The second National Championship of the Year takes place in Forges-les-Eaux in Normandy this weekend.

The 21st French National Championships are organised by La Confederation Musicale de France et l'Union Departementale des Societes Musicales de Seine-Maritime.

Schedule

Saturday 28th February will see the Second Division, followed by the Third Division with their set-works and own-choice selections. The following day will feature the Honneur (Championship) Division set-work followed by the Fourth Division (set-work and own-choice), before the event ends with the own-choice selections of the Honneur challengers.

Defending champion

The defending top section champion is Hauts-de-France who are looking to make it seven successive title successes since 2019 to qualify for the 2027 European Championships in Montreux. There is no entrant in the First Division.

The adjudication panel this year comprises composers Thierry Deleruyelle, Ingebjorg Vilhelmsen and Christopher Bond.

The own-choice selections include: Compostela (Thierry Deleruyelle); Corineus (Christopher Bond); Dial 'H' for Hitchcock (Nigel Clarke); Fire in the Blood (Paul Lovatt-Cooper); Fragile Oasis (Peter Meechan); Legacy (Tom Davoren); Mountain Views (Bertrand Moren); Red Mountain (Marc Jeanbourquin); Saint-Saens Variations (Philip Sparke); Sand and Stars (Thierry Deleruyelle); The Forest for the Trees (Wim Bex); Thyellene (Kevin Houben); Z1920: Scenes from a Silent Movie (Peter Graham).

Competing bands:
Honneur Division:

Test-piece: No Man's Land (Thierry Deleruyelle)

Paris Brass Band (Tim De Maeseneer)
Aeolus Brass Band (Julien Jacquemart)
Hauts-de-France Brass Band (Luc Vertommen)
Brass Band des Gones (Anthony Galinier)

Second Division:

Test-piece: Hope (Dorothy Gates)

Brass Band de la Somme (Eric Brisse)
Les Coniques Brass Band (Antoine Freart)
Brass Band de la Cote Picarde (Philippe Lottin)
Brass Band Musicalis Algrange (Sebastien Berettoni)

Third Division:

Test-piece: Snow Island (Thierry Deleruyelle)

Brass Band de Haute Bretagne (Emmanuel Descol)
Brass Band de La Gorgue (Arnaud Peru)
Brassberry (Olivier Bougain)
Brass Band de l'Oise (Yannick Parent)

Fourth Division:

Test-piece: Land of Legends (Andreas Schulte)

Le Ch'ti Brass (Clement Hoogewys)