With just a couple of months to go before the Swiss National Championship takes place in Montreux, Brass Band Treize Etoiles added a tasty pinch of spice to the domestic contesting mix by re-claiming the Swiss Open title in Luzern on the weekend.

Tenth victory

Directed by James Gourlay, it was the band’s tenth victory at an event which takes place on the musical doorstep of reigning European champion Brass Band Burgermusik Luzern, who despite great support in the Kulture-Und Kongresszentrum auditorium, could only manage fifth place, under MD Michael Bach.

The twin disciplines of set work, and own choice programme comprising an orchestral arrangement and British contest march, was judged by a panel of five separate adjudicators, with a scoring system not dissimilar to ice skating (top and bottom mark disregarded in both elements).

Commanding victory

With the marks finally totted up, it gave Brass Band Treize Etoiles a commanding victory over reigning champion Valaisia Brass Band, with Brass Band Berner Oberland taking third by virtue of gaining higher points on the set work from the Wallberg Band.

Treize Etoiles certainly had to pull out the stops at the 25th event, as Valaisia, conducted by Arsene Duc led after their performance of the specially commissioned set work ‘Age of Innocence’ by Howard Lorriman, with Berner Oberland directed by Corsin Tuor in third.

Disappointing Luzern

However, a rather uncharacteristically disappointing performance by the 2014 European champion, Luzern saw them languish in eighth place, with any hopes of regaining the title for the first time since 2011 already gone.

And despite a superb recovery to end second on their own choice programme, Michael Bach’s band still had to bow to the title clinching performance by Treize Etoiles of Bertrand Moren’s new arrangement of Rimsky Korsakov’s liturgically inspired ‘Russian Easter Festival’ overture and ‘Thundercloud’ march by TJ Powell, passionately directed by James Gourlay.

In the process the band won the own choice prize, whilst the separate ‘Best March’ award went to Wallberg Band conducted by Garry Cutt.

Knockout punch

With Valaisia only managing sixth place with their own choice account of ‘Daphnis and Chloe’, it proved to be the knockout punch for Treize Etoiles, who now, according to secretary Jocelyn Moren, head with renewed confidence to the Stravinsky Hall in Montreux to see if they can claim an unprecedented thirteenth National crown.

"We are delighted with the victory — especially as it was a record tenth time in the twenty-five years of the contest being held," Jocleyn told 4BR.

"We have worked very hard with our conductors (Geo Pierre Moren with James Gouraly above) for this contest, and it was a pleasure to be able to help James Gourlay win a record sixth title himself — and his third with us.

We were also fortunate that we were also able to play a fantastic new arrangement by Bertand Moren of Rimsky Korsakov’s music and we also enjoyed the British march."

National aim

Jocleyn added: "Our aim is now to try and regain the Swiss National title, which we last won in 2010.

A victory would also be very special as it would give us our thirteenth win to match the number of stars that represent the villages of our canton from which the band takes its name."

Montreux excitement

With excellent audience support, and with a host of top flight bands eager to claim the right to join Brass Band Burgermusik Luzern at the European Championship in Fribourg in 2015, there is certain to be an added competitive air of excitement to the Swiss National Championships which take place in Montreux on the weekend of the 28th November.

4BR will be there to cover the action over the two days.

We have worked very hard with our conductors for this contest, and it was a pleasure to be able to help James Gourlay win a record sixth title himself — and his third with usJocelyn Moren

Results:
Set Work/Own Choice programme = Total

1. Brass Band Treize Etpoiles (James Gourlay): 174/177 = 351
2. Valaisia Brass Band (Arsene Duc): 176/166 = 342
3. Brass Band Berner Oberland (Corsin Tuor): 169/170 = 339
4. Wallberg Band (Garry Cutt): 168/171 = 339
5. Brass Band Burgermusik Luzern (Michael Bach): 161/175 = 336
6. Ensemble de Cuivres Valaisian (Francois Roh): 158/175 = 333
7. Brass Band Luzern Land (Herve Grelat): 168/162 = 330
8. Brass Band Fribourg (Frederic Theodoloz): 167/159 = 326
9. Oberaargauer Brass Band (Russell Gary): 162/160 = 322
10. Ensemble de Cuivres Melodia (Stephane Duboux): 150/158 = 308

Best Own Choice Performance: Brass Band Treize Etoiles
Best March Performance: Wallberg Band