The growing quality of the German brass banding movement was encouragingly displayed in fine fashion at the recent National Championships held in the Max Littmann-Saal in Bad Kissingen in Bavaria.

The seventh annual event saw 19 participating bands with the Championship title and the honour of representing the nation at the 2019 European Championships in Montreux going to 3BA Concert Band conducted by Thomas Ludescher.

Busy time

The success rounded off a very busy period for the band, and came just a week after they had come a fine 10th at the European Championships in Utrecht against the cream of the world's elite band.

Not surprisingly they chose to reprise Thierry Deleruyelle's 'Fraternity' as their own-choice selection to complement the set-work Eric Ball's classic 1967 work, 'Journey into Freedom' to give a clear margin of victory over rivals Brass Band Sachsen. The band's principal cornet Lucy Kraszlan deservedly took the 'Best Instrumentalist' award for her outstanding contributions.

The next generation of players in the 3BA organisation also enjoyed a fine weekend as they came runner-up in the Youth Section under MD Sebastian Schwarz.

Meanwhile, Brass Band Sachsen continued to show their growing maturity with a well structured account of 'Spiriti' as their own-choice selection with their impressive trombones taking the 'Best Section' award.

First Division

In the First Division there was victory for the emerging Badische Brassband, who like 3BA had just come back from representing the nation at the European Challenge Section in Utrecht, where they came a fine third.

They also reprised the set work 'Mystic Echoes' as their own-choice selection to go alongside the set-work, 'Spectrum' as they gained a narrow single point margin of victory over Brass Band Regensburg, who performed 'The Essence of Time'.

Nordbayerische Brass Band was third as they performed 'Harmony Music', whilst there were ambitious choices from the other competitors Woodshockers Brass Band and Cologne Concert Brass as they showcased 'Excalibur' and 'Of Distant Memories' respectively.

Second Division

In the Second Division it was Brass Band BlechKLANG, led by Alexander Richter that took the title with their twin performances of the set-work, 'Entertainments' by Gilbert Vinter and their own-choice of 'Purcell Variations' by Kenneth Downie.

Brass Band Bamberg was second (showcasing 'Kingdom of Dragons'), with the Dutch visitors of Gloria Dei conducted by Jaap Musschenga showing perhaps just how far the bands still have to progress at this level as they performed non-competitively with their own-choice of 'Firestorm' by Stephen Bulla.

Third/Fourth Divisions

In the enjoyable joint Third/Fourth Division, the title was won comprehensively by Brass Band Westfalen led by Tobias Schutte: The performances of the set-work, 'Petite Suite de Ballet' and the own-choice of 'Shine As the Light' gave them a commanding margin of victory.

Second place went to Brass Band B10 who performed 'Olympus' as their own-choice, with Evolution Brass Regensburg in third with 'The Dark Side of the Moon'.

Youth Section

In a highly enjoyable youth contest it was Jugend Brass Band Blechklang conducted by Patricio Cosentino that became the first German National Youth Champions winning a workshop event provided by Besson Musical Instruments. Second place went to 3BA Brass Youth Band with Brass Band Potzblech in third.

Each band had to play the set-work, 'Indian Summer' by Eric Ball plus their own-choice selection.

The success rounded off a very busy period for the band, and came just a week after they had come a fine 10th at the European Championships in Utrecht against the cream of the world's elite band4BR

Results:

Championship Section:

Set-work: Journey into Freedom (Eric Ball)
Adjudicators: Erik Janssen, Frank Renton, Geir Ulseth

1. 3BA Concert Band (Thomas Ludescher): 90/94 = 184
2. Brass Band Sachsen (Bryan Allen): 88/90 = 178

Solo Prize: Lucy Kraszlan (cornet) — 3BA Concert Band
Best Section: Trombones (Brass Band Sachsen)

First Division:

Set-work: Spectrum (Gilbert Vinter)
Adjudicators: Erik Janssen, Frank Renton, Geir Ulseth

1. Badische Brassband (Dominik Koch): 91/87 = 178
2. Brass Band Regensburg (Christine Hartmann): 87/90 = 177
3. Nordbayerische Brass Band (Mathias Wehr): 88/88 = 176
4. Woodshockers Brass Band (Benjamin Markl): 89/86 = 175
5. Cologne Concert Brass (Heinrich Schmidt): 85/85 = 170

Solo Prize: Horn (Nordbayerische Brass Band)

Second Division:

Set-work: Entertainments (Gilbert Vinter)
Adjudicators: Erik Janssen, Frank Renton, Geir Ulseth

1. Brass Band BlechKLANG (Alexander Richter): 88/90 = 178
2. Brass Band Bamberg (Christian Lang): 87/89 = 176

Non competitive entry: Gloria Dei (Jaap Musschenga)*
*Awarded 92/93 = 185

Best Section: Tubas (Brass Band BlechKLANG)

Third/Fourth Division:

Set-work: Petite Suite de Ballet (Eric Ball)
Adjudicators: Erik Janssen, Frank Renton, Geir Ulseth

1. Brass Band Westfalen (Tobias Schutte): 92/93 = 185
2. Brass Band B10 (Alexander Weis): 85/89 = 174
3. Evolution Brass Regensburg (Thomas Lorenz): 86/84 = 170
4. Brass for Spass Duren (Martin Schadlich): 82/83 = 165
5. Brass Band Nord (Jonathan Eberstein): 81/83 = 163
6. St. Stephan Brass Band Hamburg (Sergio Condessa): 80/82 = 162

Soloist prize: Euphonium (Brass Band Westfalen)

Youth Division:

Set-work: Indian Summer (Eric Ball)
Adjudicators: Erik Janssen, Frank Renton, Geir Ulseth

1. Jugend Brass Band Blechklang (Patricio Cosentino): 93/95 = 188
2. 3BA Brass Youth (Sebastian Schwarz): 90/92 = 182*
3. Brass Band Potzblech (Hans Jacob): 91/91 = 182

*Set-work score takes precedence

Youngest Player: Dominik Berchtold — tuba (aged 10) of 3BA Brass Youth Band