Report & Results: 2016 Italian National Championship

The Italian Brass Band from Rome is the inaugural Champion Band of Italy after securing victory in a historic contest in Ascoli Piceno.

The inaugural Italian National Brass Band Championship has been won in outstanding fashion by the Italian Brass Band conducted by Filippo Cangiamila.

There were joyous scenes at the ornate Teatro Ventidio Basso in Ascoli Piceno on Saturday evening as the result was announced and the delighted players joined their MD to be presented with the trophy plus an instrument from sponsors Besson.

Meanwhile, there was also an extra celebration to enjoy for their superb euphonium player Luciano De Luca, who deservedly won the 'Best Instrumentalist' award.

Adjudicators Vincent Baroni and Hannes Buchegger told 4BR: "We were very impressed by an excellent band that was very well directed."

Winning pride

Even some time after the announcement of the results, the joy displayed by the Italian Brass Band players and their MD was palpable.

"This means so much," an emotional Filippo Cangiamila told 4BR. "We are honoured to be the first ever Italian National Champion and this means so much to us all.

Interview with Filippo Cangiamila
http://4barsrest.com/news/detail.asp?id=27765

We hope this event will be the first of many more and that it will continue to grow. It has given Italian brass banding and my band such pride to be part of."

European destination

The band from the heart of the eternal city of Rome will now proudly represent Italy in the Challenge Section of the European Championships in Ostend after their excellent performances of 'Fantasy for Brass Band' and 'Harmony Music' gave them a clear two-point winning margin over Brass Band Uberetsch from northern Italy.

They in turn also impressed greatly with their well structured accounts of 'Land of the Long White Cloud' and 'Trittico', which showed that the emerging Italian brass band scene already boasts a brace of quality ensembles.

They will hope to challenge their rivals even closer in 2017 when the event is held in their home town of Bolzano.

Challenge champion

Although there was only one band participating the Challenge Section there was a still a great deal of joy on show as Brass Band Family conducted by Giuseppe Ferrante was declared the first champion.

The band is still very much in the development phase towards becoming a traditional brass band, with a trio of French horns and the cornet section playing on trumpets.

However, their fine musicians showed a great deal of understanding for the genre under the direction of their MD in their cultured performance of 'A Moorside Suite' which contrasted with the boldness of 'Olympic Fanfare & Theme' and the suave treatment of 'The Best of Bond'.

Swiss guests

The results were announced at the end of a highly enjoyable Gala Concert which attracted a large and enthusiastic audience to the splendid local theatre.

The Swiss band Ensemble de Cuivre Melodia under Vincent Baroni was on cracking form with an eclectic choice of repertoire, whilst Lito Fontana, the driving force behind the event, and the home grown talents of Luciano De Luca and cornet player Gunther Graber received rousing receptions for their excellent solo spots.

Collective pride

Nothing though could top the collective pride shown by both the new champion and the organisers at a contest outcome that has hopefully put Italy on the banding map of Europe for many years to come.

As an emotional Lito Fontana, who headed the fledgling Associazone Italiana Brass Band in hosting the contest told 4BR: "All the hard work by so many people has paid off, and my thanks go to the sponsors and the Commune di Ascoli Piceno for supporting us.

It has been a historic event for Italian brass banding which I hope will grow further next year in Bolzano."

Interview with Lito Fontana
http://4barsrest.com/news/detail.asp?id=27760

Images of the Championship:

Fantastic images of the event taken by Ian Clowes of Goldy Solutions can be viewed at:

http://4barsrest.com/articles/2016/1580.asp

We are honoured to be the first ever Italian National Champion and this means so much to us all. We hope this event will be the first of many more and that it will continue to growItalian Brass Band MD, Filippo Cangiamila