Works by two of Switzerland's leading innovative brass band composers will be set as the test-pieces for the 2019 European Brass Band Championships to be held in Montreux.

Ludovic Neurohr will provide the Championship Section test-piece, while Mario Bürki will write for the Challenge Section. The new works have been commissioned by the Swiss Brass Band Association.

The 43rd Championships will be based at the magnificent Stravinsky Hall, and will culminate with the main competition events on the weekend of the 26th and 27th April.

Well known

Both composers are well known to the brass band movement, with Ludovic Neurohr gaining a worldwide reputation for his inventive works.

His test-pieces, '31432 Feet', '*****', 'Arabesque', 'As a Glow', 'Behind the Curtain', 'Da Vinci', 'Psyche', 'Spells of Deep Forest' and 'The Fallen Bride' have all been used at major events from the Australian and French Open Contests to the Swiss National and European Championships.

Mario Burki is a graduate of Berne Conservatory, and is a respected conductor of wind bands, trumpet teacher and composer.

His first major work, 'Scenes of Max and Moritz', was awarded second prize in a composition organized by the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles in Lucerne.

Further works have gained widespread acclaim, with a number of his innovative, sometimes quirky compositions, such as 'Flight', 'Flow', 'Hannibal', 'Napoleon' and 'Pompeii' becoming staple lower section contest choices.

Both composers are well known to the brass band movement, with Ludovic Neurohr gaining a worldwide reputation for his inventive works4BR

Welcome news

Meanwhile, there is the welcome news that Véronique Gyger will conduct the 2019 European Youth Brass Band.

Véronique studied piano, music theory and cornet at the Conservatoire of Sion, before continuing her studies in the UK with Phillip McCann and Peter Parkes.

In 1986, she was appointed principal cornet of Brass Band Berner Oberland, a position she held with distinction for ten years. She has taught at the respected Saanenland-Obersimmental Music School for over 30 years and was appointed Assistant Director in 2011, and has served for seven years as chairperson of the National Youth Brass Band of Switzerland.

She conducted Brass Band Berner Oberland Junior Band from 2001 to 2004, winning two National Championship titles and is resident conductor of the Ensemble de Cuivres Euphonia and of the Musique Militaire of Rougemont.