There are just 10 days to go before the European Championship contest action takes place on Friday 26th April at the magnificent Stravinsky Auditorium at the Montreux Convention Centre on the banks of Lake Geneva.
Countdown
Just to put you in the mood we will countdown to the first band taking to the stage with some odd little facts and figures about the event...
And don't forget to sign up for the livestreaming (see below)
Whatever happened to...
1. ...the Hammond's Challenge Trophy?
Presented to the band that came runner-up at the very first contest in 1978, it was still being giving to prize winners until 1984 and then disappeared never to be seen again...
Benvenuto Cellini couldn't have come up with anything better looking...
2. ...'Herbstimpressione' by Albert Benz?
Played at the first contest as their own-choice selection by Feldmusikgesellschaft Frohsinn Schotz Band of Switzerland.
Perhaps future contest programme printers decided it wasn't worth the hassle...
3. ... Rika Dijkstra?
Perhaps the most memorable of all concert presenters in European Championship history.
In Groningen in 2005 she managed to upstage everyone with a performance that not even the great Alan Partridge could better...
4. ... Aragorn?
Years before the 'The Lord of the Rings' franchise brought us all things Bilbo Baggins and Middle Earth magic, composer Hardy Mertens wrote 'Aragorn' — Opus 144a, to be used as the set-work for the 1991 European Championships in Rotterdam.
Never heard of it? It was dropped in favour of 'A London Overture' a few weeks before the contest after alleged complaints about its suitability from competing bands.
That would never happen today would it now...?
5. ... Mirga Grazinyte-Tyla?
It is well worth remembering now that the Lithuanian is one of the most sought after orchestral conductors in the world, that she earned her brass band conducting spurs in coming third at the 4th European Conductors Competition in Stavanger in 2008, winning through to direct Sola Brass in a performance of Gilbert Vinter's 'Salute to Youth'...
She is now the Chief Conductor of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.
Presented to the band that came runner-up at the very first contest in 1978, it was still being giving to prize winners until 1984 and then disappeared never to be seen again...
Sign up for Livestream
Remember — make sure you don't miss out on any of the action by signing up for the livestream action from Monday 22nd April at 9.00am, with footage available to view until midnight on Sunday 5th May — one week after the event.
You will be able to purchase access to watch the action from World of Brass from Monday 22nd April, giving you unrivalled coverage from Friday afternoon (26th April) through to the end of Sunday for only £12.95, or alternatively the Youth Section only (Sunday) will be available for just £5.95.
The last opportunity to sign up will be midnight on Friday 3rd May.
You will be able to purchase the access at: www.worldofbrass.tv
