A span of 32 years now bridges the arc of European Championship title winning success for a truly unique banding partnership.

In 1993, Frans Violet and Brass Band Willebroek surprised everyone with their first victory in Plymouth.

It took a further 13 years to claim a second success in 2006; a feat repeated the following year. In the 18 years since, generational changes in personnel, inspired and crafted by their MD through his commitment to producing home grown talent has seen them grow in maturity to secure three podium finishes (and never outside the top-six in seven appearances), until now.

In 2025, the only shock waves felt across the banding globe after their fourth triumph came from them jumping up and down in communal celebration on the stage at Stavanger Konserthus.

Ultimate endorsement

Victory here was the ultimate endorsement for everything that is good about self-sustaining elite level banding. In addition to now standing a clear fourth in the all-time list of winning bands (with the MD joint third as a conductor) Willebroek are also unique in holding the World, European and National Championship titles at the same time. They are an inspirational organisation, led by an inspirational musician.

Their superb performance of the set-work, 'Transitions in Energy', which gained 99 points, was added to by third place on their own-choice of 'The Forest for the Trees'. Composed by their bass trombonist Wim Bex, it cemented a clear two-point victory over three-time winner Eikanger-Bjorsvik Musikklag, with Valaisia Brass Band a point further back in third.

Cory headed the UK challenge in fourth ahead of a delighted Scottish representative, the cooperation band, with hat-trick seeking Brass Band Treize Etoile in sixth, after the defending champion drew number 1 in both disciplines of the 15 band contest.

Hallmark quality

Few who enjoyed the two days of an engrossing high-class battle of musical wits, insights, bravura and blockbuster bombast in Stavanger or at home through the Wobplay live broadcast could dispute the hallmark quality of Willebroek's victory; one based on an authoritative appreciation of Fredrick Schjelderup's evocative test-piece score.

Written with its own ambitious narrative arc in referencing the imprint the discovery and exploration of oil has made on the past, present and future of the city of Stavanger and its people, it proved to be an engaging test of the title winning credentials.

Nearly all captured the outer structures of excitement, drama, colourings and textures of a busy score, but only the best managed to drill deep into its emotional 'In memoriam' core to successfully frame the paean to the lives lost in the Alexander L Kielland tragedy. For the judges, Willebroek did that and more.

Honour to listen

"An honour to listen to this"; "It was music and emotion at the highest level", and "...an incredibly emotional and mature performance — I am thrilled", were the written observations of Bert van Thienen, Corsin Tuor and Isabelle Ruf-Weber.

The following day, Jan de Haan, Michael Bach and Frode Amundsen summed up their responses to 'The Forest for the Trees' by stating; "All in all, this spectacular composition is matched by an equally spectacular performance"; "This is the best banding I heard in a box in a long time... a wonderful experience" and "musically very well shaped and a pleasure to listen to."

An extended tone-poem exploring issues surrounding the use of propaganda as a tool of political communication, it was full of questioning puzzles that Frans Violet and has players negotiated with a manipulative sense of musical integrity that's spoke volumes of their solo and ensemble quality.

As endorsements of a deserved champion from the judges (aided by their 'Best Soloist' euphonium player Kevin Van Giel) they were fully justified, the final result greeted with overwhelming acknowledgment from those in the hall as the Belgian National Anthem came to a close.

28 out of 30

After being swamped by his players, Frans Violet simply told 4BR that he was "very pleased and happy", whilst his son and principal cornet Lode, who was just 12 years of age and playing third cornet on their 2007 triumph, added that the victory meant so much to everyone involved.

"It is an amazing achievement. We were so determined to win again that we had some form of rehearsal for 28 of the last 30 days — all led by my father. He is the perfect example to us all. We would do anything for him."

With the defence of their World Championship crown as well as an invitation to return to the British Open in 2026, there may well be many more amazing achievements to come.

Eikanger wait

Eikanger -Bjorsvik will now have to wait until 2027 to see if they can emulate their Belgian counterparts in claiming a fourth European title.

Led by Florent Didier, fifth place on the set-work left them with too much ground to make up, despite a riveting performance of Ludovic Neurohr's '***** Concerto No.10 for Brass Band and Ondes Martenot' that topped the own-choice discipline.

Valaisia however will return in Linz in 2026. Although a second European title was perhaps undermined by a level of dynamic forcefulness that at times threatened the structural integrity of the hall, the technical brilliance displayed over the two days (and especially on their own-choice of 'This World' by Thomas Doss) saw them deservedly claim their podium finish.

Behind them, Cory gave everything in their attempt at securing a tenth title, notably on their own-choice of 'Two Worlds' written by their MD, not for his band, but for that of judge Michael Bach's Brass Band Burgermusik Luzern in 2021. The emotional response of the MD/composer, his players, and that of the audience at its conclusion spoke volumes for their efforts.

Emotion and wry smiles

Emotion too for the cooperation band and Katrina Marzella-Wheeler as they celebrated long into the Stavanger night buoyed by a result built on the foundation of a finely judged second place on the set-work that resonated completely in the box, and a colourful, if hit and miss account of 'Jesus in Tibet'.

Wry Swiss smiles though for Brass Treize Etoiles as they became the fifth band in the history of the event to see their hopes of victory blinded by not one, but two 'Kelly's Eye' number 1 draws out of the bag.

Although producing a brace of excellent performances (the set-work in particular in ending fourth on the first day followed by 'A Gabrieli Fantasy' coming sixth), they seemed almost resigned to their fate. They will hope they do not end up with a draw hat-trick come their defence of the British Open in September.

Small margins

The top-six bands were a margin ahead of the rest of the field over the two days, with the ever-consistent Hauts-de-France ending seventh with their exotically inspired 'Sinfonietta No.4' by Pierre-Antoine Savoyat one of the talking points of the epically inspired 'blockbuster' own-choice works performed.

It saw them finish ahead of a midfield photo-finish led by the impressive Austrians of Brass Band Oberosterreich (who played the Bruckner inspired 'Remembrance') and the Danes of Lyngby Taarbaek ('Angels and Demons').

They in turn were a short neck ahead of the trio of Gota Brass Brass ('Myth Forest'), Brass Band Rijnmond ('The Lost Circle') and Foden's, who certainly caught made an impression with listeners on the set-work, if not so much on their own-choice of 'Jesus in Tibet'. The judges were unmoved in placing them 10th and 9the respectively.

Empty seats

And given the furore over 'sold out' ticket sales prior to the event, the marked lack of audience response seen by the swath of empty seats that greeted the Italian Brass Band, Brass LT and Brass Band Regensburg was a major disappointment — although the hardy batch of Rong Brass Band visitors more than made up for it with their enthusiastic support for their efforts.

All three bands were not out of place at this level either — the Italian Brass Band in particular providing further evidence of substantive progress with a fine account of 'Fraternity', whilst both the Lithuanians ('Metropolis 1927') and Germans ('The Legend of King Arthur' gave performances of merit.

"An honour to listen to this"; "It was music and emotion at the highest level", and "...an incredibly emotional and mature performance — I am thrilled"Set work judges

Result:

Championship Section:

Adjudicators:
Set Work: Isabelle Ruf Weber; Bert Van Thienen; Corsin Tuor
Own Choice: Frode Amundsen; Michael Bach; Jan de Haan

Set Work/Own Choice = Total

1. Brassband Willebroek (Frans Violet): 99/96 = 195
2. Eikanger-Bjorsvik Musikklag (Florent Didier): 95/98 = 193
3. Valaisia Brass Band (Arsene Duc): 97/95 = 192
4. Cory Band (Philip Harper): 94/97 = 191
5. the cooperation band (Katrina Marzella-Wheeler): 98/91 = 189*
6. Brass Band Treize Etoiles (Frederic Theodoloz): 96/93 = 189
7. Hauts-de-France Brass Band (Luc Vertommen): 92/92 = 184
8. Brass Band Oberosterreich (Gunther Reisegger): 88/94 = 182
9. Lyngby-Taarbaek Band (Gert Skovlod Hattesen): 93/87 = 180
10. Gota Brass Band (Michael Thomsen): 91/88 = 179*
11. Brassband Rijnmond (Paul Holland): 90/89 = 179
12. Foden's Band (Russell Gray): 89/90 = 179
13. Italian Brass Band (Giuseppe Saggio): 87/85 = 172
14. Brass LT (Bjorn Breistein): 85/86 = 171
15. Brass Band Regensburg (Thomas Freiss): 86/84 = 170

*Higher mark on set work takes precedence

Best Soloist: Kevin Van Giel (euphonium) — Brass Band Willebroek