Valaisia find winning form again

Following the band's recent British Open victory, Valaisia Brass Band managed to find the winning formula once more at the Stravinski Auditorium in Montreux. Under the skilfull direction of M.D. Arsene Duc, Valaisia's most recent success at the Swiss National Championships saw the band claim an historic hat-trick of wins. 

Superb performances of the set test, John Pickard's 'Eden' and their own-choice, 'The Turing Test' by Simon Dobson found favour with the adjudicators, David Childs, Ian Porthouse and Frans Matysiak, who confirmed that Valaisia were a clear margin ahead their rivals. They particularly commended the band on the quality of the solo and ensemble work with the 'Special Prize' going to the band's solo trombone player, Damien Lagger for his performance in the set test.  

MD Arsene Duc was quick to pay tribute to his players stating simply, "They are fantastic. It's been an honour to perform these exceptional pieces. My players deserve the credit as they worked so hard once again." 
They will now compete in the upcoming European Championship in Utrecht as one of the undoubted favourites next May. 

Results: 

Excellence Division: 
Test Piece: Eden (John Pickard) 
Adjudicators: 
Set Work: David Childs, Ian Porthouse, Franz Matysiak  
Own Choice: Garry Cutt, Michael Fowles, Rieks Van der Velde  
Set Work/Own Choice = Total 
1. Valaisia Brass Band (Arsene Duc): 1/2 = 3  
2. Brass Band Treize Etoiles (Dr. James Gourlay): 2/3 = 5 
3. Ensemble de Cuivres Valaisan (Francois Roh): 5/1 = 6 
4. Brass Band Burgermusik Luzern (Michael Bach): 3/4 = 7 
5. Oberaargauer Brass Band (Christoph Luchsinger): 4/6 = 10  
6. Brass Band Fribourg A (Maurice Donnet-Monay): 8/5 = 13  
7. Ensemble de Cuivres Melodia (Vincent Baroni): 6/8 = 14  
8. Brass Band Berner Oberland (Corsin Tuor): 7/7 = 14  
9. Liberty Brass Band Ostschweiz (Stefan Roth): 9/10 = 19  
10. Constellation Brass Band A (Yvan Lagger): 11/9 = 20  
11. Ensemble de Cuivres Jurassien (Blaise Heritier): 10/11 = 21 
Special Prize: Best Trombone (Set Work): Valaisia Brass Band 
Special Prize (Own Choice): Bass trombone (Treize Etoiles) 
 
 
First Division: 
Test Piece: Blitz (Derek Bourgeois) 
Adjudicators: Jean Claude Kolly, Ueli Kipfer, Frederic Theodoloz 
1. Ensemble de Cuivres Euphonia (Michael Bach) — 98 
2. Brass Band Emmental (Jan Muller) — 96 
3. Brass Band Eglisau (Andreas Buri) — 95  
4. Brass Band MG Reiden (Roland Froscher) — 94 
5. Brass Band Treize Etoiles B (Cedric Vergere) — 93 
6. Brass Band Kirchmusik Fluhli (Armin Renggli) — 92  
7= Brass Band Cazis (Enrico Calzaferri) — 91  
7= Brass Band Fribourg B (Maurice Donnet-Monay) — 91  
9= Regional Brass Band Bern (Jon Kowszun) — 90  
9= Universal Brass Band Wil (Gian Stecher) — 90  
11. Brass Band Rickenbach (Enrico Calzaferri) — 89  
12. Brass Band Sursilvana (Roman Caprez) — 88  
13. BML Talents (Patrick Ottiger) — 87  
14. AEW Brass Band Fricktal (Tristan Uth) — 86  
15. Brass Band Rosalp (David Bonvin) — 85  
16= Feldmusik Knutwil (Gian Stecher) — 84  
16= Brass Band Impertial Lenzburg A-Band (Rafael Camartin) — 84  
18. Brass Band Schotz (Urs Bucher) — 83  
19= Ensemble de Cuivres Ambitus (Francois Roh) — 82  
19= Jurassic Brass (Maurice Periat) — 82  
21. Oberwalliser Brass Band A (David Lochmatter) — 81 
 
 
Second Division: 
Test Piece: Mastermind 2.0 (Cedric Fuhrer) 
Adjudicators: Garry Cutt, Mike Fowles, Rieks Van der Velde 
1. Brass Band Berner Oberland Junior (Jan Muller) — 95 
2. Brass Band Harmonie Rickenbach (Lukas Scherrer) — 92 
3. Brass Band Junior Valaisan (Aurelien Darbellay) — 91  
4. Brass Band Abinchvova (Gian Walker) — 89 
5. Liberty Brass Band Junior (Christoph Luchsinger) — 88 
6. Brass Band Feldmusik Escholzmatt (Roger Muller) — 87 
7. Brass Band 43 (Olivier Neuhaus) — 86 
8. Musikgesellschaft Konkordia Aedermannsdorf (Bernhard Wuthrich) — 85 
9. Brass Band Lotschental (Aldo Werlen) — 84 
10. Ensemble de Cuivres Jurassien B (Florian Lab) — 83 
11. Ensemble de Cuivres Melodia B (Sebastien Pasche) — 82 
Special Prize: Tubas (Brass Band Berner Oberland Junior) 
 
 
Third Division: 
Test Piece: Kingdom of Dragons (Philip Harper) 
Adjudicators: David Childs, Ian Porthouse, Franz Matysiak  
1. Jugend Brass Band Michelsamt (Peter Stadelmann) — 97 
2. Musik Frohsinn Oberburg (Jan Muller) — 95 
3. Musikgesellschaft Jenaz (Tristan Uth) — 93 
4. Burgermusik Untereggen (Stfan Roth) — 92 
5. Brass Band Frutigen (Pascal Andres) — 91  
6. Brass Band Munsingen (Christoph Hertig) — 90 
7. Thunerseebrass (Christoph Hertig) — 89 
8. Musikverein Brass Band Henggart (Christian Bachmann) — 88 
9. Constellation Brass Band B (Ivan Denis) — 87  
10. Musikverein Rothrist (Cyrill Schaub) — 86  
11. Brass Band Solothurn (Martin Butikofer) — 85  
12. Brass Band l'Avenir Lignieres (Cyril Perrenoud) — 84  
13. Brass Band Gurbetal (Urs Stahli) — 83  
14. Brass Band Junior Vaudois (Simon Sulmoni) — 82  
15. Brass Band Zurich (Werner Kubli) — 81  
16. Jugend Brass Band Schwarzbubenland (Martin Schaad) — 80  
17. Brass Band Imperial Lenzburg B (Stefan Aegerter) — 78  
18. Musikgesellschaft Oberwil b. Buren (Hansueli Mollet) — 77 
Special Prize: Euphonium (Musik Frohsinn Oberburg) 
 
 
Fourth Division: 
Test Piece: Terra Nova (David Chaulk) 
Adjudicators: David Childs, Ian Porthouse, Franz Matysiak  
1. Hinterlander Jugend Brass Band (Luca Frischknecht) — 94 
2. Jugend Brass Band Oberer Sempachersee (Manuel Imhof) — 93 
3. mgrr Junior Band (Matthias Kieffer) — 92 
4. Musikgesellschaft Brunisned (Manfred Schaller) — 90 
5. Entlebucher Jugend Brass Band (Mario Schubiger) — 89 
6. Jugend Brass Band RML (Ivan Estermann) — 88 
Special Prize: Euphonium (Jugend Brass Band Oberer Sempachersee) 
 
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