The Flowers Band will enjoy a Swiss hyperlink boost to their National Championship of Great Britain challenge at the Royal Albert Hall later this month.

With principal cornet star Luke Barker starting his studies in Switzerland, the band has acted to enhance their European connections by signing Mathilde Roh, principal cornet of Brass Band Treize Etoiles, for the contest.

Considerable success

Mathilde has already enjoyed considerable playing success in her short career — being a member of Brass Band Treize Etoiles since 2017 and of the National Youth Brass Band of Switzerland from 2012 to 2019.

She has also won the prestigious Junior National Solo Championship of Switzerland twice, before adding a hat-trick of Blue Riband senior titles (above).

In an interview with 4BR in 2021 she revealed that she would love to play with a leading UK band at the major contests, and now the opportunity has arisen.

I'm honoured to have the opportunity to play for the Flowers Band, especially in such a prestigious venue. I'm very excitedMathilde Roh

Honoured

Looking forward to making her Albert Hall debut with Flowers she said: "I'm honoured to have the opportunity to play for the Flowers Band, especially in such a prestigious venue. I'm very excited."

Meanwhile, Luke is also looking forward to his Swiss National Championship debut in Montreux with Brass Band Treize Etoiles.

'I'm excited to join Fribourg and I was struck by the warm welcome I received by a great group of people. I am thoroughly looking forward to performing with them over the next year and very grateful to Fred Theodoloz for making this opportunity possible.

I also wish Mathilde well. She is a wonderful player."