The Swiss National Championships will return this weekend at the Music and Convention Center in Montreux.
54 bands will compete in the six sections of competition at the venue which will be transformed into a Covid-19 bubble over the two days to offer a safe environment for performers, organisers and audience alike.
Only holders of a valid Covid certificate (QR code) will be able to access the 2m2c building.
World Rejoicing
The Championships will begin on Saturday 27th November at the Stravinski Hall (8.30am) with the Second Division bands, followed by the Elite Division. The day will close with the Championship Division bands performing the set-work, 'The World Rejoicing' by Edward Gregson.
Meanwhile, the Miles Davis Hall will host the Fourth Division from 12.30pm, followed by the Third Division.
The results of the Elite, Second, Third and Fourth Division will be announced in the Miles Davis Hall at 10.30pm.
Own choice selections
On Sunday (28th November), the First Division will open proceedings at 9.30am in the Stravinski Hall. It will be followed by the own-choice selections of the Championship Division contenders, with the final set of results announced around 7.00pm.
As always there will be a great deal of interest in the selections which this year will feature 'A Gabrieli Fantasy' (Bert Appermont); 'Two Worlds' (Philip Harper) and 'Glitch' (Daniel Hall).
Added to these are 'A Tale As Yet Untold' (Philip Sparke); 'Audivi Media Nocte' (Oliver Waespi); 'Explorers On The Moon' (Paul Raphael); 'Fraternity' (Thierry Deleruyelle); 'Other Lives' (Oliver Waespi) and 'Realms of Asgard' (Dan Price).
Double hat-trick seekers
Valaisia Brass Band will be looking to make it a 'Double Hat-trick' with an unprecedented sixth successive title in the Blue Riband Championship Division, whilst the Elite Division welcomes two new contenders promoted from 2019 in BML Talents and Brass Band Kirchenmusik Flühli.
Ensemble de Cuivres Euphonia, Constellation Brass Band B, Musik Frohsinn Oberburgand Entlebucher Jugend Brass Band will all defend their titles in the other Divisions.
The adjudication panel consists of Ooystein Baadsvik; Jean-Francois Bobillier; Roman Brogli; Remo Capra; Eric Crees; Stephen Cobb; Jan De Haan; Erik Janssen and Thomas Wyss.
Test Pieces:
Championship Division: 'The Word Rejoicing' (Variations on a Lutheran Chorale) (Edward Gregson)
Elite Division: 'La Passuin' (Oliver Waespi)
First Division: 'Bipolarity' (Stjin Aertgeerts)
Second Division: 'Sollicitus' (Fredrick Schjelderup)
Third Division: 'Red Mountain' (Marc Jeanbourquin)
Fourth Division: 'Smoke Sketches' (Daniel Hall)
Excellence Division:
Brass Band Berner Oberland
Brass Band Burgermusik Luzern
Brass Band Fribourg
Brass Band Treize Etoiles
Ensemble de Cuivres Jurassien
Ensemble de Cuivres Mélodia
Ensemble de Cuivres Valaisan
Liberty Brass Band
Valaisia Brass Band
Elite Division:
BML Talents
Brass Band Eglisau
Brass Band Emmental
Brass Band Fribourg
Brass Band Harmonie Neuenkirch
Brass Band Imperial Lenzburg A-Band
Brass Band Kirchenmusik Fluhli
Brass Band Rickenbach
Ensemble de cuivres Euphonia
Graubunden Brass
First Division:
Brass Band Cazis
Brass Band Konkordia Busserach
Brass Band Lotschental
Brass Band MG Reiden
Brass Band RosAlp
Brass Band Schotz
Brass Band Treize Etoiles 'B'
Ensemble de cuivres Ambitus
mgrr Brass Band
Regional Brass Band Bern
Universal Brass Band Wil
Second Division:
Brass Band Abinchova
Brass Band Berner Oberland Junior
Brass Band Feldmusik Escholzmatt
Brass Band Imperial Lenzburg B
Brass Band Junior Valaisan
Brass Band Munsingen
Brass Band Rapperswil-Wierezwil
Brass band Zurich
Constellation Brass Band B
Liberty Junior
Oberwalliser Brass Band
Third Division:
Brass Band Thurgau
Ensemble de Cuivres Jurassien 'B'
Ensemble de Cuivres Melodia 'B'
Jugend Brass Band Michelsamt
MG Richenthal-Langnau
Musik Frohsinn Oberburg
Musikverein Brass Band Henggart
Thunerseebrass
Fourth Division:
Entlebucher Jugend Brass Band
Hinterlander Jugend Brass Band
Jugend Brass Band Oberer Sempachersee
Jugend Brass Band Regionale Musikschule Liestal
