Julie Pralong, a cornet player from Echo de la Dent-Blanche and Brass Band Treize Etoiles has become 2026 Swiss National Solo Champion.

Not only did the 19-year-old from Herensarde claim the overall title, but earlier she also won the Cornet Category and Junior Championship accolades with her outstanding performances of 'I'm alone, they are everybody' by Yvan Lagger.

Last year Julie was a guest player from the National Youth Brass Band of Switzerland who performed with the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain as part of the Brass Horizons exchange programme sponsored by Besson Brass. In November she was also crowned overall Valaisanne Champion.

As part of the prize she will be invited to perform at the 2027 RNCM International Brass Band Festival in Manchester as a featured soloist.

Remarkable

Speaking to 4BR competition adjudicator, Dr Roger Webster said: "The overall standard of solo playing is remarkable and the desire to proudly compete is something the rest of the banding world should take inspiration from. The winners in each category were outstanding.

It is no surprise Treize Etoiles is also such a shining example to the world of brass bands."

Roger was joined by fellow judges Stijn Aertgeerts, Nick Hudson, Lode Violet, Sheona Wade, Glyn Williams, Helen Williams, Owen Farr, Manuel Imhof, Richard Marshall, Daniel Schadeli, and Corsin Tuor.

A number of other Treize Etoile performers were also successful in the packed event held at Papiermuhlestrasse Barracks in Bern, which featured close to 200 competitors.

Treize Etoile company

Julie now joins a list of acclaimed former winners that since 1974 includes the likes of Dany Bonvin, Gilles Rocha, Jocelyn Moren, Vincent Bearpark and last year's winner Louis Kroni.

Julie joins her current Treize Etoile band members Jeremy Coquez, Mathilde Roh, Oriane Bruckel and Lionel Fumeaux in becoming the National Champion.

Her Junior Category victory came against fine performances from individual winners Antoine Zeiter (euphonium/baritone); Robin Python (horn); Lionel Schnyder (trombone); Lourenco Pirata (tuba); Silena Wespi (xylophone); Jari Brunner (drum set and timpnai)

Icing cake

It proved to be the icing on the Treize Etoiles celebratory cake after fellow finalist, tenor horn player Julie Clement who also plays with Fanfare Paroissiale de Siviriez, won the Adult Category competition.

The 25-year-old gave an outstanding performance of Bertrand Moren's 'The Night of all Mysteries'. She had previously won the tenor horn category in the category 2022, 2024, 2025 and again this year.

The other individual category awards in the Adult Category were won by Yohan Vuignier (cornet/flugel); Vincent Crausaz (euphonium/baritone); Baptiste Varone (trombone); Etienne Mettaz (tuba).

Brass Band Treize Etoiles later took to its Facebook page to offer its congratulations to "our Julie duo", as well as their other competitors.

Cadet Champion

Luc Perrenoud, a cornet player with Brass Band l'Avenir Lignieres Fanfare d'Ursay followed in a line of recent winners such as Simon Gabriel and Mathilde Roh in winning the Cadet Category title with his performance of 'Celebramos' by Pierre Schmidhausler.

The individual category awards were won by Magali Marat (cornet/flugel); Gabriel Novo Teixeira (euphonium/baritone); Ladina Caprez (horn); Nolan Rey (trombone) and Antonie Pralong (tuba); Amelie Dubs (marimba); Theo Hoppe (drum set and snare drum)

Junior hat-trick

Cornet player Louis Bolis from Echo d'Orney Orsieres claimed a hat-trick of wins in the Under 13 Category with his fine performance of 'From Another Galaxy' by Gilles Rocha.

The individual category awards were won by Loic Martin (euphonium/baritone); Ophelie Detienne (horn); Eric Thetaz (trombone); Gabriel Zufferey (vibraphone and timpani); Kaba Emil (drum set).

As part of the prize she will be invited to perform at the 2027 RNCM International Brass Band Festival in Manchester as a featured soloist4BR

Ensemble winners

The Quatuor 1234 Ensemble featuring Treize Etoile players Oriane Bruckel, Alena Imseng and Fabio Imseng with Vincent Crausaz, won the Swiss Quartet title for the second successive year with their performance of 'Burlesque' by Bertrand Moren.

The Junior Championship was won by Les Souffleurs du Dimance with Treize Etoiles members Matthew Rittiner, Ayla Buchard and Theo Favre alongside Robin Metrailler, playing 'Family Things' by Yvan Lagger.

Results:
Overall Swiss National Champion:

Julie Pralong (Echo de la Dent-Blanche; BB 13 Etoiles A)

Adult Champion:

Julie Clement Julie (Fanfare Paroissiale de Siviriez; Brass Band 13 Etoiles)

Junior Champion:

Julie Pralong (Echo de la Dent-Blanche; BB 13 Etoiles A)

Cadet Champion:

Luc Perrenoud (Brass Band l'Avenir Lignieres Fanfare d'Ursay)

Junior Champion:

Louis Bolis from Echo d'Orney Orsieres

Premier Ensemble:

Quator 1234

Junior Ensemble:

Les Souffleurs du Dimance