A major new event in the French brass band calendar has just taken place in Orléans.

'Brassissim'O' is being seen as a vitally important forward-thinking initiative. It was inspired by the professors of the brass department of the Orléans Conservatoire, the home of France's first brass band formed by trumpet professor Jean-Paul Leroy, and which expanded to become Brass Band Val de Loire.

The weekend festival opened with a masterclass and recital given by cornet virtuoso Alexis Demailly, the renowned cornet soloists of the Paris Opera Orchestra and former principal cornet of Paris Brass Band.

French brass music

It was followed by 'Brass à la Francaise', a concert by leading French players exploring French brass music, from bandstand and operetta through to cinema, classical and contemporary repertoire.

In addition, Jerome Genza, conductor of Brass Band Val de Loire, presented a conference in the auditorium of the Orléans Musée des Beaux Arts on the theme 'A Brass Band for Everyone', which gained a remarkable positive response.

The weekend was rounded off with a special Festival Concert (above) featuring the Brass Studio of the Conservatoire, formed of the brass staff, whose programme included Philip Sparke's 'Saint-Saens Variations'.

Brass Band Val de Loire shared the second half with tuba and serpent soloist Michel Godard, renowned as a classical orchestral musician and as a performer of avant-garde jazz.

The outreach project element of the initiative continued into the following week with a special four-day music academy event open to brass students from all the conservatoires in the Loiret area.

They were able to perform in a range of groups as well as a massed brass ensemble consisting of all the participants. The project's principle of being 'open to all' meant participation was entirely free of charge.

Cherry

Described as 'La cerise sur le gateau' ('The cherry on the cake'), the academy was held in partnership with a music theatre company '1084 degrees', so that students could get a taste for performing in a stage production.

Meanwhile in the town of Froges near Grenoble, Cedric Rossero, conductor of Brass Band Accords had organised a special one-day band festival.

This featured concerts by brass students from the Accords Music School, Brass Band Accords and guest band, Brass Band des Gones under conductor Antony Galinier, as well as Cedric's critically acclaimed professional brass ensemble E=mCu.

Earlier in the month Brass Band Mediterranee (Olivier Mauny) continued its commitment to taking its banding into the towns and villages of the Cote d'Azur by playing a concert in the church of St Laurent du Var.

'Brassissim'O' is being seen as a vitally important forward-thinking initiative4BR

Centrepiece

The centrepiece was a performance of Edward Gregson's 'Tuba Concerto' by the principal tuba of the Monte Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra, Florian Wielgosik.

Appointed at the age of 19, Florian studied at conservatoires in Amiens, Paris and Karlsruhe and has won several prestigious international competitions as well as playing in the brass bands of Ensemble de Cuivres Amiens and Paris Brass Band.