and 32 students in its first year to the present day where BSM welcomes 950+ students aged 3-18, representing 50+ nationalities.
The school is a fully accredited member of the Council of International Schools (CIS), the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and the Council of British International Schools (COBIS), a founding member of the Federation of British International Schools in Asia (FOBISIA) and a member of the East Asian Regional Council of Schools (EARCOS). Teaching staff come from a range of backgrounds with experience of the British and other highly regarded curricula. The school offers classes from Nursery to Year 13. Learn more at https://www.britishschoolmanila.org/
The school's 2024-2025 annual report is available at: https://issuu.com/britishschoolmanila/docs/the_british_school_manila_annual_report_2024-2025_
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