Just a couple of months before they defend their Swiss National Championship title in Montreux, Brass Band Treize Etoiles sent out an impressive message of intent to their rivals by retaining the Swiss Open Championship at the KKL Hall in Lucerne.

Eleventh victory

Directed by James Gourlay, it was the band's eleventh victory at the event, topping both the set work and own choice orchestral transcription and contest march elements to finish three points clear of Brass Band Fribourg, with Valasia Brass Band in third.

There was no appearance by local favourites Brass Band Burgermusik Luzern this year following the band's recent appearance at the British Open Championship in Birmingham.

Of Distant Memories

The twin disciplines were judged by a panel of five separate adjudicators, with a scoring system not dissimilar to ice skating (top and bottom mark disregarded), with a lyrically inpisred performance of Edward Gregson's 'Of Distant Memories' and commanding rendition their own-choice arrangement selection of Franz Liszt's tone poem, 'Hunnenschlacht' (The Battle of the Huns) alongside the contest march 'The President', seeing them claim the impressive winner's trophy once more.

Brass Band Fribourg under Frederic Theodoloz fought the champion all the way to the winning line, pushing last year's runner-up Valasia into third.

Montreux

All thoughts now turn to the Swiss National Championship in Montreux on the 27th/28th November, where Brass Band Treize Etoiles will look to make it a second successive 'Double'.

it was the band's eleventh victory at the event, topping both the set work and own choice orchestral transcription and contest march elements to finish three points clear of Brass Band Fribourg, with Valasia Brass Band in third4BR

Results:
Set Work/Own Choice programme = Total

1. Brass Band Treize Etoiles (James Gourlay): 171/179 = 350
2. Brass Band Fribourg (Frederic Theodoloz): 169/178 = 347
3. Valaisia Brass Band (Arsene Duc): 170/173 = 343
4. Ensemble de Cuivres Valaisian (Francois Roh): 169/171 = 340
5. Brass Band Luzern Land (Herve Grelat): 169/164 = 333
6. Brass Band Berner Oberland (Corsin Tuor): 162/163 = 325
7. Wallberg Band (Garry Cutt): 164/160 = 324
8. Oberaargauer Brass Band (Russell Gray): 160/162 = 322
9. Ensemble de Cuivres Melodia (Stephane Duboux): 157/159 = 316
10. Liberty Brass Band Ostschweiz (Andreas Koller): 159/154 = 313

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