The German National Championship, supported by Besson Brass recently took place in Warstein-Belecke, where 3BA Concert Band conducted by Corsin Tuor took the honours.
The increasing growth and quality of the brass band movement was on show throughout the weekend, with a high standard of playing on show in each of the sections.
European qualification
That was certainly the case with 3BA Concert who retained the bi-annual title in fine style with a set that included 'A Fantasy for Joy', 'Rhapsody for Trombone' and 'Aurora' by Joel Thoor Engstrom which they performed at the European Championship in Malmo earlier this year. The result sees the band qualify for the 2024 European Championships in Palanga.
There was an impressive A Section debut for Brass Band Regensburg as the 2022 European Challenge Section champion further emphasised their development in coming runner-up with a set that featured 'English Heritage'.
Brass Band Sachsen (who won the European Challenge title in 2016) was third featuring 'Paganini Variations'. Dutch visitors Brassband de Speijkerpakkenband was fourth featuring 'Cloudcathcer Fells'.
3BA Concert Band also provided the Gala Concert entertainment before the announcement of the results.
Thank you
Reflecting on their victory on their Facebook page the winner said: "Thank you very much for the great applause in the competition and during our concert on what was a great weekend organised by the German Brass Band Association and the Sauerland Herbst."
Woodshockers Brass Band led by Benjamin Markl claimed that B Section title in style, featuring in their programme a fine rendition of 'Bipolarity' by Stijn Aertgeerts to end two points clear of Brass Band BlechKLANG with United Harriet Colliery Band in third.
Although there was only one entrant in the C Section, Brass Band Nord conducted by Jonathan Eberstrein showed their growing maturity as a band with their featured test-piece performance of 'Albinus Variations' by Etienne Crausaz.
Results:
A Section:
Adjudicators: Thomas Clamor, Bertrand Moren, Andrea Price
Test piece/Programme = Total
1. 3BA Concert Band (Corsin Tuor): 95.67/96.33 = 192.00
2. Brass Band Regensburg (Thomas Freiss): 94.33/95.33 = 189.70
3. Brass Band Sachsen (Garry Cutt): 88.67/84.00 = 172.70
4. Brassband de Speijkerpakkenband (Ido Gerard Kempenaar): 87.67/84.00 = 171.70
B Section:
Adjudicators: Thomas Clamor, Bertrand Moren, Andrea Price
Test piece/Programme = Total
1. Woodshockers Brass Band (Benjamin Markl): 94.33/95.33 = 189.70
2. Brass Band BlechKLANG (Alexander Richter): 94.00/93.67 = 187.70
3. United Harriet Colliery Band (Chris Houlding): 91.33/90.33 = 181.70
4. Nordbayrische Brass Band (Mathias Wehr): 87.00/88.00 = 175.00
5. Evolution Brass Regensburg (Baranbas Lugosi): 85.00/87.30 = 172.30
C Section:
Adjudicators: Thomas Clamor, Bertrand Moren, Andrea Price
Test piece/Programme = Total
1. Brass Band Nord (Jonathan Eberstrein): 87.67/85.33 = 173.00
