Former Belgian National Champion, Festival Brass Band is building for the future with an international trio of conductors at the helm.

It follows the departure of conductor Steven Verhaert who led the band to their title success in 2022. His decade of leadership saw the band grow hugely in competitive stature, with the band now keen to build further on the musical foundation that he put in place.

Backbone

The highly respected Guy Audenaert was appointed Musical Director and will be responsible for the regular weekly rehearsals. The band told 4BR that, "his thorough knowledge of the band and his experience form a solid backbone for the future."

For concerts and competitions, the band will continue to work in a professional capacity with Russell Gray, continuing a relationship that saw the Scotsman lead them at the Belgian National in last year.

European and World

2026 will see the band not only compete at the European Championships but also the World Music Contest.

Guy Audenaert will lead the band in Linz, with Richard Marshall, the former principal cornet of Black Dyke Band taking the helm in Kerkrade, a decision the band states, "perfectly aligns with our artistic ambitions."

These decisions confirms our confident ambition to invest in expertise, embracing international influencesFestival Brass Band

Confident ambition

They added: "These decisions confirms our confident ambition to invest in expertise, embracing international influences, and at the same time building on a strong internal structure to further strengthen its position at the highest level."