The 44th Swiss National Championships take place this weekend in Montreux where 60 bands will compete at the magnificent Convention Centre on the banks of Lake Geneva.

There is sure to be a great deal of interest around the banding world to the outcome of the Championship (Excellence) Division, where 12 contenders will grapple with the immense set-work challenge of 'Concerto Grosso' by Derek Bourgeois on Saturday before showcasing their own-choice selection the following day to what is sure to be a packed Stravinski Auditorium.

Blockbusters

As always there are some mouthwatering blockbusters on offer too — including new works from the pens of Simon Dobson ('Glass'), Paul McGhee ('King Kong') Oliver Waespi, ('La Passuin'), Lars Nygard ('Midnight's Butterflies') and Louis Kroni ('The Untold Story').

These are of course in addition to 'Harrison's Dream' (Peter Graham), 'HorrorShow' (Simon Dobson), 'Hypercube (Oliver Waespi), 'Myth Forest' (Stig Nordhagen), 'Revelation' (Philip Wilby) and 'Trance' (Thomas Doss).

Extra pinch

And just to add a pinch more spice into the musical mix, with Valaisia Brass Band crowned 2018 European Champion, there will an additional place to be claimed as the Swiss representative when the European Championships return here in just over six months time.

Interestingly, there is a very 'British' look to the adjudication teams who will make the all important decisions this weekend, with Philip Harper, Ian Porthouse, Tom Davoren, Simon Dobson, Mark Wilkinson, Stephen Roberts and Glyn Williams joined by Oliver Waespi and Jan de Haan.

Reorganisation

A reorganisation of the sections by the Swiss Brass Band Association now means that there are six instead of five divisions of competition — a result in part stemming from the rather unwieldy size of the First Section that had grown to 21 bands in 2017.

Now a Elite Division of 10 bands is backed by 11 in the First Division, 14 in the Second, 9 in the Third and 4 in the Fourth — making for a much more sensible and manageable series of competitive events, despite the overall number of competing bands dropping this year from 67 to 60.

Those in the reformed Elite Division (equivalent to the First Section in the UK) will certainly have their prospective top flight ambitions tested with Paul Raphael's 'Destination Moon' as their set work — and who knows, the composer's himself may well be in the audience.

New work

In the First Division, Jan van der Roost's descriptive 'Excalibur' will also pose a stern test, as will 'Masquerade for Brass' by James Curnow in the Second, whilst a brand new work entire 'Antruras' by Swiss composer Gion Andrea Casanova should posing an engaging test in the Third Division.

'Purcellian Fantasia', one of the most inventive lower section works we have heard this year (at the Dutch National Championship) shod prove an enjoyable test for both performers and listeners alike in the Fourth Division.

4BR will once again be making the trip to Montreux to cover the event, with live coverage comments of the action, great images from Ian Clowes at Goldy Solutions and plenty of interviews, analysis and the results of the weekend's events before we make our way back home.

With Valaisia Brass Band crowned 2018 European Champion, there will an additional place to be claimed as the Swiss representative when the European Championships return here in just over six months time4BR

Competitors

Championship (Excellence) Division:

Stravinski Auditorium:
Set Work: Concerto Grosso (Derek Bourgeois)
4.15pm (local time) — Saturday 24th

Own Choice:
12.45pm: Sunday 25th

Brass Band Berner Oberland
Brass Band Bürgermusik Luzern
Brass Band Fribourg A
Brass Band Treize Etoiles
Constellation Brass Band A
Ensemble de Cuivres Jurassien A
Ensemble de Cuivres Mélodia A
Ensemble de Cuivres Valaisan
Liberty Brass Band Ostschweiz
Musikgesellschaft Risch-Rotkreuz
Oberaargauer Brass Band
Valaisia Brass Band

Elite Division:

Stravinski Auditorium
Set Work: Destination Moon (Paul Raphael)
11.00am: Saturday 24th

AEW Concert Brass Fricktal
Brass Band Cazis
Brass Band Eglisau
Brass Band Emmental
Brass Band Imperial Lenzburg A
Brass Band MG Reiden
Brass Band Rickenbach
Brass Band Sursilvana
Brass Band Treize Etoiles B
Ensemble de Cuivres Euphonia

First Division:

Stravinski Auditorium
Set Work: Excalibur (Jan van der Roost)
9.00am: Sunday 25th

BML Talents
Brass Band Fribourg B
Brass Band Harmonie Neuenkirch
Brass Band Kirchenmusik Flühli
Brass Band Konkordia Büsserach
Brass Band RosAlp
Brass Band Schötz
Ensemble de Cuivres Ambitus
Feldmusik Knutwil
Oberwalliser Brass Band A
Regional Brass Band Bern

Second Division:

Miles Davis Hall
Set Work: Masquerade for Brass (James Curnow)
12 noon: Saturday 24th

Brass Band 43
Brass Band Abinchova
Brass Band Berner Oberland Junior
Brass Band Feldmusik Escholzmatt
Brass Band Harmonie Rickenbach
Brass Band Junior Valaisan
Brass Band Lötschental
Brass Band Posaunenchor Flaach
Brass Band Rapperswil-Wierezwil
Brass Band Zürich
Constellation Brass Band B
Ensemble de Cuivres Jurassien B
Ensemble de Cuivres Mélodia B
Liberty Brass Band Junior

Third Division:

Miles Davis Hall
Set Work: Antruras (Gion Andrea Casanova)
9.00am: Saturday 24th

Brass Band Gürbetal
Brass Band Imperial Lenzburg B
Brass Band Münsingen
Bürgermusik Untereggen
Hinterländer Jugend Brass Band
Jugend Brass Band Michelsamt
Musik Frohsinn Oberburg
Musikverein Buckten
Thunerseebrass

Fourth Division:

Stravinski Auditorium
Set Work: Purcellian Fantasia (Jan de Haan)
9.30am: Sunday 25th

Entlebucher Jugend Brass Band
JBB Regionale Musikschule Liestal
Jugend Brass Band Oberer Sempachersee
Musikgesellschaft Risch-Rotkreuz Junior Band