It is not just in the UK where the focus will be on potential National title success this weekend, as the 14th French National Championships take place in Nantes.
Thirteen bands will take to the stage at the splendid Cite des Congres over the weekend of the 24th/25th February.
The judges for the Championships are Philip Sparke, Thierry Deleruyelle and Manu Mellaerts, with three contenders taking part in the elite level Honneur Section — with the winner representing the nation at the 2019 European Championships in Montreux.
Honneurs Division
They will be led by defending champion Hauts-de-France conducted by Luc Vertommen, who will be up against the returning Paris Brass Band, who did not compete in 2017, but who won the event five years in a row between 2012 and 2016, and last year's Excellence Division champion Brass Band de Lyon.
The contest sees the bands perform the set-work, 'Music of the Spheres' by Philip Sparke on Sunday afternoon, followed a little later by their own-choice selections.
Gala Concert
Four bands will compete in the Excellence Division performing the set-work, 'Fragile Oasis' by Peter Meechan as well as their own-choice selections. Although there is just one band in the First Division, the Second Division has two contenders with a further three in the Third Division.
There will also be a Gala Concert on the Saturday evening given by Fanfare le Spectre d'Ottokar and the Nantes Philharmonie alongside the Quatuor Ellipsos.
The judges for the Championships are Philip Sparke, Thierry Deleruyelle and Manu Mellaerts, with three contenders taking part in the elite level Honneur Section — with the winner representing the nation at the 2019 European Championships in Montreux4BR
Competing Bands:
Honneur Division:
Sunday 25th February
Set Work & Own Choice
Set Work: Music of the Spheres (Philip Sparke)
Brass Band de Lyon (Glenn Van Looy)
Hauts de France Brass Band (Luc Vertommen)
Paris Brass Band (Florent Didier)
Excellence Division:
Sunday 25th February
Set Work & Own Choice
Set Work: Fragile Oasis (Peter Meechan)
Brass Band Côte et Cuivres Jerome Carre)
Brass Band de Toulouse (Jean-Guy Olive)
Douai Brass Band Olivier Degardin)
West Brass Band (Luc Herbaut)
Division 1:
Saturday 24th February
Set Work & Own Choice
Set Work: Excalibur (Sword of Justice) (Jan van der Roost)
Brass Band Accords (Cedric Rossero)
Division 2:
Saturday 24th February
Set Work & Own Choice
Set Work: Babylon (Thibaut Bruniaux)
Brass Band du CRR de Toulouse (Jean-Guy Olive)
Brass Band des Pays de la Loire (Nicolas Leudiere)
Division 3:
Saturday 24th February
Set Work & Own Choice
Set Work: Legends in Brass (James Curnow)
Brass Band du Pays Bourgueillois (Michael Auclert)
Brass Band de Haute Bretagne (Emmanuel Descol)
Brass Band Lorient Bretagne Sud (Bernard Galinier)
