Fountain City Brass Band regained the US Open Championship entertainment title in commanding fashion at the contest held at the University of Kansas on the weekend.

Under the direction of Joseph Parisi, they secured their ninth US Open success to add to the US North American Brass Band Association National title victory earlier in the year, to complete a record fifth USA National/Open 'double'.

Comprehensive margin

Adjudicators Tom Davoren, Gareth Pritchard and Gail Robertson were in unanimous agreement in their appreciation of their programme 'Unbound!' — resulting in a comprehensive winning margin.

The home state band opened with 'Eve Retrieve' by Thomas Newman arranged by Chad Shoopman, and was followed by 'Psychopomp' by Thank You Scientist arranged by Joshua Tyler Jameson and 'Asphalt Cocktail' by John Mackey arranged by Lee Harrelson.

The band's guest star from Australia, Matthew van Emmerick took the 'Best Euphonium' award for his outstanding rendition of Howard Snell's 'Oration' before they rounded off their set with Queen's 'Who Wants to Live Forever' featuring 'Best Flugel' winner Matthew Vangjel and Ryan Sharp on trumpet, and the big band finisher 'Sing, Sang, Sung' featuring Rich Sweat, part of their 'Best Percussion' team on drums.

In addition the band's tuba team and baritone player Helen Tyler also claimed awards as the band also completed their haul of the prizes by taking the 'Most Entertaining Band' prize.

Thrilled

A delighted Joseph Parisi told 4BR that he was thrilled with the victory — especially as a week ago he was still in Norway as an adjudicator at the Siddis Entertainment contest in Stavanger.

"I was thrilled to return from SIDDIS to work with Fountain City in preparation for our return to the US Open. The band hasn't competed for two years due to performing at Brass in Concert in the UK, so it was so nice to be back.

The amount of work put in by the band in preparation when I was away was incredible and my thanks go to them all and it was especially good to return to the contest here on our home patch of Kansas."

Debutant podium finishers

Second place went to debutants Frontier Brass Band from Oklahoma City, who delivered an excellent set under MD Andrew Barrington entitled 'Ascent to Valhalla'.

'Hymn to Odin' from Darrol Barry's 'A Nordic Trilogy' was followed by Stign Aertgeerts' 'Osterfjorden'. Principal cornet Ryan Sharp gave a wonderful rendition of Philip Sparke's 'Cavatina for Cornet' to claim the 'Outstanding Soloist' and 'Best Solo Cornet' awards. They closed with Philip Sparke's 'The Conqueror' and Thierry Deleruyelle's dramatic 'Viking Age'.

The final podium place was claimed by another contest debutant, as Free State Brass Band from Lawrence in Kansas delivered a fine 'Heirlooms & Derivatives' set under MD Scott Weston.

They also closed with 'The Viking Age' but got to their final musical destination via 'Into the Sky' by Stephen Bulla, Eric Ball's classic march, 'Star Lake', 'In the Stone' and 'The Ashokan Farewell'.

Youth success

On a great day for the Fountain City Band organisation, there was delight for Fountain City Youth Academy as they claimed fourth place with a set entitled 'To Boldy Go' that summed up their vibrant approach under MD Lee Harrelson to a tee.

Colorado Brass was fifth with their programme entitled, 'The Illusion of Time' (taking the 'Best New Arrangement' and 'Best Horn' for Geoff Tyndall and 'Best Trombone' for Dave Ellis).

Title defence

2018 champion Arkansas Musicworks could only manage sixth place in defence of their title with music that embraced space themes from diverse sources as David Bowie to Richard Strauss, with the hard- working Prairie Brass Band in seventh as they the awards for the 'Best March' with their rendition of William Rimmer's 'The Cross of Honour' and the 'Best Soprano' prize for Dan Powers.

With a wonderful friendly atmosphere and with the event attracted a number of new bands the event was seen as a huge success one that will be repeated in Kansas City in November 2020.

"I was thrilled to return from SIDDIS to work with Fountain City in preparation for our return to the US OpenMD, Joseph Parisi

Result:

Adjudicators: Tom Davoren/Gareth Pritchard/Gail Robertson = Total

1. Fountain City Brass Band (Joseph Parisi): 118/118/122 = 358
2. Frontier Brass Band (Andrew Barrington): 111/108.5/118 = 337.5
3. Free State Brass Band (Prof Scott Watson): 110/107/115.5 = 332.5
4. Fountain City Youth Brass Academy (Dr Lee Harrelson): 105/105/114 = 324
5. Colorado Brass (Ron Stinson): 104/104/113.5 = 321.5
6. Arkansas Musicworks Brass Band (William Ratcliffe): 95/95/107 = 297
7. Prairie Brass Band (Mary Barnes-Gingrich): 90/91/101 = 282

Most Entertaining Band: Fountain City
Outstanding Soloist: Ryan Sharp (Frontier Brass)
Best New Arrangement or Composition: Time in a Bottle (Colorado Brass)
Roy Newsome Award for Best March: Prairie Brass Band

Best Soprano: Dan Powers (Prairie Brass Band)
Best Solo Cornet: Ryan Sharp (Frontier Brass Band)
Best Flugel: Matthew Vangjel (Fountain City)
Best Horn: Geoff Tyndall (Colorado Brass)
Best Baritone: Helen Tyler (Fountain City)
Best Trombone: Dave Ellis (Colorado Brass)
Best Euphonium: Matt van Emmerik (Fountain City)
Best Bass Section: Fountain City (Nate Gay, Thomas Stein, Brian Dobbins, Jamey Mitchell)
Best Percussion: Fountain City (Theodore Musick, Jeff Seba, Karen Beth Sulzinski Sweat, Richard Sweat, Anna Thiele, Jennifer Wagner)